Wider Approval Of A.I.D.S. Drugs In U.S. (Press, 3 October 1986)
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Summary: Wider Approval Of A.I.D.S. Drugs In U.S. (Press, 3 October 1986)
On 3 October 1986, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the expanded use of experimental drugs for A.I.D.S. (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), including AZT, which has demonstrated the ability to prolong the lives of affected individuals. This decision followed an application from the Burroughs Wellcome Company, which highlighted promising results from recent experiments indicating that AZT could improve the health and survival of certain A.I.D.S. patients. Health officials reported that A.I.D.S. had claimed the lives of over 12,500 Americans, while nearly two million others had been exposed to the virus responsible for the disease. The urgency behind the FDA's rapid approval process was influenced by a request from the United States Public Health Service, aiming to expedite the availability of treatments. This fast-tracked decision is notable, as the FDA usually takes a considerably longer time, often months or years, to approve new drug treatments. Despite the approval, concerns were raised regarding the side effects of AZT, which can severely suppress bone marrow that produces essential cells. Even so, the encouraging outcomes observed in trials with a select group of A.I.D.S. patients prompted a significant push for access to the drug. Under the new FDA guidelines, it is anticipated that between 6,000 and 7,000 A.I.D.S. patients will soon begin receiving AZT, with plans to make the drug more widely available by the end of 1986. However, certain groups, including children and pregnant women, will not be eligible to receive the treatment at this stage.
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