New A.I.D.S. Therapies Undergoing Tests (Press, 5 June 1987)

On 5 June 1987, Robert Kearns reported that several promising therapies for AIDS are being tested, and the preliminary evaluation of an anti-AIDS vaccine may start within the next couple of years. During the Third International Conference on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, Dr Samuel Broder from the United States National Cancer Institute discussed a compound named A.Z.T., which has shown efficacy in treating AIDS patients, despite causing severe side effects in some cases. Dr Broder noted that A.Z.T. can alleviate symptoms and prolong patient survival, although it is not a cure and its effects may diminish over time. A.Z.T. was the first AIDS treatment approved for sale in the United States, but it remains scarce and can cost patients up to US$50,000 annually. About half of the patients taking A.Z.T. have experienced toxic side effects, including nausea, headaches, and bone marrow suppression, yet Dr Broder remarked that some benefits are better than none. Additionally, researchers from the National Cancer Institute reported that A.Z.T. and related compounds known as dideoxynucleosides can suppress various human and animal retroviruses in laboratory settings. A researcher named Hiroaki Mitsuya stated that these compounds could confer significant survival advantages to some AIDS patients. Dr Broder also mentioned another compound called D.D.C., which is showing promise in early human trials, as some patients exhibited improvements in their immune function post-treatment. Mr W. F. H. Jarrett from the University of Glasgow indicated that tests for potential vaccines against AIDS could begin within the next year or two, initially using animal subjects like chimpanzees. However, many researchers warned that developing an effective vaccine is highly challenging and could take much longer than anticipated, with the possibility that it may not be achieved this century. Dr Jonathan Mann, director of AIDS programmes for the World Health Organisation (WHO), addressed the conference, highlighting the pandemic state of AIDS and the urgent need for substantial financial resources to combat the disease. He expressed confidence that the necessary funding would be secured, as abandoning parts of the world, particularly Africa, is not an option. The WHO estimates that there have been at least 50,000 diagnosed AIDS cases globally but suggests that the actual number may exceed 100,000 due to reporting issues.

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