§ Mr. RostTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether, in relation to the possible involvement of immunisation procedures in the aetiology of AIDS, there has been any effort to identify SV40 genomes in people with AIDS;
(2) what assessment he has made, in relation to the possible involvement of immunisation procedures in the aetiology of AIDS, as to whether polio vaccine used in the United Kingdom in the late 1950s or early 1960s was in part contaminated with simian virus 40; and what effects SV 40 is considered to have in its recipients.
§ Mr. Newton[holding answer 7 July 1988]: I am advised that some of the polio vaccine used in the United Kingdom at that time contained simian virus 40. However, I am also advised that there is no evidence of adverse effects on recipients. In particular, two large studies conducted in the United States have shown no evidence of adverse effects on people who were given polio vaccine containing simian virus 40 in the late 1950s or early 1960s.
§ Mr. RostTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the percentage of people with AIDS who are antibody-positive to HIV;
(2) what is the percentage of people with AIDS in whom HIV can be isolated.
§ Mr. Newton[holding answer 7 July 1988]: Virtually all people with AIDS in the United Kingdom are HIV
138Wnumber of staff employed in each regional health authority as a total and an estimate of the costs incurred by each regional health authority, broken down into (a) staff salaries and (b) other costs; and if he will give a national total for both (a) and (b).
§ Mr. Newton[holding answer 6 May 1988]: Such information as is available is shown in the table.
antibody positive. Techniques for isolating the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) itself are still experimental and rates of isolation from people with AIDS vary from laboratory to laboratory. Some laboratories claim to have isolated the virus in more than 80 per cent. of patients with AIDS.
§ Mr. RostTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the percentage of people with AIDS in whom Epstein-Barr virus or antibodies to it can be isolated;
(2) what is the percentage of people with AIDS in whom cytomegalo virus or antibodies to it can be isolated;
(3) what is the percentage of people with AIDS in whom hepatitis B virus or antibodies to it can be isolated;
(4) what is the percentage of people with AIDS in whom herpes simplex virus or antibodies to it can be isolated;
(5) what is the percentage of people with AIDS in whom Epstein-Barr, cytomegalo, or herpes simplex-viral agents has been identified where no evidence of HIV has been found.
§ Mr. Newton[holding answer 7 July 1988]: This information is not available. Tests for these viruses and for antibodies to the viruses are not routinely performed.
§ Mr. RostTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many individuals who have been identified as HIV positive have subsequently been found not to be so.
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§ Mr. Newton[holding answer 7 July 1988]: I understand that in a very few cases, particularly in the early days of testing, individuals were identified as being HIV antibody positive but were subsequently found not to be so when improved assay systems were available.
§ Mr. RostTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what attempts have been made by his Department to investigate claims, or support research, of the health-enhancing benefits of nutritional support, non-toxic herbal anti-viral treatment and lipid therapy for AIDS/ARC patients;
(2) whether, in relation to the alternative treatment of people with AIDS/ARC, there has been any trial of the formulation known as AL 721 (active lecithin);
(3) what attempts have been made by his Department to investigate the holistic approaches to AIDS; and what specific therapies, trials and research have been supported.
§ Mr. Newton[holding answer 7 July 1988]: We are not aware of any research being funded in these areas. I am advised that in individual cases of ARC and AIDS there may be a need for specific nutritional supplementation, but for the generality of cases there is no evidence that anything other than a good balanced diet is required. For reasons of commercial confidentiality, I am unable to comment on whether any manufacturer has applied for a product licence or clinical trial certificate for lecithin or any other potential treatment for AIDS.
§ Mr. RostTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration his Department has given to suggestions that some of the symptoms of AIDS could be the result of tertiary or quarternary neurosyphilis, and to the possibility that AIDS is unrecognised, untreated and mistakenly identified syphilis.
§ Mr. Newton[holding answer 7 July 1988]: I am advised that there is no evidence to support this view although some patients with AIDS may also be infected with syphilis and the clinical manifestations of syphilis may be, in some cases, modified by immunodeficiency associated with HIV infection.
§ Mr. RostTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what evidence is available to him on any correlation between protein patterns in Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia, multiple myeloma and other immune and supposedly genetic disorders, and protein patterns in people with AIDS and ARC, and the association between these and those created by SV40 and PARA visuses in experimental studies.
§ Mr. Newton[holding answer 7 July 1988]: We are aware of no such evidence.