AIDS TREATMENT NEWS No. 114 - November 4, 1990
John S. James
Comment
Imuthiol has been studied as an AIDS/HIV treatment for years. Placebo-controlled studies have repeatedly found sustained T- helper increases and reduced opportunistic infections in persons using the drug. Nevertheless, in the U. S. there has been widespread skepticism about its efficacy. Also, we do not know why it has not been approved in France, where it was developed by Pasteur Merieux.
AIDS TREATMENT NEWS first covered research on Imuthiol in issue No. 29, April 10, 1987, when a multicenter controlled study was taking place in San Francisco and five other U. S. sites. At that time we predicted that "If all goes well, DTC could be approved sometime in 1988." All did not go well, of course; unexpected and sometimes inexplicable delays intervened.
Is this a drug which should have been approved long ago -- or are the existing data unconvincing -- or, given the drug's safety, are both statements true? We do not know. Imuthiol is one of many potential treatments which deserves in-depth followup; we cannot pursue them all. It is urgent that more people become involved in such investigation.
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