WHO trashes Magaya HIV cure claim
“We wish to advise relevant authorities that Press statements alone are not enough to restore sanity on this subject. We say so because such Press statements may not reach all the people. Mr Magaya should be asked to publicly reverse and retract his utterances in the manner that he first announced the subject,” said ZHDA spokesperson Dr Mxolisi Ngwenya. “Until such a time that the robust and rigorous research is done, with enough medical clearance and verification through animal studies, Mr Magaya’s new drug should be quarantined and isolated from humans. Life is too precious. We encourage all clients to adhere to all their medication as per doctor’s prescription,” he said.
The only human who was cured of HIV is Mr Timothy Ray Brown who underwent a bone marrow stem cell transplant in 2007. Mr Brown’s procedure almost cost him his life twice and scientists the world over are closely monitoring a rare genetic mutation in the person who donated bone marrow to Mr Brown which may have had a central role in his cure to formulate a cure for HIV.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Zimbabwe weighed in saying Zimbabwe has made great strides towards reducing new HIV infections, reducing HIV prevalence, prevention of mother to child transmissions and promoting safe and responsible health seeking behaviour and the medical claims (on HIV cure) have a potential to reverse the hard earned gains aimed at the eventual eradication of the disease. “Given this background PSZ would like to caution opinion leaders to desist from misleading the public with unsubstantiated claims. We call for responsible leadership and following of due processes necessary for any innovation within the medical fraternity,” said the PSZ in a statement. — @thamamoe @AuxiliaK