The Real Cause of AIDS

Steven: You mentioned in your report that corticosteroids and glucocorticoids are the "major causative agent in the U.S. AIDS epidemic." Could you explain what these two drugs are, how in your opinion they became major players in the AIDS epidemic and which medications use corticosteroids and glucocorticoids?

Dr. Al-Bayati: Corticosteroids and glucocorticoids are different names of hormones released from the cortex of the adrenal glands. In humans, this hormone is called cortisol and in animals it is called cortisone. There are many commercial names for glucocorticoids such as prednisone, asthmacort, flonase, and others.

Cortisol has many functions and some of these functions are the inhibition of protein synthesis and the enhancement of glucose synthesis in liver during food deprivation. In starvation cortisol is released from the adrenal glands to convert protein and lipid to glucose in liver.

Therefore, people who are suffering from malnutrition have high levels of cortisol in blood and urine and the cortisol levels usually go down following feeding a balance diet for certain duration. For example, the lymphocyte function of 30 black children with severe malnutrition as assessed by the delayed hypersensitivity reaction and morphology of lymphocyte transformation was found to be impaired and serum cortisol level was elevated. The function of lymphocyte and cortisol level returned to normal after 30 days of feeding [Zeng et al., Hua His. I Ko. Ta. Hsueh Pao 22(3): 337-9, 1991].

We learned about the anti-inflammatory function of cortisol in the 1940s. It was approved by the US FDA to be used as immunosuppressant agent to be given to patients who needed organ transplants. Corticosteroids usually depress the functions and the size of the immune system; therefore, reducing the chance of rejecting the new organ by the host.

People who are treated with high doses of corticosteroids for periods of months usually suffer from low T cells counts and AIDS-defining illness such as tuberculosis, Kaposi's sarcoma, and other illnesses as described in Fauci's vast number of publications.

The use of glucocorticoid compounds has been increasing with time and in the USA, more than 10 million Americans use glucocorticoid as anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy drug per year. The effect of these compounds on the immune system depends upon the amount and the duration of use. However, the damage is reversible in most cases.

In the USA, the total cases of AIDS in adults was 573,800 as of January 1, 1997 with about 90% of these cases being male homosexuals, and heterosexual and homosexual drug users (Fauci, et al., 1998. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York USA, ed. 14).

Inhaling cocaine and heroin use causes many respiratory illnesses that require long-term treatment with glucocorticoids. In addition, there are many other drug-induced illnesses such as thrombocytopenia, peripheral neuropathy, and chronic kidney problems that are treated with high doses of glucocorticoids.

In my book, I list more than 30 conditions in risk groups that are treated with high doses of glucocorticoids (Tables 12-15) and the doses used to treat each of these condition can cause AIDS. I gave many examples in my answer to Q4, which shows that treatment of individuals with prednisone for lung fibrosis and other illnesses induced by drugs, cause AIDS.

In my answer to Q4, I also gave examples for the use of prednisone by homosexuals to treat chronic inflammation of the colon that resulted in the reduction of CD4+ T cells counts. The HIV-positive patients who selected to have surgery to remove the inflamed portion of their colon and eliminate the use of prednisone, the reduction of CD4+ T cells was reversed following the termination of the glucocorticoids.

Hemophiliac patients are treated with high doses of glucocorticoids and other immunosuppressant agents. These facts are explained in Fauci's book, Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine [McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York USA, ed. 14].

The hemophiliac patients are treated with immunosuppressive agents (cyclophosphamide and glucocorticoids) to prevent the development of antibodies against factors VIII and IX. Patients with severe hemophilia also have serious chronic joint problems resulting from bleeding inside the joints. The chronic joints problems are treated with glucocorticoids.

Steven: Could you talk a little bit about how AZT and most currently, protease inhibitors, destroy the bone marrow leading to the loss of bone marrow cells and eventually to the many illnesses attributed to the HIV virus and AIDS?

Dr. Al-Bayati: AIDS patients have been treated with antiviral medications based on the assumption that HIV is the cause of AIDS. This approach has been a failure and it is not based on sound medical facts. It is killing people and must be stopped immediately.

In my answer to Q5, I stated that a total of 2,482 patients participated in four major AZT clinical trials conducted in USA between 1986 to 1992. Only 22% were HIV-positive prior to their treatment with AZT and the rest of the subjects were HIV-negative (62%) and untested (16%). This information indicates that the designs and the conclusions of these studies are invalid.

Protease inhibitors usually cause severe damage in kidney, liver, and other organs.
The severity of the damage depends upon the amount of the drugs taken and the duration of use. Some studies show that the CD4+ T cell counts were increased after treatment with AZT and/or protease inhibitors. This information was interpreted as a good response to the medications.

On the contrary, the elevation of T cells is not a good response in these conditions, but rather, it indicates severe tissue damage and infection because elevation of CD4+ T cells counts also occur due to inflammation in tissues. This explains the injury and death of the patients following treatment with these drugs. For example, the CD4+ T cell counts were increased following the treatment of HIV negative nurses with AZT, who took AZT as a prophylactic.

They developed severe symptoms following 3 weeks of treatment with AZT (Get All The Facts: HIV does not cause AIDS, Table 24). In addition to the failure of the antiviral drugs, AIDS patients suffering from immune deficiency are also treated with glucocorticoids. This practice is not supported by any known mechanism of action.

The antiviral medications and the glucocorticoids not only fail to cure AIDS, but they cause severe damage to sick people with AIDS. Prescribing these medications to AIDS patient is just like putting gasoline on a fire. The proponents of the HIV hypothesis failed to anticipate this disaster and they claimed that AZT prolonged lives.

Steven: It is astonishing when you explain how AZT works and when one realizes that this is the drug of choice for pregnant women who test HIV+ and their babies whether they test positive or not. At the same time, AZT is also the drug of choice that is being pushed upon malnourished people in South Africa. How can this important information make a difference within these two groups of people, and have you been contributing any of this information to President Thabo Mbeki and/or the United States government? If so, what has been their response?

Dr. Al-Bayati: As I stated in my answers to the previous questions, the designs and the conclusions of the AZT clinical trials are not valid. AZT is very toxic to bone marrow and tissues with high cell division rates such as embryonic tissue. Treatment of pregnant women with AZT will definitely cause very serous damage to the embryo and fetus.

The cause of AIDS in infant and children in the industrialized countries are the use of cocaine, heroin, and alcohol by mothers during their pregnancy. The use of cocaine during pregnancy was usually associated with a high prevalence of premature births and low birth weights. Drug exposed infants usually had immature lung profiles and other serious health problems.

These health problems are usually treated with glucocorticoids. As of January 1, 1997, the number of infants and children in USA diagnosed with AIDS was 6,891. Ninety percent of these cases had mothers who were drug users.

In Africa, the cause of AIDS in infants and children is malnutrition. The study of Fawzi et al. [Fawzi et al., The Lancet 351:1447-1482, 1998] clearly demonstrated that HIV is a harmless virus and the impairment of the immune system in a mother (HIV-positive) who suffers from malnutrition can be reversed by feeding the mother proper nutrition.

This measure also improved the outcome of pregnancy. For example, in Tanzania, 1,075 HIV-infected pregnant women between 12 and 27 weeks' gestation received vitamin A (n=269), multivitamins excluding vitamin A (n=269), multivitamins including vitamin A (n=270), or a placebo (n=267). In this study, multinutrition supplementation decreased the risk of low birth weight (<2500 g) by 44%, severe preterm birth (<34 weeks of gestation) by 39%, and small size for gestational age at birth by 43%.

During pregnancy, all T-cells subsets (CD4+, CD8+, and CD3+) increased in all groups between baseline (mean 18 week's gestation weeks' gestation and 6 weeks postpartum). There was a significantly larger increase in the CD4+ T cell counts and percentage of CD4+ T cells among women assigned multivitamins. The mean increases between baseline and 6 weeks postpartum were 167 cells/�L and 112 cells/�L among women on multivitamins and those on no vitamins, respectively.

The result of the large study in Tanzania presented above clearly shows that HIV is a harmless virus and that the depression of the immune system in pregnant women suffering from malnutrition can be reversed by nutrition. This treatment also improved the outcome of pregnancy.

It is very sad and frustrating to know that the CDC and the AIDS establishment are giving AZT to pregnant women even with studies that show the depression in the immune system can be reversed by nutrition. I hope that our government will pay attention to the medical evidence presented in my book and my articles that show HIV is not the cause of AIDS, and that AZT and protease inhibitors are killing people. I hope that our government will take the proper actions soon to end the suffering of people who are unnecessarily ingesting these toxic medications.

Steven: You mention a powerful antioxidant, Alpha Lipoic Acid in your report. What is this chemical and how can it help to rebuild one's immune system that has been destroyed by AZT, protease inhibitors and Prednisone? What other antioxidants or products have you found in your research that may work to help rebuild damaged cells, bone marrow and immune systems?

Dr. Al-Bayati: Alpha lipoic Acid (ALA) is a very powerful antioxidant that has been used to prevent injuries caused by chemicals in human and animal studies. It has also been given to diabetic patients for the last two decades to prevent tissue damage, has been used in Europe to reverse peripheral neuropathy in diabetic patients, and has been shown to be effective and safe in several clinical trials.

This drug is very effective in preventing and reversing injuries resulting from metabolic changes and/or exposure to chemicals that induce lipid peroxidation. It is sold without prescription and has no side effects at the therapeutic doses (Up to 600 mg per day) for a period of 3 months or more in most people.

In Chapter 14 of my book, I presented a brief description of the results of nine studies to show the efficacy and safety of Alpha lipoic acid. Vitamins E, C and trace elements such as zinc and selenium are also very important in the healing process of damage caused by metabolic changes and/or the exposure to chemicals such as AZT and other medications.

Steven: Do you have any trial studies going on? What are they and how can someone become involved with them?

Dr. Al-Bayati: Our clinical study is posted on http://www.aliveandwell.org/. We have also started to evaluate cases. For more details please check the site below. I do differential diagnosis to identify the cause(s) of illness and I send my report to the physician(s). My report usually contains a description of the cause(s) of the problem and my recommendations for clinical tests and treatment.

I have evaluated the case histories and the medical records of many HIV-positive AIDS cases and I have found that the causes of illness in these people are the use of the antiviral medications and the glucocorticoid medications.

For example, I evaluated the medical record of an HIV-positive individual who is suffering from thrombocytopenia with low CD4+ T cell count. In the last 10 years, this individual has been treated with 24 prescription medications and 12 of these medications cause thrombocytopenia, five drugs cause damage in the immune system. However, this individual has been treated with AZT and glucocorticoids that cause thrombocytopenia and AIDS on the assumption that HIV is the cause of these health problems in this individual.

I receive many letters, emails and telephone calls per month from people who are desperate, and in need answers and help. I usually spend about 20 hours per case to evaluate the medical records and case history of patients who are suffering from AIDS.

As I mentioned earlier, most of these patients do not have the money and unfortunately, we don't have any funding to handle the load. Currently, there is no money allowed or given by the United States Government to any AIDS project not dealing with the HIV as the cause of AIDS. AIDS and HIV are treated by our government as political issues, not as health issues and this policy is, unfortunately, causing human tragedy worldwide.

We have submitted our proposal to private sources. We are hoping to get funding to save people's lives and to provide more medical evidence showing that the depression in the immune system, in HIV-positive AIDS patients, is reversible without the use of toxic antiviral medications as I presented in many examples above, in my book and articles.

Steven: Although your ideas are much easier to comprehend and seem more logical compared to the mainstream ideas of what AIDS is, what has the reaction been from your comrades and fellow physicians? Do you work with or see a growing number of physicians in the San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego area or even nationwide or internationally, who share your concerns and ideas?

Dr. Al-Bayati: I spent about two years to evaluate the causes and pathology of AIDS worldwide prior to releasing my findings to the public. In my book, I identified the causes of AIDS and described the symptoms and pathology of AIDS in all risk groups. My book is divided into fifteen chapters.

There is a specific chapter designated for each risk group and other chapters to explain the causes and pathology of the AIDS-defining illnesses. For example, chapter 10 contains the description of the causes of AIDS in infants and children, while chapter 11 describes the cause of AIDS in hemophiliacs. The entire index is posted on http://www.toxi-health.com/.

I wrote this book as a medical book so physicians can use it to diagnose cases of AIDS accurately and order proper clinical tests to treat the patient with AIDS successfully. It is very easy to follow and understand.

My conclusion that HIV is not the cause of AIDS is based on published medical evidence and not on hypothesis; therefore, any physician or scientist who reads and examines the information in my book will come to the same conclusion.

For example, Professor Otto G. Raabe is a toxicologist from the University of California Davis and has read my book twice, evaluated the medical evidence carefully and came to the conclusion that HIV is not the cause of AIDS. He wrote the foreword for my book, which is posted on http://www.toxi-health.com/. Below is one paragraph of his report.

"Dr. Al-Bayati's detailed evaluation of the world-wide AIDS epidemic approaches the literature head-on and lets the chips fall where they may. Because of his objective use of differential diagnosis and his sensitivity and understanding of both pathological and toxicological factors, he is able to convincingly demonstrate that the convergence of several factors other than HIV represent the true causes of AIDS. This book deserves careful attention, especially from physicians who must decide the course of medical treatment for their various patients."

Furthermore, Professor Juan Jose Flores, MD, PhD, Dr. Lisa M. Hosbein, MD, FACOG, and other physicians and scientists, who have read my book, have come to the same conclusion that the HIV is not the cause of AIDS. In addition, individuals who have read my book, reach the same conclusion.

There are many articles written about my findings and I have been on many radio and TV shows. In the last 20 months, I have not received any disagreement from any physician or a scientist about my findings. Some of these articles and our clinical studies are posted on the internet.

Physicians usually depend upon the recommendations from our government and the pharmaceutical companies about the treatment of AIDS patients and the usage of medications. Most of the time they have no way of knowing nor understanding the implications involving these recommendations or whether they are valid or not.

I informed the US government and many State governments in August of 1999 and requested that my findings to be evaluated, unfortunately, no action has been taken yet. It is the responsibility of our government to take the right step by evaluating the evidence and to protect the public from taking highly toxic drugs such as AZT and other antiviral drugs, which are currently used to treat patients with AIDS.

Part 3