The University of Benin has disowned claims its researchers have found a cure for HIV/AIDS, a day after one of its professors, Isaiah Ibeh, announced a new drug which he said was capable of wiping out the virus from a patient in 30 days.
Mr. Ibeh, who is the Dean of the School’s Basic Medical Sciences, said he has conducted trials on five HIV patients, and the outcome showed the drug, Deconcuction X (DX)–Liquid or Bioclean 11, has the potency to destroy the virus.
He said more volunteers were undergoing treatment and that the efficacy of the medication, a herbal product, has been reviewed by US Toxicologists.
But the school’s Provost, College of Medical Science, Vincent Iyawe, said on Wednesday the school was not “consulted’ or “carried along” in the research, and said protocols for such studies were also not followed.
“The school will like to take credit for a breakthrough, but the school cannot align with the breakthrough because the university college was not consulted and the university was not consulted, Mr. Iyawe, a professor, was quoted as saying.
He said the findings needed to be presented to the federal ministry of health and exposed to more comprehensive clinical trials.
“We are going to take it (drug) to the clinical laboratory; we are going to take it to the Federal Ministry of Health because they have a procedure there,” he said. “We’ll probably take it to NAFDAC because it is a unit or department of the ministry.
“We’ll take it for clinical trial, and many things we’ll have to do before we can announce that we discovered something. In fact, we have to take it to the World Health Organization. So these are the things we are discussing.”
A full statement conveying the university’s position will be issued later, officials said.
But earlier media reports quoted a spokesperson for the school as admitting knowledge of the success of the new drug.
Many had welcomed Mr. Ibeh’s announcement that the drug developed by his team could cure AIDS with guarded optimism, and outright rejection.
Critics queried the depth of Mr. Ibeh’s trial, and why the work had not been properly peer-reviewed and well exhibited before international experts and health organizations, and listed in renowned scientific journals.
Mr. Iyawe, the provost for medical sciences, said the clarification was to protect the name of the institution, and Mr. Ibeh.
Later, Mr. Ibeh told PREMIUM TIMES he was aware of the procedures and was willing to go through them, partly faulting media reports for underplaying the aspect of his remarks which made clear the work was inconclusive.
“Some of the publications are not taking note of that,” he said. “What we said was that the preliminary results are very encouraging. Some even mis-spelt sero.”
He said he was still working to get “all answers to all questions”.
He said he was satisfied with the position of the university and was confident he could count on the support of the school. He said part of the work he did was funded by the university.
“When we are making the announcement, it will be in the name of the university and I will be by the side,” he said.
