NEW Source, September 1991 Page: 3
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NEWSu rce 3
September 1991ddC vs. AZT: It's No Contest
The June issue of NEW-
Source featured an article
which stated some of the
benefits of ddC (dideoxy-
cytidine). In a recent
publication by the Center
for 21st Century Medicine,
Dr. Joan C. Priestly not
W- ho could benefit from
ddC?
/ Anyone taking AZT or ddl
side effects or another
s.... P.G. (G ycovr) or
.. ..d......oesnt. want to start) taking
ZiT i including ong teriT
users,
only confirms that
information, but documents
clear medical advantages of
ddC and outlines its clear
superiority to AZT as well.
"According to studies
published by Paul Vol-
berding, MD and Margaret
Fichel," says Priestly, "most
patients who use AZT die
within two years, so we
really have no idea about
the long-term effects of
AZT." It has also become
common knowledge that
the use of AZT for over twoyears has a frightening link
to fatal lymphomas --- un-
treatable cancer of the
lymph nodes --- and that it
most definitely causes can-
cer in laboratory animals.
ddC and ddI (dideoxi-
nosine), while both the
biochemical "sons" of AZT,
couldn't be more different
in strength and effect. ddI
is only one tenth as active
as AZT, and has what Dr.
Priestly refers to as
"significant, sometimes
fatal" side effects, includ-
ing: pancreatitis, hepatitis,
diarrhea, and peripheral
neuropathy (nerve damage
resulting in tingling or loss
of feeling in the extremi-
ties). ddC, on the other
hand, is ten times as strong
as AZT, requires a much
smaller dosage, and is vir-
tually non-toxic --- unlike
its weaker parent.
ddC works much like
AZT in that it blocks the
key enzyme (reverse tran-
scriptase) that HIV needs
in order to multiply. ddC
can penetrate the brain and
spinal fluid just like AZT,
except that ddC is specifi-
cally non-toxic to bone mar-
row and does not damage
white and red blood cells
like AZT does. It is chiefly
this fact which has caused
many AIDS activist groups
and physicians to press the
FDA for approval of ddC.Although occurring in
only one percent of the
hundreds taking ddC, its
major side effect seems to
be peripheral neuropathy.
Other secondary side
effects which Priestly says
"have rarely occurred"
Who shouldn't take ddC?
X Anyone who has severe,
relentless peripheral
neuropathy4
X Anyone with blood tst
abnormalities (ie. Liver fnction
tests more than 5 times the
normal value, low platelet count,
complete blood count test
abnormalities).
* Anyone with significant
kidney impairment.
include: skin rash, oral
aphthous ulcers, decreased
platelet count, elevated
liver enzymes, and one case
of decreased hearing.
All in all, ddC seems to
be quite a promising ther-
apy, but as always, time
and further research are
necessary for certainty.
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Dallas Buyer's Club. NEW Source, September 1991, periodical, September 1991; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc271482/m1/3/: accessed June 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.