The combination of two toxic anti-HIV drugs, tenofovir (TDF) and
emtricitabine, goes by the name TRUVADA. Truvada will be tested in Africans
to see if it protects against infection by HIV. Half the volunteers will
take a daily dose of Truvada and the rest will get a placebo. Neither the
volunteers nor the researchers will know who gets which pill. All the
participants will be tested every month during the two-year study, and for
six months afterwards.
In other words, healthy Africans will be treated with a combination of
toxic drugs when then have no disease or symptoms. It is clear from the
start that those healthy people taking Truvada will not stay healthy long.
Below is the Black Box Warning that comes with Truvada.
"WARNINGS: LACTIC ACIDOSIS/SEVERE HEPATOMEGALY WITH STEATOSIS and POST
TREATMENT ACUTE EXACERBATION OF HEPATITIS B.
Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, including fatal
cases, have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogs alone or in
combination with other antiretrovirals [See Warnings and Precautions
(5.1)].
"TRUVADA is not approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus
(HBV) infection and the safety and efficacy of TRUVADA have not been
established in patients coinfected with HBV and HIV-1. Severe acute
exacerbations of hepatitis B have been reported in patients who are
coinfected with HBV and HIV-1 and have discontinued EMTRIVA or VIREAD, the
components of TRUVADA. Hepatic function should be monitored closely with
both clinical and laboratory follow-up for at least several months in
patients who are coinfected with HIV-1 and HBV and discontinue TRUVADA. If
appropriate, initiation of anti-hepatitis B therapy may be warranted [See
Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]."
This study should clearly demonstrate whether or not an anti-HIV drug
(Truvada in this case) does more good than harm.
Typically, those who conduct such a study report the difference between the
placebo and drugged groups becoming HIV antibody positive. What is
important is to also report the changes in the health between both groups.
I hope the organizers of this study will present the complete spectrum of
results for all to judge.
Let us pray for those taking Truvada.
David Rasnick, PhD
Member of the Presidential AIDS Advisory Panel of South Africa
Dear Editor,
The combination of two toxic anti-HIV drugs, tenofovir (TDF) and emtricitabine, goes by the name TRUVADA. Truvada will be tested in Africans to see if it protects against infection by HIV. Half the volunteers will take a daily dose of Truvada and the rest will get a placebo. Neither the volunteers nor the researchers will know who gets which pill. All the participants will be tested every month during the two-year study, and for six months afterwards.
In other words, healthy Africans will be treated with a combination of toxic drugs when then have no disease or symptoms. It is clear from the start that those healthy people taking Truvada will not stay healthy long. Below is the Black Box Warning that comes with Truvada.
"WARNINGS: LACTIC ACIDOSIS/SEVERE HEPATOMEGALY WITH STEATOSIS and POST TREATMENT ACUTE EXACERBATION OF HEPATITIS B. Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, including fatal cases, have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogs alone or in combination with other antiretrovirals [See Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].
"TRUVADA is not approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and the safety and efficacy of TRUVADA have not been established in patients coinfected with HBV and HIV-1. Severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis B have been reported in patients who are coinfected with HBV and HIV-1 and have discontinued EMTRIVA or VIREAD, the components of TRUVADA. Hepatic function should be monitored closely with both clinical and laboratory follow-up for at least several months in patients who are coinfected with HIV-1 and HBV and discontinue TRUVADA. If appropriate, initiation of anti-hepatitis B therapy may be warranted [See Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]."
This study should clearly demonstrate whether or not an anti-HIV drug (Truvada in this case) does more good than harm.
Typically, those who conduct such a study report the difference between the placebo and drugged groups becoming HIV antibody positive. What is important is to also report the changes in the health between both groups.
I hope the organizers of this study will present the complete spectrum of results for all to judge.
Let us pray for those taking Truvada.
David Rasnick, PhD Member of the Presidential AIDS Advisory Panel of South Africa