Kyara Atufigwe
Senior Member
- Mar 29, 2015
- 120
- 68
Are there any long-term studies that show that ARVs are live-saving or life-prolonging?
No. There are no placebo-controlled, long-term studies showing that ARVs are live saving or life prolonging. The effects of ARV drugs on survival of patients are limited, as shown by the study that was used to obtain the approval of AZT for AIDS treatment (AZT licensing study). In that study, involving AIDS patients, taking AZT showed only a short-term survival benefit. Moreover, the patients that survived had to be kept alive by red blood cell transfusions.
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One of the largest studies conducted with AZT was a British/French study called Concorde, involving HIV infected patients who had not developed any symptoms of AIDS. In this study, giving AZT did neither prevent the development of AIDS nor prolong the life of HIV-infected persons. In fact, in this large-scale study, those participants who took AZT drugs had a 25% higher death (mortality) rate compared to the control group who received only placebo.
So even after 25 years of promoting ARV drugs above all in the developing world is there any clinical proof from long term controlled studies that these drugs reduce the progression of AIDS disease or extend the survival of those affected by it?
No.
What are the side-effects of ARVs?
There is a wide range of serious side effects dependent on the type of ARV drug.
ARV drugs (nucleosides-analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors, NRTI), such as AZT, that are designed to target the genetic replication of virus are damaging to all cells of the body particularly the bone marrow, the site of blood cell production (hemopoesis) leading to anemia, leucopenia (Richman et al., New England Journal of Medicine (1987); 317: 192-197; Costello et al., Journal of Clinical Pathology (1988); 41: 711-715; Dainiak et al., British Journal of Haematology (1988); 69: 299-304), neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and other signs of impaired blood cell formation.
ARV drugs (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, NNRTI), such as nevirapine, are damaging to the liver and other organs and lead to impaired organ function and organ failure.
ARV drugs (protease inhibitors), which form part of the so called triple-combination cocktail have been associated with metabolic disorders (Fleischer R et al Clin Infect Dis (2004) 38(4): e79-80; Carr et al., Lancet (2001); 357: 1412-1414), including disorders of fat metabolism (lipid disorders, lipodystrophy syndrome) of sugar (glucose) metabolism, bone metabolism as well as the accumulation of lactic acid in the blood (lactic acidaemia).
Can ARV drugs cause immune deficiency and AIDS-like symptoms?
Yes, they can. ARV drugs pose the risk of drug-induced immune deficiency. As explained above, ARVs are known to damage the bone marrow and impair the formation of immune cells. This can further weaken the immune system and aggravate immune deficiency and produce AIDS-like symptoms.
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In this context, the above-mentioned WHO-report from 2001 is important (see above). It can be calculated from that report that the worldwide death (mortality) rate for all HIV positive people (among them a minority who took ARV drugs) was 1.4% per year (assuming that all who developed AIDS died during the same year).
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About the same time, two uncontrolled surveys (Palella et al New Engl J Med (1998) 338: 853-860; Hogg et al JAMA (2001); 286:2568-2577) from the US and Canada about the death rate of HIV positive persons taking ARV drugs were published. The results of these large scale studies showed that the death rate of HIV-positive persons taking ARVs were between 6.7 and 8.8% per year.
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This means that the mortality rate of HIV positive people taking ARV drugs is four to six times higher than the global mortality rate of the HIV population referred to in the WHO estimate.
Does that mean that while ARV drugs recommended to fight AIDS can not cure the disease they can actually aggravate or even cause AIDS?
Yes, since ARVs can further weaken the immune system, they pose risk for acquiring immune deficiency, the very disease they are meant to treat.
No. There are no placebo-controlled, long-term studies showing that ARVs are live saving or life prolonging. The effects of ARV drugs on survival of patients are limited, as shown by the study that was used to obtain the approval of AZT for AIDS treatment (AZT licensing study). In that study, involving AIDS patients, taking AZT showed only a short-term survival benefit. Moreover, the patients that survived had to be kept alive by red blood cell transfusions.
-
One of the largest studies conducted with AZT was a British/French study called Concorde, involving HIV infected patients who had not developed any symptoms of AIDS. In this study, giving AZT did neither prevent the development of AIDS nor prolong the life of HIV-infected persons. In fact, in this large-scale study, those participants who took AZT drugs had a 25% higher death (mortality) rate compared to the control group who received only placebo.
So even after 25 years of promoting ARV drugs above all in the developing world is there any clinical proof from long term controlled studies that these drugs reduce the progression of AIDS disease or extend the survival of those affected by it?
No.
What are the side-effects of ARVs?
There is a wide range of serious side effects dependent on the type of ARV drug.
ARV drugs (nucleosides-analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors, NRTI), such as AZT, that are designed to target the genetic replication of virus are damaging to all cells of the body particularly the bone marrow, the site of blood cell production (hemopoesis) leading to anemia, leucopenia (Richman et al., New England Journal of Medicine (1987); 317: 192-197; Costello et al., Journal of Clinical Pathology (1988); 41: 711-715; Dainiak et al., British Journal of Haematology (1988); 69: 299-304), neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and other signs of impaired blood cell formation.
ARV drugs (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, NNRTI), such as nevirapine, are damaging to the liver and other organs and lead to impaired organ function and organ failure.
ARV drugs (protease inhibitors), which form part of the so called triple-combination cocktail have been associated with metabolic disorders (Fleischer R et al Clin Infect Dis (2004) 38(4): e79-80; Carr et al., Lancet (2001); 357: 1412-1414), including disorders of fat metabolism (lipid disorders, lipodystrophy syndrome) of sugar (glucose) metabolism, bone metabolism as well as the accumulation of lactic acid in the blood (lactic acidaemia).
Can ARV drugs cause immune deficiency and AIDS-like symptoms?
Yes, they can. ARV drugs pose the risk of drug-induced immune deficiency. As explained above, ARVs are known to damage the bone marrow and impair the formation of immune cells. This can further weaken the immune system and aggravate immune deficiency and produce AIDS-like symptoms.
-
In this context, the above-mentioned WHO-report from 2001 is important (see above). It can be calculated from that report that the worldwide death (mortality) rate for all HIV positive people (among them a minority who took ARV drugs) was 1.4% per year (assuming that all who developed AIDS died during the same year).
-
About the same time, two uncontrolled surveys (Palella et al New Engl J Med (1998) 338: 853-860; Hogg et al JAMA (2001); 286:2568-2577) from the US and Canada about the death rate of HIV positive persons taking ARV drugs were published. The results of these large scale studies showed that the death rate of HIV-positive persons taking ARVs were between 6.7 and 8.8% per year.
-
This means that the mortality rate of HIV positive people taking ARV drugs is four to six times higher than the global mortality rate of the HIV population referred to in the WHO estimate.
Does that mean that while ARV drugs recommended to fight AIDS can not cure the disease they can actually aggravate or even cause AIDS?
Yes, since ARVs can further weaken the immune system, they pose risk for acquiring immune deficiency, the very disease they are meant to treat.