The link between industry, authors and their results
By Jeremy Laurance
23 April 2004
Cancer drugs: Just 5 per cent of studies funded by the pharmaceutical industry reached unfavourable conclusions about the companies' drugs compared with 38 per cent paid for by non-profit organisations. ( Journal of the American Medical Association , 1999)
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=514316
Drug firms profit from 'murky' link with journals, study shows Companies are misleading doctors, patients and governments to push their medicines, says a special edition of the 'BMJ' By Maxine Frith, Social Affairs Correspondent
30 May 2003
The "murky" relationships between the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, supposedly independent medical journals and family doctors are exposed in the
British Medical Journal today.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=410738
Pharma myths about AIDS/HIV
author: mary moth
Propaganda from pharma corporations like Glaxo-Wellcome perpetuate the AIDS is a virus myth while suppressing important info about poverty, chemical addictions and malnutritional as cause of immune suppresion..
Research into the pharmaceutical corporation's AIDS story is resulting in findings that death from AIDS is not from the virus HIV, instead a combination of factors such as poverty, malnutrition, chemical addictions and other immune suppressing agents..
Here are some points brought up by Christine Maggiore in "What if everything you knew about AIDS was wrong?"
If HIV is the virus responsible for AIDS, then why is viral load in HIV + people with compromised health in low numbers?
Viral load data from PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests assumes "fragments of genetic material PCR finds corresponds to viral load counts". PCR cannot test for viral load directly..
HIV is a retrovirus and non-cytotoxic (non cell killing), yet is claimed to be responsible for killing T cells, the lymphocytes responsible for maintaining a functional immune system..
Glaxo-Wellcome's pharmacocktail AZT is a thirty year old chemotherapy drug that was used unsuccessfully against cancer. Chemotherapy is cytotoxic, and after initially beginning to take AZT, HIV + people show a short term rise in T cells. However, this short term rise in T cells can be attributed to AZT destroying the bone marrow (source of T cells). When AZT attacks the bone marrow, the blood system responds to this destruction by producing more T cells. After long term use of AZT, the bone marrow cannot produce T cells and after the emergency short term rise in T cell count, there is a long term and permanent decline in T cells, usually attributed to "AIDS". If people discovered that the AZT was the actual cause of T cell decline, how would they react?
AIDS in Africa
Here is some info on "AIDS in Africa"..
Four symptoms required for AIDS diagnosis;
persistant cough
weight loss (10% or consistent over 2 months)
fever
diarrhea
These symptoms are often a result of malnutrition, tuberculosis, unsanitary water and malaria, all problems resulting from poverty and living conditions..
AIDS in gay men
Use of nitrites by gay men during the peak "SF AIDS epidemic" and and ongoing combination of malnutrition, alcoholism, depression and other factors, though very different from Africa, these also contribute to immune suppression. The gay community may need to be open and honest about the focus on materialism and excess drug use when dealing with homophobia and community acceptance. Psychological factors when dealing with right wing homophobia from family or former friends, stress of coming out and immigration to the "gay mecca SF" without dealing with emotional baggage from their point of origin. Being ostracized by family is a serious stress that can impact health and well being, covering up with alcohol or drug use only magnifies the problem..
Neither of the above situations will gain any profit for pharmaceutical corporations if people just live healthier. happier lives and poverty is alleviated. Naturopathy, homeopathy, detox and cleansing, ayurvedic medicine are also other options for restoring the immune system to a functional level..
This book is available from the ACT-UP co-op on 1886 Market Street in SF, or by visiting the virusmyth website;
http://www.virusmyth.net/aids/index.htm