Lacking drugs, HIV patients turn to herbs - Myanmar

[dArKeR]

Myanmar has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in Asia, but fears that aid money could be misdirected has left donors reluctant to contribute funds

For three years Phyu Phyu Thin has volunteered to work with HIV patients in Myanmar, but like many charities, hers is unable to offer life-prolonging drugs.
That has prompted many patients to turn to traditional herbal medicines and Buddhist meditation, which offer some comfort if not a cure.

"Sometimes I feel very sorry for the patients. We can only provide counseling and education. We have no medicines like anti-retroviral drugs," Phyu Phyu Tin says.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2005/05/08/2003253673

"Sometimes"?

[Maraya1969]

1. Antiviral drugs are toxic

There people are better off not taking and NOT buying into the muti-BILLION dollar AIDS cash cow. Meditation and herbs will probably do them much better.

If a person is repeatedly told, "You are going to die without these drugs" what do you think is going to happen?

"That has prompted many patients to turn to traditional herbal medicines and Buddhist meditation, which offer some comfort if not a cure."

[rodeodance]

2. 3 bombs went off in capital yesterday--not in the news. see this DU threa

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1454673

[megatherium]

3. On the contrary, these drugs have saved and prolonged many lives.

It is well-established that the progress of HIV/AIDS disease is directly related to viral load; the higher the load, the poorer the prognosis. Antiretrovirals are capable of shutting down the virus and causing the viral load to drop to undetectable levels. In the mid 1990s, when these were introduced, people started to speak of the Lazarus effect -- where gravely ill patients staged dramatic recoveries.

For a full rundown on why HIV causes AIDS, including information on the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapies, please see
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/evidhiv.htm

There's a lot not to like about modern medicine (particularly as it is practiced in the US). But these antivirals stand as one of the truly amazing and inspiring accomplishments of humanity.

[Rowdyboy]

4. Perhaps once you've seen someone you love on the verge of death,

then recover their vitality and rejoin the living in less than a month due to antiviral drugs, you'll reconsider your opinion. Antiviral drugs are life-saving and "meditation and herbs" are a joke when it comes to fighting this disease.

[Ian David]

5. This is an absolutely insane idea.

Thanks for trying, though.

[Massacure]

6. Most all prescription drugs are toxic.

That doesn't mean they aren't useful when used right.

[mitchtv]

7. I have a friend who bought your theory

He didn't last long at all, compared to the many who are still living with therapy. Wishful thinking and probably ok to to tell a Burmese who has no hope of getting any medication anyway. But not where there is a chance to delay the progression.