The Nation - News from Oct. 2, 1989
- Share via
An unapproved drug popular in underground efforts to fight the AIDS virus since it showed promise in the laboratory is apparently ineffective in the body, according to a medical journal report. In the Oct. 1 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers report on the use of dextran sulfate in 18 healthy volunteers, saying that after administering the drug orally and intravenously, they found only traces of any activity by the drug. The study appears to confirm preliminary results announced in February by Dr. Frank E. Young, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, that the drug is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream and shows little promise of fighting the AIDS virus. The study’s results show that the FDA should continue to move cautiously in allowing AIDS patients access to untested drugs, said the principal investigator, Dr. Paul S. Lietman of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
More From the Los Angeles Times
Podcasts
John Orr was a renowned fire investigator who was also a prolific arsonist, and whose thinly veiled novel helped to convict him. In this episode we hear from the fire captain who first suspected him—and from Orr himself.
Tom Girardi was a legal legend—until he was found guilty of stealing millions from his own clients. Host Madison McGhee and pop culture commentator Kiki Monique unpack how his downfall became a Real Housewives scandal, and what Erika Jayne may or may not have known. Plus, L.A. Times reporter Harriet Ryan joins to share how she helped bring Girardi’s crimes to light.
Sammy Roth visits America’s second-largest nuclear plant, Arizona’s Palo Verde Generating Station, and sits down with three experts to explore the pros and cons of atomic energy.
