In <6ur26a$7ga at sjx-ixn2.ix.netcom.com> gmc0 at ix.netcom.com (George M.
Carter) writes:
>>Gregory LaMont Casey <gcasey at postoffice.pacbell.net> wrote:
>>>As far as the PCR is concerned, I would also suggest that you go to
the web
>>site of the man that won the Nobel Prize for it, Kary Mullis, Ph.D.
Go to
>>yahoo or any other web server and look him up. I was told that he
answers
>>emails.
>>By all means.
>>>Another benefit would be to read about his views regarding HIV and
the use
>>of the PCR. He stated in an interview that I watched, that the PCR
cannot
>>be used for determining viral loads. You will never get accurate
numbers.
>>According to Dr. Mullis, the numbers you will get will always be
higher than
>>reality.
>>Well, this is true--it's an amplification process! This seems to be
>backpedaling on Mullis's part. Indeed, PCR is routinely used to
>measure viral load in blood. It has limitations, to be sure, but the
>correlation between higher viral load and advancement of disease
>(whether HIV or HCV) is very strong.
>> George M. Carter
>>
PCR does indeed give true values. Tests are run against a standard
curve of known dilutions of the sequence in question. If the test
gives correct answers for knowns, what justification has Mullis for
thinking it doesn't for unknowns? He must be off his rocker.
Steve Harris, M.D.
