I'd like feedback on a theory...

[FF1]

In the short time that I have been on this forum, the subject of a "cure" has come up more times than I can count. We've all agreed that a cure for Herpes isn't one which is very glamorous and not likely to fetch much interest in the research community. So we rely on the internet for support and information.

 

I have sometimes wondered; what is the purpose of making such graphic images available while searching for information on the subject? At first, I thought it was sensationalism; the entertainment that comes with that "wow factor" when such images pop up on the screen. But then I began to look at the source of such images.

 

To my surprise, many of the images were sponsored by "reputable" sites which provide information and support for our condition. While I don't see the benefit of viewing such photos for people who already have Herpes, I can see how in the minds of the medical community, why such photos can be useful.

 

Photos like these act as a deterrent to people who DON'T have Herpes. I think photos are a propaganda campaign by the medical community to discourage H- people from taking on an H+ partner as this will help contain Herpes within the positive group and prevent the group from growing.

 

Think about it this way; if all H- people refused to engage in intimacy with H+ people, the H+ group will stop growing. As the years go on, through old age and death, the H+ group would continue to shrink. Eventually, the H+ group would go extinct, taking Herpes with it. Problem solved.

 

I know... I'm out of my mind. Right?

[forgivenessandpeace]

That's some dark thinking @FF1!

 

Not sure I can agree with the propaganda campaign theory. There is a stigma, and frankly perhaps it's somewhat deserved, because of the scary photos. Do h- people sometimes refuse h+ partners? Probably. Would the relationship have fallen apart on other grounds sooner or later? Maybe. Will the h- person turn back up a few years later ready for a fully disclosed committed relationship? Perhaps. If there were a vaccine it would be a super easy choice.

 

Sure I'd welcome a cure but really the appropriate public health reaction is 1) systematic testing for all of the sexually active population, and 2) inoculation. Use the scary images to encourage both of these objectives.

 

HSV is not going to simply die off.

[willow]

I see your point. But i dont agree.

i mean its a conspiricy... and the internet is great for conspiricies.

If that is what they were doing, then the cdc website, and this forum wouldnt show up on google search.people who have hiv or aids wouldnt be alowed to date.

and people with imune diseases or disorders like myself would have died off years ago. (Ihave celiac, but im also reffering to peanut allergies.. fish.. soy... etc) Or theyd be trying to find a way to kill us off. Wich really would be easy...

[WCSDancer2010]

. I think photos are a propaganda campaign by the medical community to discourage H- people from taking on an H+ partner as this will help contain Herpes within the positive group and prevent the group from growing.

 

I'm with @inka ... you are waaayyyy overthinking this.

 

Here is how Google Images works ... thousands of photos are put out there of Herpes OB's (or anything else for that matter) by websites as well as by private individuals. Google "ranks" them by the number of hits they get ... so part of their ranking will come from the fact that the larger medical sites will get more hits .... BUT ....

 

You also have the ugly trolls who LOVE to find the most disgusting, ugly things that they can to share with their "friends" and make fun of. IMO THOSE are the people that push the "worst case scenarios" photos to the top of the rankings .... as @inka said ... our society lOVES negativity and sensationalism.

 

To prove my point: Google Psoriasis on Google images ... you will see some of the WORST cases on the top of the page. I've had plenty of clients with this affliction and I can tell you that most are NOT that bad.... between that, and the ads on the TV (showing a woman who is too ashamed to let the plaques show so she wears long sleeves and pants until their miracle drug clears them up, when she suddenly starts to bloom and wear sexy clothing... ugh... what a HORRID message!) .... you can see that if ANYTHING, having the worst images will likely make H+ run to the Dr for the drugs they want to sell..... and THAT is a conspiracy I can buy into :(

 

As @FandP said ... there is no way that Herpes will die off as other countries are never going to play the game anyway ....

 

The only people who will benefit from H+ people only dating each other are the H+ dating sites ... ;)

 

 

[FF1]

 

@Inka: I was looking for intelligent responses. Tattoos across the forehead? That just serves to try and make me feel ridiculous. Nice try, but it didn't work.

 

HSV is a non-life threatening condition. So to include conditions such as HIV, AIDS, Mental Illness, Cancer, Heart Problems, Brain Problems... none of those are contagious and do nothing to support your point.

 

 

[seeker]

ok, while I love a good conspiracy I always ask, whats the end game? HSV isn't part of any end game. more money is made from it in "treatment", meds, testing, etc than in ridding the world of people with it. we have new people coming into the country constantly from places where it is almost endemic. if anything "they" need a global population die off to sustain their way of life and control and THAT would be where their interest in disease would go. ebola anyone?

 

it would be easier to develop a vaccine against HSV than eliminate the people with it to rid the world of it. of course the moment there is a preventative vaccine all work ( such as it is) on a cure goes out the window.

[whitedaisies]

I disagree that it doesn't cost the states any money hsv tht is....

 

How many sick days do people take bc of bad outbreaks or depression from herpes or how less productive they are when struggling.

 

I would gather if u add everything up with the millions of people who have herpes....that it would e a lot of lost money. Wonder if any researchers are looking into quantifying it....if Americans know how much money they are losin in a country, I believe they would take notice as well as big business.

 

Just a thought.....

 

 

 

[seeker]

the general costs to society wouldn't count to those who run things such as the mentioned conspiracy. all they would care about is THEIR cost/profit, not how many days joe plumber missed from the local company he works for. if a society as a whole were worried about its productivity for individual companies it would have far higher priorities than herpes, the flu comes to mind immediately as does the horrible way roads are laid out. hell making a law stating no one who isn't en route to work during certain hours cant be on the road would increase productivity more than the few days most people miss for herpes in their entire lives.

 

but back to the OP, no I don't think its a conspiracy to make H+ people less appealing to H- people to rid the world of H. more about sensationalism, number of hits for advertising dollars and keeping the stigma alive for pharma dollars.

[WCSDancer2010]

@Daisy does have a good point (that I actually was talking to someone about the other day) about lost days at work for physical and mental illness. I can't count the number of stories I've seen on here in a year of people having to take 2-4 weeks off with their initial OB.

 

I'm starting to think about coming up with a questioniare to start to gather the info we would need about peoples understanding of Herpes ( esp for the H- people) and then also get info on the experiences of the H+ including the mental impact and things like lost time for work.... but that's a whole 'nuther thread :p

 

 

[whitedaisies]

Totally agree dancer...it's a good way to get big business to pay attention as well as government etc

 

Lots of things are measured by this method...

 

I wonder if the total amt in $ we lose in productivity etc offsets the profit pharma makes in antiviral drugs specifically for herpes (after tax of course).

 

It would be an interesting analysis

[whitedaisies]

@seeker actually in Canada they did an analysis on just that....how much time people were wasting in traffic to get to work....which resulted in loss productivity as well as other things....that's how govt decided to build and enhance certain infrastructure like public transit and roads.

 

And @seeker it would affect the individual company's bottom line bc people being off would decrease productivity which results in loss profit (could be lost sales, increases in medical benefits company has to pay etc). If joe plumber is not working he can't bill a customer which results in lost sales or delay in sales which means lost cash or delay in collection of receivables which means company may have to finance to bridge the timing of cash payment which would result in interest costs which decreases profit....it's quite amazing how something so simple or a simple nuisance skin condition can have such am amazing impact....really boggles he mind

 

I really need to get back to work lol

 

Either way this might be a piece to include into the stigma analysis for herpes to make it a more well rounded analysis, discussion, argument for better meds, cure etc.

 

Anyway I hijacked the thread but still think it was for a good point

[seeker]

@ daisies and dancer. I don't dispute that people miss time from work and herpes can affect productivity, hell just the extra care and hygiene would add up over time. I was talking of it in relation to the conspiracy mentioned. if I run a conspiracy that nets me money yet costs you, I don't care about your costs. big pharma is in it for big pharma not joe the plumbers company. they could care less about its costs as they are not in its equation. societal costs are another thing but those become muddy when attempted to be measured ( did anyone own up to how many fake sick days they took for the study?)

 

lots of things affect people taking off from work, im thinking there are more common diseases that would need to be tackled first from that perspective.

[forgivenessandpeace]

I'd be interested in tabulating my own costs to the system since this h+ infection starting with actual outlays for medical treatment, lost productivity, FUCKING EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, doctor visits, co-pays, insurance pays, ongoing prescription medication, yada yada.

 

Today I heard more insight on exactly how the drug companies are in collusion with the HSV viruses: GlaxoSmithkline (GSK) made $1.8 billion on Valtrex in 2008. Is that right? Dang they make a lot of dough on that "suppressive" drug. Hmmmmmm...............

[seeker]

Back to the original topic.

 

it would be better to come up with a preventative vaccine to rid the world of herpes than try to keep H+ people single thru media images. a preventative vaccine stops it, no longer "need" a cure as the population with it will over time diminish, maybe a therapeutic vaccine. if there is money to be made but again, the number of people with the virus would diminish over time as they die off from old age. IE no cure for polio or smallpox because of vaccine ( oh I know they may be treatable but the vaccine makes it a non starter).

 

and again, the .0000000000001% of people in the world involved with this conspiracy don't give a damn about the costs to anyone but themselves.

 

realistically speaking, im thinking my "cost" was a wash. yes I missed about a weeks work, but I also went to the doctor several times and got various prescriptions. all of which put money into someone's pocket. the only person it really cost was me if you want to look at it from the meta perspective. ie my productivity was lost but the doctors office had higher productivity as did the pharmacist.