The Role of Drugs in AIDS

1/10/93 Ms. No. T1867

Abstract It is proposed that the new AIDS epidemic is a subset of the new drug
epidemic in America, rather than a sexually or parenterally transmitted syndrome
of diseases caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIDS appeared in
America in the early 1980s. It occurs almost exclusively (94%) in persons with
abnormal health risks including 32% intravenous drug users, about 60% sexually
active male homosexuals and less than 10% with acquired or congenital deficiencies
like hemophilia. Over 72% of American patients are 20-45 year-old males. The drug
epidemic started in the 1970s and also affects predominantly 20-45 year-old males.
Epidemiological evidence indicates that almost all AIDS patients from the
behavioral risk groups have used recreational drugs and that both behavioral and
clinical risk groups have used anti-HIV drugs, like AZT. Clinical evidence indicates
that these drugs are toxic. By contrast no more than 50% of AIDS patients are
confirmed to carry HIV which is neutralized by antibodies, and pathogenesis by
neutralized HIV has remained a mystery. Thus the drug-AIDS hypothesis is better
grounded than the virus-AIDS hypothesis. The drug-AIDS hypothesis predicts
correctly that: (i) AIDS is new in the U.S., because the drug epidemic is new, while
the HIV epidemic is old; (ii) despite an increase in venereal diseases, AIDS remains
restricted to these abnormal health risk groups; (iii) over 72% of AIDS occurs in 20 -45 year-old males, because they make up over 80% of hard psychoactive drug use;
(iv) distinct AIDS diseases follow the use of distinct drugs in people with the same
virus; (v) AIDS diseases are typically "acquired" only after long-term drug
consumption, rather than after single contacts as the virus hypothesis predicts. The
drug hypothesis can be tested epidemiologically and experimentally in animals. It
predicts that most American AIDS can be prevented by stopping the consumption of
drugs and it provides a rational basis for therapy.