WHO Experts Await Armenicum Test Restults
YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan) - World Health Organization experts will
issue their
findings on Armenicum, a preparation against AIDS developed in
Armenia, after
receiving relevant information, the head of the WHO bureau in
Armenia, Hrair
Aslanian, told Noyan Tapan.
Aslanian stressed that there are several effective medicines
(protease inhibitors) which improve the condition of AIDS patients.
Among
them are such preparations as “Sancvinavir”,
“Nevirapin” and others. These
medicines were recommended by the World AIDS Association for wide
use
throughout the world. Consequently, in order to provide
scientific
conclusions about Armenicum, it is necessary to obtain the results
from
recently performed clinical tests.
The Ministry of Health Care reported that four more AIDS patients
arrived
last Friday in Armenia from Russia.
The ministry also said that blood taken from the new patients will
be
tested in Russia, whereas blood taken from them in Armenia will be
sent to
another country. Thus, several independent laboratories will control
the
treatment process. Currently, all four patients are undergoing tests
at the
AIDS Center in Yerevan.
Thirty-one people suffering from AIDS are undergoing treatment in
Yerevan
using the “Armenicum” medicine developed by Armenian
scientists, Armenian
Health Minister Haik Nikoghosian said Tuesday.
He said that the majority of patients were Russian citizens.
“We have no
more clinical material in Armenia.”
The minister added that four more patients had arrived in Armenian
recently.
According to Nikoghosian, they had arrived under an agreement reached
in
mid-March during a visit to Armenia by regional director of the
international
clinical center Timothy Meed.
Under the agreements reached, these patients' blood is tested by
other
foreign centers prior to their arrival in Yerevan.
The newly-arrived AIDS patients are undergoing tests in Armenia.
Treatment
with Armenicum will begin after the tests. Both Armenian and foreign
experts
will exercise control over the treatment process.
Nikoghosian added that a closed-type joint-stock company,
Armenicum, had been
set up to deal with all issues and problems relevant to the Armenicum
drug.
The minister stressed that all foreign citizens wishing to undergo
treatment
with Armenicum in Yerevan arrived in the republic via diplomatic
channel;
under the Armenian law “On AIDS” passed by parliament in
1995, HIV-infected
foreigners arriving in Armenia are subject to deportation. The
Armenian
Health Ministry is drafting a package of amendments to the law.