CHEMOTHERAPY FOR AVIAN FLU

HITCHEN (2006) NEW SCIENTIST/ 3/2

A standard chemotherapy that has been around for 10 years may help defeat the Avian flu.

One oncologist noticed that the symptoms of patients with the Avian flu which includes a profound overabundance of a response in the immune system is similar to certain cancer patients. At any rate with a cocktail of drugs including a key chemotherapy drug it could fight the new pandemic flu.The drug is widely available and is inexpensive.

He is asking the World Health Organization to bypass animal studies and use on new Avian Flu victims who essentially may not have any medication to help them.

The WHO is also going to have scientist from all around the world this month for a meeting to discuss drugs already on the market that could help stop Avian Flu and research on new drugs.

The original article was rushed to print in LANCET and has just been released today.