In this powerful episode of Dose of Health, we sit down with Dr. Ming Lee, one of the leading voices in HIV cure research, to explore a question that weighs heavily on millions of minds: When will we see a cure for HIV? Despite the success of antiretroviral therapy (ART), which allows people living with HIV to lead long, healthy lives with undetectable and untransmittable viral loads, treatment still relies on daily medication. But what if we could go beyond treatment? What if we could reach a functional or even sterilizing cure—where the virus no longer replicates, or is completely eradicated from the body? Dr. Ming dives deep into the differences between remission, functional cure, and sterilizing cure, explaining why we still need a cure, and the immense challenges scientists face in getting there.We break down the groundbreaking RIO Study, a clinical trial investigating broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs)—an exciting new treatment that may hold the key to long-term viral control without daily tablets. Dr. Ming shares insider insights on how these antibodies work, why HIV's latent reservoir is so hard to destroy, and how some participants remained off ART for up to 18 months after just one infusion. Could this be the beginning of a vaccine-like approach to HIV? Is a cure achievable in our lifetime? We also address the stigma, inequity in access to treatment, and the hope that keeps both patients and researchers going. This episode is essential listening for anyone affected by HIV, healthcare professionals, and anyone passionate about cutting-edge science and global health equity.Chapters:0:00 Intro1:42 Disclaimer and Personal Reflection on the Episode4:37 What is HIV cure & Why do we need it?6:06 What would an Ideal HIV cure look like?7:38 Remission vs Functional vs Sterilizing cure10:52 Why is HIV so hard to cure?12:25 The clever tricks HIV uses to hide14:10 What is the RIO study?14:52 How do Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies work?17:16 Why Early Infection patients were chosen?20:14 Treatment protocol for RIO Study24:43 What were the results of the RIO study?29:41 Could bNABs work like a vaccine?31:57 Is this a real step towards HIV Cure?34:15 A message to people living with HIV37:17 Will we see a cure in our lifetime?39:04 Dose of Health40:55 Final thoughtsMusic from #Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/monument-music/betrayalLicense code: Q9KLOL9KWMBGBUO4RIO study website: www.riotrial.orgCROI conference webcast: https://www.croiwebcasts.org/console/player/54102?mediaType=slideVideo&Dr. Ming Lee Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ming-jie-lee/Bluesky: @drmjlee.bsky.social Connect With Me-Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/abhishekkatiyaryt/TikTok- https://www.tiktok.com/@abhishekkatiyaryt?_t=8pXr93OUjEP&_r=1Patreon- https://www.patreon.com/abhishekkatiyar/membershipBuy Me A Coffee- http://buymeacoffee.com/AbhishekYT