CLEAN NEEDLES DON'T PREVENT HIV (DEC. '97)

A new Canadian study among 1,599 intravenous (IV) drug users, evaluated between 1988 and 1995, is showing that IV drug users participating in Needle Exchange Programs (NEPs) in Montreal have higher seroconversion rates, and an increased HIV risk, compared to IV drug users who do not participate in these programs. NEPs are designed to prevent HIV transmission among IV drug users. Most studies done sofar reported beneficial effects in terms of behavior modification, but studies looking for effectiveness of NEPs in preventing HIV infection had not been published sofar. Another study indicating clean needles don't prevent HIV infection has been published this summer. Despite having the largest NEP in North America, exchanging over 2 million needles per year, Vancouver has been experiencing an ongoing HIV epidemic among its participants too. (American Journal of Epidemiology 15 Dec. 1997,  AIDS July 1997)

AZT CAUSES CANCER IN OFFSPRING (NOV. '97)

A new study is presenting further evidence that Glaxo's AIDS drug AZT (Retrovir®) is causing cancer. The study showed that the offspring of mice given the toxic drug developed at later age tumors in the lungs, liver, and reproductive organs. The study confirms an earlier study which showed AZT caused vaginal cancer in the offspring of mice and rats, and in vitro tests which indicated the drug to be a potential carcinogen. The researchers also found that the offspring of monkeys given AZT during pregnancy incorporated the drug into their DNA. So, if mother and child are going to survive AZT treatment (the drug can have other fatal effects too, and is known to induce abortions and cause serious birth defects), there is an increased risk they are going to develop cancer later in life. AZT is not a cure, and treatment has no clinical or lifesaving benefits. There isn't even a solid theory behind the treatment, and prescriptions are just based on unreliable HIV tests. Still in the U.S. alone about 5,000 pregnant women are prescribed the toxic drug every year, and thousands of other pregnant women are involved in AZT experiments in the rest of the world. (Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1997; 89:1602-1608)

FIRST PICTURES OF "PURE HIV" (OCT. '97)

Two historic papers in the leading science journal Virology in March this year provide astonishing new data on the purification and isolation of HIV. For the first time in the history of AIDS, elusive electron microscope images of 'HIV' collected or 'banded' at the official density required for retroviruses, 1.16 gm/ml, have been published, by a research group in Germany. The electronmicrographs disclose "major contaminants" in "pure HIV".

HIV expert Hans Gelderblom of Berlin's Robert Koch Institute, whose photos of non-banded 'HIV' material have been the industrial benchmark since 1987, co-authored the first paper which describes the contamination as "an excess of vesicles" - particles of cellular proteins, that may contain DNA or RNA. In a consecutive paper, a U.S. research team from the AIDS Vaccine Programme in Maryland reveal carefully, "It is unknown how these cellular proteins associate with the virus" and warn, "The presence of microvesicles in purified retroviruses has practical implications": both teams discuss the resulting nonspecifity of HIV tests, all of which are based on early unchecked "purified HIV".

In an historic admission that it has never been established which proteins constitute 'HIV', the U.S. scientists conclude, "The development of various purification strategies to separate microvesicles from HIV-particles ... will greatly enhance our ability to identify virion-associated cellular proteins." The imaging step in attempts at retroviral isolation was deemed essential when isolation procedure was discussed and decided at the Pasteur Institute, Paris in 1972, but it has never been published before in the 13-year history of 'HIV'. (Continuum Autumn 1997)

See some more pictures, and some further comment on these publications.

DRUG INDUSTRY SEEKS FURTHER U.S. MARKET GROWTH (SEPT. '97)

As part of a ongoing campaign an editorial in The New England Journal of Medicine is urging for mandatory reporting of HIV infection to U.S. authorities. This would allow health agencies to find the partners of infected people, which can then be tested and - when testing positive - be prescribed expensive anti-HIV drugs too. The journal, depending on large advertisment revenues from the drug industry, admits that many people have reservations about testing. But "such reservations have become less persuasive", it says. The successfull multi-million-dollar marketing campaign for protease inhibitors left the general perception of an highly effective treatment. Dispite that these highly toxic drugs have not yet proven to prolong life, and long-term toxicity is still unknown. The editorial further says that safeguards, such as protection against discrimination, and guaranteed access to health insurance, may also be necessary. And political leaders "must be challenged to make funding a priority", while much money is needed. (NEJM 11 Sept. 1997)

GLAXO DUMPING AZT IN AFRICA (SEPT. '97)

Glaxo has begun dumping its useless and highly toxic AIDS drug AZT (Retrovir®) in Africa. As part of "a bouquet of assistance" the drug producer is offering governments of African countries large quantities of AZT against "a substantial discount". This way a large group of Africans, who can't afford the expensive drug, can be prescribed "cheap" AZT. The "help" is "taken up with enthusiasm in Botswana and Zimbabwe, where it is being handled at ministerial level". South Africa is considering Glaxo's offer to start experimenting with AZT on thousands of HIV-positive pregnant women. African AIDS researchers, government officials, and Glaxo seem to ignore the drug's toxicities. AZT, a cytostatica, is known to induce abortions and cause very serious birth defects (in one study in 25% of the women). See this article. "While Glaxo would sell the drug to the government at its usual price to avoid it being re-exported, the difference in cost between the actual and the discounted price would be ploughed back to fund training for AIDS counsellors and building private consulting rooms at clinics, among other options." (SA Mail & Guardian 22 Aug. 1997)

DISSIDENT SYMPOSIUM COLOMBIA (SEPT. '97)

On 2, 3, 4 and 5 October 1997 there will be an international AIDS Symposium in Colombia under the title "AIDS without HIV; Myth or Reality?" Prof. Peter Duesberg, Dr. Kary Mullis, and Prof. Eleni Papadopulos-Eleopulos are on the program.

NEW PUBLICATION QUESTIONS EXISTENCE HIV (SEPT. '97)

A new paper by the Perth Group, published in Current Medical Research and Opinion, is questioning again the existence of HIV.

DRUG PUSHERS WORRIED (AUG. '97)

HIV-drug salesmen "have become increasingly concerned about the promotion of the idea that HIV is harmless, and that accepted medical treatments are useless." More and more people who have tested HIV-positive don't want to participate in the dangerous and useless medical experiments. The drug pushers claim: "There is now an organized, well-financed campaign which encourages people with HIV to reject lifesaving medical care." They say Prof. Peter Duesberg is the culprit. About 20 drug-promoting AIDS organisations have endorsed a letter by the pharmaceutical front store Project Inform to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, complaining about "the continuing public campaign of Peter Duesberg." Drug pushers even started distributing flyers outside a HEAL meeting, attended by Duesberg, with sales talk and unproven or false statements like: "New treatments have greatly reduced AIDS deaths, hospitalizations, and other complications", and "without treatment, almost everyone with HIV will ultimately progress to AIDS and death." (AIDS Treatment News 15 Aug. 1997)

LATEX ALLERGIES (JULY '97)

"During the past decade, a strange and troubling new epidemic has taken place on a global scale: allergic reactions to latex or rubber products. Not only has this epidemic ruined careers, it has been responsible for a number of deaths." Read more.

FIGHTING AIDS DOGMA'S (JULY '97)

Tommy Morrison, a former top heavyweight champion, who stopped boxing since he tested HIV positive, is fighting the HIV-AIDS dogma now. POZ Magazine, a glossy for HIV believers, covered his battle in their July issue. Morrison thinks HIV is harmless, and AIDS is just a fraudulent collection of symptoms. He believes it is the medication which is killing people with HIV. "I don't even take aspirin," Morrison said. "You know why? Because I'm not sick." "The human body was made to cure itself, but we keep putting lots of shit into it," he explains further. Morrison resisted the pressure to take antiviral medication, he even refused to take the medications prescribed to him by 'Time's Man of the Year' Dr. David Ho. "Boy, I get mad," he said. "If somebody told you something, and you found out that if you'd followed their direction, you'd have died... These guys tried to kill me, and they're killing a bunch of other people, and it ain't right. And I'm not going to let it happen." (POZ July 1997)

DANGEROUS DRUG COCTAILS (JULY '97)

When illegal drugs are combined with protease inhibitors, the combined effects become more dangerous, as Phillip Kay found out. He died after taking ecstasy (MDMA) while he was on protease inhibitors. These highly toxic AIDS drugs inhibit certain enzymes the liver uses to metabolize other drugs, often causing much higher levels of those drugs to build up in the blood. They are accompanied by lists of other medicines that can not be taken with it, but there is not much data available on illegal drugs. For example, Ritonavir® could increase ecstasy and amphetamine levels by threefold, little or no interaction with cocaine is likely, and heroin levels might be decreased by 50 percent. Blood levels of methadone are likely to increase more than threefold, according to the manufacture. (POZ July 1997)

'NEW' PROTEASE INHIBITOR EFFECTS (JUNE '97)

"A study conducted by the University of California at San Francisco has found that AIDS patients who are given protease inhibitors to treat the disease may develop cytomegalovirus retinitis. Five patients with CD4 cell counts lower than 100 cells/mm3 were administered PIs. Although their cell count increased to around 200 cells/cm3, this did not protect them from CMV, and in fact PIs may even trigger it, say the researchers. It was previously thought that only patients with CD4 cell counts below 50 were susceptible to the disease." (Marketletter, 16 June 1997)

The Lancet from 14 June 1997 reports two cases of acute pancreatitis in combination with acute renal failure, in association with combination antiretroviral therapy.

The two men had been admitted to the hospital with fever and increasing abdominal pain. One patient had been HIV-positive for 6 years, and had been treated with combinations of zidovudine, lamivudine, saquinavir, indinavir, stavudine, lamivudine, and ritonavir. Other medications were azithromycin, ethambutol, dapsone, fluconazole, acyclovir, mexiletene, erythropoietin, and testosterone. A pancreatic inflammation was diagnosed. The antiretroviral drugs were discontinued, but never the less the patient developed a severe metabolic acidosis. Dialysis was initiated. Over time he gradually improved, and was discharged after 6 weeks.

The other patient had been HIV-positive for 12 years, and had taken zidovudine, didanosine, zalcitabine lamivudine and saquinavir. His other medications were co-trimoxazole buspirone, clarithromycin and ethambutol. He was found to have mild pancreatitis. Antiretroviral therapy was discontinued, and his symptoms resolved during the next 2 weeks. Because the patient's viral load increased, the antiviral drugs were restarted. The fever and abdominal pain recurred and the patient discontinued therapy again. The next days the patient developed nausea, vomiting, and a severe metabolic acidosis. He received sodium bicarbonate and aggressive intravenous hydration, and was discharged after 11 days.

The author of the report states that "the combination of a nucleoside analogue and an HIV protease inhibitor may have triggered pancreatorenal syndrome in these cases." In studies of the antiretroviral medications, acute pancreatitis has been reported before. Normally the mortality rates of this syndrome approaches 80%. The recovery after discontinuation of the antiviral drugs further supports the likelihood of "an iatrogenic insult", says the author. He warns clinicians to be aware of this potentially life-threatening complication.

More news on these dangerous drugs comes from the FDA:

"AIDS patients taking protease inhibitors should be monitored closely for indications of diabetes... the government warned today. ...FDA recently discovered 83 patients who contracted diabetes or hyperglycemia, high blood sugar, or had those diseases suddenly worsen after they began taking protease inhibitors. Six suffered life-threatening cases - including five who had ketoacidosis, a dangerous diabetes complication that often results in coma - and 21 others had to be hospitalized. ...It urged patients today to watch for such symptoms as increased thirst, unexplained weight loss, increased urination, fatigue and dry, itchy skin. ...On average, diabetes symptoms struck about 76 days after patients began taking protease inhibitors, although some patients had the first symptoms a mere four days into treatment." (The Associated Press, 11 June 1997)

HEADLINES IN SPAIN (APRIL '97)

While the Spanish AIDS congres is taking place at Valencia, one of the most prestigious daily newspapers in Spain, Diario16, with nation-wide distribution, opened its April 3th front-page with, in almost 4-cm-high capitals and over the full width of the page, "The AIDS Virus DOES NOT EXIST". Inside, a two page interview with virologist Dr. Stefan Lanka, and an editorial comment, asking for an open and public discussion. One of the most successful talkshows on Spanish TV, Esta noche cruzamos el Mississipi, has echoed the news, and hinted that they will continue the debate.

Diario 16 continued publishing articles on the AIDS debate. You can find these articles at this Spanish site.

TREATMENT REJECTIONISTS (MARCH '97)

"Growing numbers of people with HIV are now dropping out of almost all medical care, because they believe that HIV is not the cause of AIDS... Different groups with varying viewpoints are promoting such ideas... People should only use medical drugs to get through a particular infection, it is stated, but otherwise should avoid doctors, listen to their bodies, take common-sense steps to healthy living, and take responsibility for pulling their lives together... The result is that there are people now rejecting all antiretroviral therapy, and sometimes prophylaxis as well."

"What should we as a community do about this? Clearly the treatment rejectionists have a Constitutional right to speak. But it is sad that people... seldom hear any specific refutation or answers. The AIDS world has been largely silent... But unless some part of the AIDS community will take on the job of researching, preparing, and communicating adequate replies, we will have been derelict in our duty, and people with AIDS will continue... dropping out of the system..."

"It will not be easy to answer the treatment rejectionists... and we must be fully ready to point out where the rejectionists' critique is legitimate and important." (AIDS Treatment News 21 March 1997)

THE AIDS CULT (FEB. '97)

A new book edited by John Lauritsen and Ian Young titled 'The AIDS Cult: Essays on the gay health crisis' has been published.

LUBRICANTS AND AIDS (JAN '97)

Stephen Byrnes Ph.D., D.N.T. is a Natural Therapist and Nutritionist in Honolulu. He wrote an article about benzene, lubricants and AIDS for Explore!.

END OF THE NEW YORK NATIVE (JAN. '97)

"On January 5, the New York Native, one of the few genuinely critical voices in the AIDS debate, folded after 16 years of publication. The Native was lauded for its early AIDS reporting but became the object of an ACT UP boycott in 1989 for its anti-AZT stance. Editor and publisher Charles Ortleb says that in the last year the newspaper lost advertising over its opposition to the new protease inhibitor "cocktail" therapies. "It was like we were the last Japanese on an island who didn't know the war was over," Ortleb jokes. As a source of investigative journalism on AIDS, the Native leaves a gaping hole. The paper whose editor has called AIDS "an onion of fraud" and "a crime with no name" won't be missed by the AIDS establishment. It will be missed by us." (Spin magazine)