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Sondashi HIV/AIDS Formula goes for phase one clinical trial

10 August 2010

New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency, the Southern African Network for Biosciences (SANBIO) has submitted a study design and a report for a phase one clinical trial protocol aimed at establishing the safety of the Sondashi Formula (SF2000) formulation to Government.

Presenting the two reports to Science Permanent Secretary Sherry Thole at her office in Lusaka today, NEPAD Agency Director Luke Mumba said scientists have found the SF2000 to be useful in clinical trials for HIV/AIDS.

Prof Mumba said scientists have found the SF2000 to possess particles that can be used in clinical trials for HIV/AIDS.

He said the reports were a significant milestone in the country’s discovery of an HIV/AIDS drug.

Prof Mumba also said there was need for the world to deal with the global HIV/AIDS crisis, which was one of the greatest humanitarian challenges of this generation with the seriousness it deserved.

He said a combination of indigenous knowledge and the rich biodiversity with the application of scientific and traditional knowledge may just be the answer to the AIDS pandemic.

And speaking at the same occasion, Science PS Sherry Thole expressed hope that the SF2000 would play a critical role in the health delivery system in the near future.

Ms Thole however said that for the country to realise the goal, a lot more research work needed to be done.

She said the immediate task was for the nation to look for funds to support the clinical trials, adding that her ministry in liaison with other stakeholders like the Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Council (NAC) would work on finding ways to do this.

And inventor of the SF2000 Ludwig Sondashi said the report of the effectiveness of the SF2000 in fighting AIDS had proven his critics wrong.

Dr Sondashi urged Government and other stakeholders involved to ensure the formula was not taken away from the hands of Zambians because Zambia stood to benefit a lot from the discovery of an HIV cure.

Sondashi Formula attracts praise

12 August 2010

The Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign (TALC) is happy that the Sondashi formula SF2000 has been proved useful to contain medicinal value for the fight against the HIV/AIDS.

The Sondashi Formula has since been earmarked for phase one of the clinical trials after scientist tasked to examine the potency of the formula to treat HIV/AIDS discovered particles that are useful in the HIV fight.

TALC National Coordinator Felix Mwanza expressed delight at the development saying the country stands to benefit immensely if the cure for HIV/AIDS is discovered by a Zambian.

Mr Mwanza has however cautioned the nation against jumping to conclusions before a re-examination and certification of the safety of the formula was done. He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that previous formulas had proved disastrous and maimed volunteers of clinical trials.

Mr Mwanza appealed to government to ensure that the rights of people that will volunteer in the trial are respected and that their interests are taken into consideration.

“As TALC, we welcome the discovery because we believe that is good development. However, our main interest is to ensure that the rights of people involved in the trials are respected as the trials go on”, he said. He hoped that the volunteers would be taken care of if they developed side effects and that the government will take full responsibility of the outcome of the trials.

Source: www.lusakatimes.com