Dr. Edmund Tramont, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Division of AIDS, altered the conclusions from a safety report on pregnant women taking the drug nevirapine in order to cover up its negative side effects.

Since the mid-1990s, nevirapine, an antiretroviral drug, has been used despite government warnings that it could cause deadly liver problems or rashes when multiple doses were administered over time.

A study in 2002 was conducted to evaluate whether or not nevirapine could possibly decrease the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission.

Multiple Problems With Drug Research

Medical safety experts, an NIH auditor and the manufacturer of the drug agreed that there were various faults discovered within the study. Some of these faults included giving improper doses to study participants and neglecting to report specific fatal and detrimental reactions to the drug.

A report compiled by a medical officer under Tramont, Dr. Betsy Smith, revealed that the research lacked in safety reporting. Smith also reported that the records kept of the patients failed to meet the standard level of clinical research.

Tramont Puts Positive Spin on Drug Reports

Tramont requested to review the report before it was passed on to the FDA. Interestingly enough, after his review the report showed very different recommendations, none of which included any of Smith's prior recommendations. Tramont's revised recommendations reported that any negative reactions regarding the drug use were not of importance in assessing the safety of the drug.

Tramont also claimed he wrote the report after the inquiry into the changes in Smith's report.

The family of Joyce Ann Hafford paid the ultimate price for the negligence of the drug nevaprine -- her life. Despite the signs of liver failure, Hafford's doctors continued to give her the experimental drug nevaprine throughout her pregnancy as an attempt to save her unborn son from contracting AIDS.

It was only after the family received copies of NIH's internal case documents from the Associated Press that they realized the experimental drug regimen was the likely cause of Hafford's death.

Medical News Today December 16, 2004

Houston Chronicle December 15, 2004

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Here is an example of another blatant and desperate act of trying to cover up the negative reactions of a drug as a way for the drug industry and manufacturers to "save face." What's most unfortunate and damaging is that acts such as these are done without any regard for the safety or welfare of the public. The good news is that cover-ups such as these are eventually outing themselves. A prime example of this is the recent Vioxx recall I wrote about in October. Folks, that is what you get when you subscribe to the "eHealthy News You Can Use" newsletter -- and that is what your family and friends will get if you e-mail this story to them using the link in the upper right corner of this page and recommend that they subscribe to this free e-newsletter: Information that is YEARS ahead of its time that can literally save your life. As long-time readers know, this is just one of many quite valid warnings that I have issued to alert you to the dangers that the drug model has for your health. So if you have friends and relatives that you value please forward this article to them so they don't have to wait till drug companies decide to be responsible and take their drugs off the market before more people are seriously injured or killed. Blind greed, gross misconduct or a skewed view of the world -- any way you look at it, the bottom line is the world of conventional medicine isn't a very safe place. In time, however, the truth will naturally come out, but it is my vision and passion to facilitate the spread of truth now. You can take control of your health and your life and free yourself from needless drugs. There is no secret potion needed, only basic health principles that you'll read on this site. Related Articles: Whistle Blower is My New Hero Sins of Omission by Drug Companies Pose Dangers to Your Health 3 Drug Companies Face Fraud & Bribery Charges Medical Journals Aim to Curtail Drug Companies' Influence How Could Drug Companies be so Evil?