Kemron is the name of a drug which was released in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

in 1991 and was alleged to be highly effective in removing the symptoms of

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...

. When put under international scrutiny, the treatment was seen to perform no better than

placebo A placebo ( ) is a substance or treatment which is designed to have no therapeutic value. Common placebos include inert tablets (like sugar pills), inert injections (like Saline (medicine), saline), sham surgery, and other procedures. In general ...

. The advent of the drug was notable for the government support and international attention it received.

Claim

In August 1990, Kenyan researcher Davy Koech, director of the

Kenya Medical Research Institute ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

, announced that when his HIV patients chewed wafers laced with tiny amounts of alpha interferon, most had greatly improved health and some cleared HIV from their blood entirely. The alpha interferon, named "Kemron" for this use, was a drug used to treat cancer in much greater doses. In 1993, Professor Arthur Obel, a Kenyan scientist, claimed that Kemron and another drug called Pearl Omega could cure HIV/AIDS. Kemron was later proved to be ineffective and Pearl Omega had very few positive outcomes. Obel tested on patients with these drugs and these patients filed a lawsuit on Obel for testing unproven drugs on them. The government later denounced both drugs and Obel's reputation has been discredited.

Response

After reviewing the experimental data, internationally recognized AIDS experts and health officials in the United States said that there was no merit to the claim. Kenyan president Daniel arap Moi announced that "Fifty AIDS victims have already been cured" and Koech dismissed the skepticism of Western scientists. Barbara Justice, a physician in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, claimed that 82% of AIDS patients at the Abundant Life clinic saw increases in their appetites and "other improvements." Neither the World Health Organization nor the NIH found evidence that Kemron performed better than placebo.

Withdrawal of claim

Support of the drug proved to be an accomplishment for many of its supporters as the drug cured patients under controlled conditions. The

University of Pretoria The University of Pretoria ( af, Universiteit van Pretoria, nso, Yunibesithi ya Pretoria) is a multi-campus public university, public research university in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa. The university was ...

and the Government of South Africa ultimately were not able to support the claim of the drug's efficacy.

References

{{reflist HIV/AIDS in Kenya Science and technology in Kenya Antiretroviral drugs