美国抗艾药获重大突破 终结艾滋病不再是梦想

[lifelife]

美国抗艾药获重大突破 终结艾滋病不再是梦想

据美国《商业周刊》11月23日报道

美国加州大学研 究人员日前在《新英格兰医学杂志》上公布了最新一项研究成果，全世界最大的艾滋病药物生产商吉利德科学公司生产的一款常规药片Truvada，有助于防止 同性恋或者双性恋男性感染HIV，终结艾滋病已经不再是梦想。分析人士指出，这种药片将为该公司年增收10亿美元。

降低艾滋病感染风险44%

研究人员此次追踪了6个国家2499名艾滋病检测呈阴性的男子，他们的年龄从18岁到67岁不等。参加测试者需要服用14个月的抗艾滋病药物。

研 究显示，2004年开始作为抑制已经感染艾滋病患者病毒蔓延的药物，Truvada能够将HIV的风险降低44%。领导这项研究的加州大学副教授罗伯特· 格兰特说，那些经常服用Truvada药物的人，其新感染HIV的几率可以降低达73%。而91%的新感染者血液中没有这种药物成分。

终结艾滋病不再是梦想

美国疾病控制和预防中心指出，避孕套仍然是防止感染艾滋病的最有效方式，而Truvada尚未被批准作为预防艾滋病的药物使用。

美国艾滋病疫苗倡导联盟执行董事米切尔沃伦说：“终结艾滋病已经不再是梦想，而就在眼前。我们已经有了反击艾滋病这种瘟疫的武器”。奥巴马总统在一份声明中说：“这些研究标志着艾滋病预防新时代的开始。”

德意志银行证券分析师罗宾表示这种药物的效力和风险还要在实践中检验，包括长期使用对患者的肾脏是否有影响，会否引发其他副作用，或者导致抗药性。服用Truvada的男子在试验最初四周内，会有反胃反应，而且体重会减轻。

 

[Voitures]

Just for your information,
This study was somewhat misleading as pointed by quite a few HIV experts already.
First, the study population was limited in some at-risk population such as MSM (man having sex with man) and Male transgenders, not the general population.
Second, 44% risk reduction for contracting HIV with Truvada may be true but still there are possibilities that the man who taking the drug and still get the disease.
Third, It was questionable if this way of prevention can be used for general public and even for at-risk populations, the cost of Truvada use will be very costly: $1000/month (just one pill each day).
Fouth, the supposed protection would be there only for the period of time staying on the drug.
Fifth, resistence issues and adverse reactions over long term use of this drug.
Finally, The study result should be interpreted with caution. Other protective measures, may sound less fancy, are more reliable such as use of condoms, reduction of unprotected sex and number of sex partners.
To say it fairly, Truvada was proven to somehow reduce the risk by 44% of HIV infection in MSM people if it had been taken 1 pill everyday. Gilead (the drug maker) will be happy because of the publicity (it provided all the test pills used in the trial, and it was quite economic because the test pills used were produced in India where the drug costs only 40 cents!)