Talk Cancer

Question:

[...] While AZT can cause glanulocytopenia (low neutrophil counts, essentially), it usually does not at the standard doses used today (500-600 mg/day).  When it does, that’s a clue that the dose needs to be adjusted.  Routine blood counts identify the problem in most every person taking AZT, quite early in the course of therapy.

Anyone who would believe this nonsense needs more than their dose adjusted. We are still only beginning to realise the full extent of the damage this indefensible toxic intervention has caused. As for problems being identified early, and AZT dosage reduced, here is the passage describing how pliable and stupid doctors may be manipulated by drug company advisors into actually *increasing* a dose after realising that the drug is damaging their patients. Extract from "AIDS: The Failure of Contemporary Science", p226:  Guidance issued to sales representatives in 1987 addressed the  question: "There seems to be conflicting evidence when it comes  to choosing the optimum dose of Retrovir [AZT] for long-term use  - 500 mg per day seems quite adequate and perhaps too much in  some patients." The strategy to be pursued if this question was  raised went as follows:  1. ESTABLISH ACTUAL SITUATION AND FIND COMMON GROUND    1.1 What in particular are his concerns that some of his        patients may be receiving "too much" Retrovir?    1.2 What problems, if any, has he seen in any of his patients        that he could attribute to Retrovir dosage?    1.3 What "conflicting evidence" is he referring to?  2. REASSURE AND GAIN AGREEMENT    2.1 It is true to say that there is no standard dose of Retrovir        that can be used in all patients in all circumstances.        However, in no way does this amount to "conflicting        evidence".    2.2 In most clinical studies, optimum benefit has been achieved        with a dose of 500 mg per day or above. In the recently        initiated MRC Combination studies, a dose of 600 mg per        day is being recommended. Is it therefore reasonable to        use a lower dose in monotherapy?    2.3 Many clinicians now accept that the dose of Retrovir may        need to be increased to 800 or 1000 mg per day as the        disease progresses. This is to ensure that sufficient        Retrovir crosses the blood brain barrier to protect        against neurological damage. 500 mg per day is widely felt        to be inadequate to achieve this.  3. THE CHALLENGE   To convince the doctor that:    3.1 500 mg of Retrovir per day is not "too much" and should be        regarded as the minimum dose in most situations. Many        clinicians now regard 600 mg per day as a more suitable        dose.    3.2 He should seriously consider increasing the dose to 800 or        1000 mg per day as the disease progresses to protect        against possible neurological damage.    Identify with the doctor any patient who is currently on a dose    of less than 500 mg per day with a view to increasing it as    appropriate.    –//– Dr Harris, as usual, is attempting to defend the indefensible.  John —   "A person with "HIV" who has an "adverse event" often is diagnosed with "AIDS".  If the "adverse event" was brought on by AZT, a fact that Glaxo admits is possible, what exactly *did* cause the "AIDS"?"                                                Todd Miller, PhD

Response:

AZT can cause granulocytopenia and is cytotoxic chemotherapy. The authors of the following paper name granulocytopenia and cytotoxic chemotherapy  as leading predisposing factors for infection with aspergilli. While AZT can cause glanulocytopenia (low neutrophil counts, essentially), it usually does not at the standard doses used today (500-600 mg/day).  When it does, that’s a clue that the dose needs to be adjusted.  Routine blood counts identify the problem in most every person taking AZT, quite early in the course of therapy. Note that neutrophil depletion is a significant risk factor for fungal diseases like candida and aspergillosis.  

AZT and gancyclovir use is indicted here as a cause of neutropenia which leads to aspergillosis. Corticosteroid use can also lead to aspergillosis.   JAMA HIV Document     Record from database: AIDSLINE    Title           Aspergillus-sinusitis in AIDS with rapid invasion of the orbita           and the brain.    Author           Schn