Chinese, US Scientists Launch AIDS Treatment Study in South China

A team of Chinese and American researchers has launched a clinical study of HIV/AIDS treatment in China's AIDS-stricken Yunnan Province with the objective of developing a strategy for nationwide treatment. Through the pilot project, in which 300 patients are being treated with triple antiretroviral therapy, researchers hope their findings will help them develop treatment methods for the large number of HIV-positive people in China. The three-year collaboration involves researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, the New York-based Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, and the Yunnan Provincial Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

"What is most needed [by HIV-positive individuals in China] is treatment," Professor David Ho, director and CEO of Aaron Diamond Center, said Monday in Beijing. Ho said he expects the study will serve as a model for large-scale AIDS treatment in other Chinese provinces and also help raise public awareness about the enormous need for AIDS treatment in China. "This would be viewed as the first step," he said, describing the fight against HIV/AIDS in China as a long path ahead.

Professor Cao Yunzen, from CAMS, said the team will be using Trizivir, a fixed-dose antiretroviral combination tablet, in the study. "We chose Trizivir because it's easy for patients," Ho said, adding that they have received strong support from China's health ministry and local governments of Yunnan in obtaining authorization to import the drugs, train local medical staff and improve lab facilities. China has negotiated with large pharmaceutical companies for reduced drug prices, is providing tariff exemptions for imported drugs, and is encouraging the domestic production of generic AIDS drugs to reduce the price of treatment.

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