Reaction To Drug Trial Cautious (Press, 6 September 1989)

On 6 September 1989, health officials in Wellington, New Zealand, reacted cautiously to the news of a successful anti-AIDS drug trial conducted in the United States. Researchers decided to halt the trial after discovering that the drug, Zidovudine (formerly known as AZT), was effective in helping HIV-infected individuals even before they displayed symptoms of the disease. Since the initiation of Zidovudine use in New Zealand in June 1987, 94 patients had received the drug, with 73 of them still alive at the time of the report. Historically, Zidovudine was only prescribed to individuals with full-blown AIDS or those suffering from AIDs-related complex. The U.S. trial had involved 3,000 participants and was expected to continue for another year before researchers concluded they had sufficient evidence demonstrating that the drug could delay the onset of AIDS in asymptomatic individuals. Despite its potential benefits, Zidovudine is costly, with a treatment averaging $12,000 annually per person, and it does not cure AIDS. It provides at most an 18-month respite from the illness. Researchers noted that the HIV virus tends to develop resistance to the drug, leading to a resurgence of the infection after this period. Dr. Canagaratnam Sri Ananda, the principal medical officer for the Health Department, acknowledged the high cost of Zidovudine but pointed out that it could have wider benefits if further trials confirmed its effectiveness in asymptomatic individuals. He indicated that a governmental decision would be necessary regarding funding such treatments if the trials validated these findings. However, he also highlighted the serious side effects associated with Zidovudine, which might deter its use for those without symptoms. The co-ordinator of the People with AIDS Collective, Daniel Fielding, further elaborated on the side effects, which varied from mild nausea to severe anemia. He expressed concerns about widespread use of Zidovudine among asymptomatic people, noting that although it delayed the onset of AIDS, the HIV virus could become resistant to the drug before individuals truly required it. In addition to Zidovudine, there was anticipation around drug trials in France involving Imuthiol, a drug from the same family as Antibuse, used to treat alcoholism. Mr. Fielding suggested that Imuthiol appeared to be a more promising option than Zidovudine due to its considerably fewer side effects—mainly nausea—and its potential for cost-effectiveness, with treatment expected to be as low as $300. Thus, while the success of the Zidovudine trial was encouraging, New Zealand health officials and activists remained cautious, considering the drug's limitations, side effects, and the potential alternatives on the horizon.

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