Aids-related deaths in South Africa: 1 914 384 at noon on September 27
Another reason to quit: Smoking might increase the risk of contracting HIV, according to a study published in the August 21 online edition of the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections.
Andrew Furber, a public health consultant at the South East Sheffield Primary Care Trust in the United Kingdom, and colleagues conducted a systematic review of studies examining tobacco smoking as a risk factor for either HIV infection or progression of the virus to Aids. Of the six studies the researchers examined, five suggest that smoking tobacco is an independent risk factor for HIV seroconversion, after adjusting for confounding factors. According to the study smokers are between 60% and 300% more likely to contract HIV than non-smokers.
The researchers say tobacco use is often higher among groups at higher risk for HIV transmission, including commercial sex workers.
Nine of 10 other studies the researchers looked at showed no evidence that smoking increased the progression of HIV to Aids.
Source: kaisernetwork.org
Potentially dangerous drugs: Illegal medicines might be stealing their way on to the South African market while health and Medicines Control Council (MCC) officials try to fast-track monitoring the safety and efficacy of these drugs.
The MCC estimates that about 30 000 medicines were registered with it, of which only a few were natural or homeopathic remedies, also known as complementary medicines. Unregistered products claiming to cure HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and various forms of cancer were readily obtainable.
Doctor François Venter, an HIV specialist with the University of Witwatersrand’s reproductive health and HIV research unit, said the illegal drug boom had much to do with money-making and little to do with public welfare. ‘If it’s complementary medicines today, it could easily be fake antiretroviral [ARV] drugs tomorrow,” he said. He urged government and the MCC to quickly take the necessary steps to clamp down on ‘charlatans who have total disregard for human life”.
The MCC has set up a complementary medicines committee, which is in the process of drafting regulations to help government speed up implementation of the existing Medicines and Related Substances Control Act, which governs the manufacture, distribution, sale and marketing of all medicines.
MCC chairperson Professor Peter Eagles said the council’s recommendations would be put to the health minister by the end of this year.
The Treatment Action Campaign said it had little confidence in the ‘pointless deliberations of the government and MCC”.
Source: PlusNews