AEGiS-GMHC: TREATMENT BRIEFS: RAC Approves New Anti-HIV Trials

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1993. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

TREATMENT BRIEFS: RAC Approves New Anti-HIV Trials

Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues, Volume 7 no. 9 - October, 1993
David Gold

At its September meeting, the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC) of the NIH approved two new gene therapy protocols for HIV infection. The RAC must approve every gene therapy protocol conducted at institutions which receive NIH money. In practice, virtually all American medical research organizations receive some NIH money. The newest protocols will be conducted by Stan Ridell and Phillip Greenberg of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle and Flossie Wong- Staal of the University of California at San Diego. The Ridell-Greenberg study will examine if genetically altered CD8 cells persist in patients. The Wong-Staal protocol will examine the effect of an anti-HIV RNA ribozyme transduced into autologous lymphocytes.

The RAC also took preliminary steps toward reducing its oversight role. The number of gene therapy protocols has increased substantially since the RAC began. Many researchers now believe that compulsory RAC review of every gene therapy protocol is unnecessary. Although no official decision has been made, RAC members concluded that certain types of gene therapy protocols, such as those using familiar techniques, may not require routine review in the future.

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