Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Associated Press; 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020 - Friday, November 21, 1997; 1:47 p.m. EST
The Medicines Control Council was investigating reports that Virodene P058, which it banned in February, was being used, council head Peter Folb said Friday.
On Wednesday, council officials raided the Pretoria office and home of researcher Olga Visser, one of the three scientists who claimed in January that Virodene could reverse the effects of AIDS.
In an unorthodox move, Visser and her colleagues were allowed to present their findings to President Nelson Mandela's Cabinet in a bid to obtain money for further research.
But their research was condemned by the Medicines Control Council and other bodies for failing to follow accepted procedures. The council then banned further human experiments with Virodene or its use as a medicine.
Folb said the council feared Virodene was unsafe and potentially dangerous to humans. When it banned the drug, the council said Virodene contained dimethylformamide, an industrial solvent.
Anyone making or distributing Virodene could be held criminally liable if a patient were injured or died, Folb said.
The Aids Law Project at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg said it told the council about a Pretoria doctor who supplied Virodene to two patients.
It said the patients experienced extreme burning sensations, shortness of breath, swelling of the throat, physical discomfort and irritation after using the drug.
Copyright 1997/The Associated Press. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, The Associated Press, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020.
971121
AP971121
Copyright © 1997 - Associated Press. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the AP Permissions Desk.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1997. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 1997. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .