South Africa defies court ruling
The South African Medicines Control Council (SAMCC) is 'reviewing' its approval of the antiretroviral drug nevirapine for HIV positive pregnant women, in defiance of a Constitutional Court ruling in South Africa that the drug must be provided. Nevirapine reduces the likelihood of HIV transmission to the unborn infant. The SAMCC said that it had "serious concerns" about nevirapine's effectiveness and toxicity. South Africa's Professor Jerry Coovadia said the possible deregistration would be "quite disastrous" for the government's HIV/Aids programme.
Breast is still best?
Child health specialists have urged governments not to provide free formula milk to try and prevent mother to child HIV transmission. They say that although formula milk may seem a good idea, the consequences could be damaging: "While potentially decreasing the rate of postnatal transmission, providing formula milk may increase mortality from other infectious diseases, thus decreasing overall child survival."
Gene pattern helps postpone Aids
People who have a particular genetic pattern are less likely than others to progress quickly to Aids when infected with HIV, says a report by the National Cancer Institute.
Dr Mary Carrington analysed the genetic makeup of more than 900 infected patients and found that around 10 per cent of white patients carry a genetic pattern that made their immune system more efficient in recognising when cells were infected with HIV.
Bad Grapefruit
Health Canada has issued an advisory notice to HIV positive individuals about the risks
page 6 of 7
contents
of issue 82
back
issues
the
gazette
recipes
small
ads
contacting
us
weblinks
