President Thabo Mbeki today argued South Africa had the right to question a key drugused to prevent babies contracting AIDS, saying it must not bowto "self-serving beliefs" as it decides whether to ban the drug. Mr Mbeki, wading into a new dispute on AIDS treatment in thenation hardest hit by the epidemic, said the state MedicinesControl Council (MCC) was right to raise doubts about Nevirapine, akey drug that can help suppress the HIV virus.
The MCC, an independent regulator, this week told drugmakerBoehringer Ingelheim it had rejected a Ugandan study used toshow Nevirapine's effectiveness in blocking mother-to-childtransmission of HIV, and would bar this use of the drug unlessit received fresh data within 90 days.
Nevirapine has nevertheless been approved by the WorldHealth Organisation, and US regulators and its manufacturerhave been at pains to emphasise they consider the drug neitherunsafe nor ineffective.
Mr Mbeki, who in the past has publicly questioned the linkbetween HIV and AIDS, said South Africa must have "the courageto stand up for what we think and feel is correct."
"This announcement illustrated the challenge we face, toensure that even on this vexed question...(we refuse) to allowthe never-ending search for scientific truth to be suffocated byself-serving beliefs," he said in his weekly online letter forthe ruling African National Congress.
About 4.7 million people in South Africa are infected withHIV - the single highest caseload in the world - and activistssay about 600 South Africans die each day from the disease.
The MCC's move on Nevirapine has been sharply criticised byAIDS activists in South Africa, where the government hasresisted calls to provide anti-retroviral drugs like Nevirapinein the public health sector.
A court order last year compelled South Africa's governmentto provide Nevirapine to pregnant HIV-positive mothers and theirbabies in state hospitals.