FALSE ALARM: AIDS Drug Discovery

The Ghana AIDS Commission in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, will hold a joint news conference in Accra today to state their position on a supposed AIDS drug that is reported to have been discovered locally.

A report in the Tuesday edition of the Daily Graphic newspaper which was further aired by the electronic media that that a local drug called the Goat Cerum has been discovered and proven to be effective in treating HIV/AIDS.


The Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Prof. Sakyi Awuku Amoah stated on PeaceFM that the story could not be true since the Noguchi Institute which is conducting investigations into the efficacy of the drug has come out with a conclusive position on the new drug.

Prof. Awuku Amoah explained that there are two main types of the HIV virus; types one and two out of which 98% of reported cases is said to be type one whereas less than 2% of the cases is also said to be a type 2.


According to the Director General, the drug in question is alleged to be efficient in cases involving those with type 2 of HIV/AIDS infections. He said therefore that one cannot conclusively state that just because the drug is effective on type 2 cases, then it will be effective on type one as well. These and other disturbing issues, the report said would be addressed in detail by the commission today.