It was made known during a public health workgroup meeting today in Yunnan that the second clinical trial, using Chinese medicine for AIDS treatment, was successful.  Yunnan is one of the six provinces that participated in the clinical trial project to develop Chinese medicine for AIDS treatment.  Many patients gave positive feedback about the treatment’s outstanding effects.

According to the Yunnan Institute of Chinese medicine and Research, a total of 1772 patients were accepted into the project to receive Chinese medical treatment by the end of year 2007.  Out of these 1772 patients, 415 dropped out, 121 died and 1236 are still undergoing treatment.  Yunnan has the highest number of patients undergoing the second phase of treatment, amongst the six participating provinces.  This number is just behind that of Henan province.  Henan has the highest number of patients out of the 14 provinces that participated in the first trial of Chinese medicine for AIDS treatment in 2004.

Through statistical analysis, using Chinese medicine for the treatment of AIDS has shown better clinical outcomes.  For example, controlling and improving physical symptoms and signs was at 88.67%; stabilizing and increasing weight was at 80.25%; and the percentage of controlling and reducing the number of influenza infection was at 83.7%.  A number of patients have regained their ability to re-enter the workforce at varying degrees.  The re- test of CD4 cells increase and stabilization was recorded at 91.66%.  With the integration of Chinese and Western medicinal treatment, the CD4 cells increment may be more promising.  From the follow-up interviews with the patients, most of them gave feedback that they have experienced better treatment effect.  They reported significant improvement in their quality of life as well.  This showed the potential effectiveness of using Chinese medicine for AIDS treatment.

In June 2005, the Chinese medicine clinical trial project for AIDS treatment piloted in Yunnan.  Yunnan province’s AIDS Care Centre and the Chinese Medicine Hospitals in Kunming, Wenshan, Honghe, Dehong and Dali, were selected and confirmed as the six bases for clinical trials.  In 2006, two more bases for clinical trials were added.  They are the Institutes of Chinese Medicine and Research in Lincang city and Yunnan province, respectively.