Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!henry.jpl.nasa.gov!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ucla-cs!lamc!info-aids@apple.com From: lamc!info-aids@apple.com (INFO-AIDS MAILER) Newsgroups: sci.med.aids Subject: AZT & DDI Message-ID: <26569@shemp.CS.UCLA.EDU> Date: 18 Aug 89 15:27:33 GMT Sender: news@CS.UCLA.EDU Reply-To: lamc!info-aids@apple.com (Info-AIDS Mailer) Organization: Letterman Army Medical Center - San Francisco, CA Lines: 30 Approved: aids@cs.ucla.edu Archive-number: 1144 This week the FDA & the National AIDS committee announced the effectivness of low dosage AZT in controling the progression of HIV in patients. In the patient and medical sector, this line of thinking already had seemed to have a sound basis since many doctors were already prescribing low dose AZT to their non-AIDS patients. This announcement comes on the heels of an announcement made by Bristol-Myers that they will make DDI available to PWAs at no cost. (Associated Press - 7/14/89). DDI appears to be as effective as AZT, but not as toxic. B-M hopes to start distributing the drug in September... barring any complications from the FDA. This senerio stikes me as a little strange. Two major drug companys in a silent battle. Both offering hope, if not somewhat backhanded. And where does the FDA fit into all this? Is someone being paid off? Does Burroughs Wellcome feel threatened by DDI? I feel that some investigation is warrented here. Scotty AIDS INFORMATION EXCHANGE BBS (214) 247-2367/247-5609 "Education is the best weapon" {ames,rutgers,texsun,smu}!attctc!ozdaltx!sysop -- To submit articles mail to ..!{apple, pacbell, netsys}!lamc!info-aids Administravia (subscribe/unsubscribe) to info-aids-request@lamc. Coordinator: kdavis@lamc (Ken Davis)