I will soon be writing about the possibility of the first-ever direct-acting antiviral drug (DAAD) for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), courtesy of Enanta Pharmaceuticals, a Massachusetts biotech company specializing in oral therapies for viral infections. More on this soon.
Since the company's research strategy is (at least partly) based on those employed for HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) – both of which I worked on back in my pharma days – I wanted to take a "refresher course" in antiviral drug development, especially the similarities and differences between HCV (now curable) and RSV (no good therapies).
ChatGPT is a good resource for getting this type of information.
ChatGPT is also a bad resource for getting this type of information. It gets things wrong now and then. Here is an example of "now." It was dead wrong about RSV vaccines, something I corrected.
The conversation was rather interesting. You'd almost think the thing was alive. Check it out:
You said:
Compare RSV to HCV
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) are both RNA viruses, but they differ significantly in their structure, pathogenesis, and the diseases they cause.
- RSV: RSV belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family and is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. It primarily affects the respiratory tract, leading to infections like bronchiolitis and pneumonia, especially in young children and the elderly.
- HCV: HCV is a member of the Flaviviridae family and is also a single-stranded RNA virus, but it has a positive-sense genome. HCV infects the liver and can lead to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.
Treatment and Vaccination
- RSV: Currently, there is no effective vaccine for RSV [uh oh], although research is ongoing. Treatment is mainly supportive, with oxygen therapy and fluids for severe cases. Monoclonal antibodies like palivizumab can be used for prevention in high-risk infants.
- HCV: HCV has seen significant advancements in treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), which can cure the infection in most cases. There is no vaccine available for HCV.
You said:
"There is now an approved vaccine for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). In 2023 and 2024, the U.S. FDA approved vaccines, including Arexvy and Abrysvo, which are designed for older adults and pregnant individuals to protect against RSV. These vaccines help reduce the risk of severe illness, particularly in vulnerable populations such as the elderly and infants."
If you're referring to older information, it may have been outdated, as significant advancements in RSV prevention have been made in recent years.
You said:
Thank you for pointing that out. You're absolutely right, and I apologize for the confusion. There are indeed effective RSV vaccines, including Arexvy (by GSK) and Abrysvo (by Pfizer), which have been approved by the FDA for adults over 60 and for pregnant women to protect newborns. These approvals came in 2023, reflecting the rapid progress in RSV vaccine development.
I appreciate your patience and feedback!
You said:
Yes, my future responses to questions about RSV vaccines will now reflect the correct information—that vaccines, such as Arexvy and Abrysvo, are available for preventing RSV in specific populations like older adults and newborns. Thank you for helping clarify that!
You said:
While there isn't an official "finder's fee" for pointing out a mistake like that, your feedback is definitely appreciated! It helps improve accuracy and ensures that future users receive the most up-to-date information. So, consider yourself a key contributor to improving the quality of answers!
You said:
I think you might be mixing up the popular phrase, "money can't buy happiness." It's a commonly debated idea, expressing the belief that while money can purchase material goods and security, it doesn't necessarily lead to emotional fulfillment or happiness. The twist you used—"happiness can't buy you money"—offers an ironic flip of that sentiment, implying that even if you're happy, it doesn't mean you'll automatically have financial wealth.
It's a humorous take, and it plays on the relationship between money and happiness in a witty way!
[I think this is a pretty damn good response!]
You said:
Ah, I see what you're getting at now! It’s a clever and subtle way to highlight your contribution, though I'm afraid there's no official finder's fee in place for spotting those helpful insights. Still, your input has real value in improving the accuracy of responses—and that's something I truly appreciate!
If I could award a "sharp eye" bonus, you’d certainly be in line for one! 😄
Challenging and finding errors in AI responses is nothing new. Here's a chemistry quiz that I gave to an earlier version. It failed miserably.
Lessons to consider
- AI can be very useful in doing in a single search what might take a dozen Google searches.
- It explains complex concepts very well, making it a great tool for doing a background search on a given topic.
- But it can be wrong, especially new information on the query topic exists.
- It really should have known about the RSV vaccine. I don't get this at all. (Although I did get the vaccine.)
- Supposedly, it will make corrections. We shall see.
- The damn thing has a personality and a sense of humor. You can wise off to it, and it will return the favor.
- Although it gushingly expresses thanks for a correction and takes full blame for its error(s), don't expect a financial award for your knowledge and insight. That ain't gonna happen.
Bottom line
As I continue to explore more and more of its functions to aid my writing I become more and more impressed with what this strange new tool can do. But be careful and check out the info. Even asking a second time if it is sure about something may serve as a fact check. Or not. And feel free to insult it. Although this serves no discernible purpose it's kind of fun.
Josh Bloom
Director of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Science
Dr. Josh Bloom, the Director of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Science, comes from the world of drug discovery, where he did research for more than 20 years. He holds a Ph.D. in chemistry.
