HIV drug is not safe for use in SA'

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A RECENT letter from Sunil Ahuja said nevirapine was safe and effective for preventing mother-tochild transmission of HIV. Readers should be suspicious that the World Health Organisation (WHO) was quoted and not peerreviewed scientific literature.

One recent study from Uganda (Musoke, 1999) showed that in a group of eight children of mothers given nevirapine five experienced serious adverse events, including two deaths. And, in a group of 13 mothers and infants given Nevirapine there were seven serious adverse events, including two deaths.

By not including a control group in the experiment, the researchers were able to claim that these adverse events were unrelated to nevirapine and that this drug was safe and effective.

This is the type of junk science that the WHO report is based upon, unfortunately. Is SA willing to let its mothers and children be the guinea pigs in this massive, uncontrolled lab experiment?

David Crowe President, Alberta Reappraising AIDS SocietyAlberta, Canada

Sep 25 2001 12:00:00:000AM  Business Day 1st Edition