Cure is the most common term used to describe the eradication of medical conditions such as cancer, but it’s also a complex concept. It can mean different things to different people and is a constantly evolving field.

As such, when it comes to defining the term, there is no one answer that applies across all situations. But it’s important to understand what a cure is when evaluating the effectiveness of gene therapy or other emerging treatments.

A cure is a treatment outcome that aims to eradicate or substantially reduce the symptoms of a disease, but not all treatments are designed with cure in mind and may not achieve this goal. The definition of a cure can also vary from patient to patient, as genetic predispositions and other factors can influence how the disease manifests.

The word cure can be confusing to patients as well, as some doctors are reluctant to use the term with their patients and others only discuss it with those who have been cured. However, it is critical for patients to understand what cure means so that they can have realistic expectations of their treatment outcomes.

For some, being cured of their condition is not simply a matter of medical progress, but also a dissociation from the stigma associated with it. Some studies have shown that a social stigma can affect a person’s ability to live a normal life even when they are physically free of a disease (e.g. HIV, sickle cell disease and HCV).