FG gives update on professor who claimed HIV cure discovery

The Federal Government has frowned at the claim by Professor Maduike Ezeibe, who claimed to have discovered a cure for HIV/AIDs.

Ezeibe, a researcher in Veterinary Medicine of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Abia State, claimed the drug, which was produced with “Aluminium Magnesium Silicate” has allegedly cured 10 persons living with HIV.

But the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, told State House reporters on Wednesday that the research was carried out without any valid ethical approval.

The minister said: “On the issue of HIV (cure claim), we are yet to get the final report from the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute for Medical Research.

“But what is clear is that those activities were carried out without a valid ethical approval. As you might be aware, nobody is allowed to carry out any expedient or research on human beings without an ethical approval.

“At the National Health Research Committees level, there is no evidence that this researcher sought and obtained ethical approval. But at the appropriate time, we will disclose the full report.”

Similarly, the National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) had also refuted the claim by Ezeibe, saying that the claim for HIV/AIDS cure is not new.