YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan–RFE–BBC)–A statement by Interior & National Security Minister Serge Sarkisian that Armenian scientists have generated a unique medicine to cure AIDS was confirmed by the Director of the Armenian Drugs Agency–Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia Emil Gabrielian.
"Although the medicine has not yet been officially registered–it can be said already that the results of the test are most promising and there is hardly any comparisons to be drawn between this drug and others we know," he said.
Sarkisian told state television on Friday that a group of doctors working in Armenia have produced the cure following a long research. Sarkisian said the vaccine has already been successfully tested on 13 individuals–infected with AIDS–until now deemed incurable. In his words–all of them have been ridden of the deadly disease. Sarkisian refused to give details saying only that the new medicine will be registered on Tuesday with a government agency dealing with drugs.
He said the research–kept secret–has been "sponsored" by himself and unspecified entrepreneurs.
Meanwhile–an informed source told RFE/RL that a secret research on AIDS has taken place in Armenia in the last two years and it was led by Levon Mkhitarian–the country’s chief infection doctor. The source said the research’s secrecy has been carefully guarded by national security officers.
The BBC reported–quoting Ekho Moskvy (Voice of Moscow) radio–that Sarkisian assured viewers that the world would soon be rocked by what Armenian scientists had discovered.
The minister was confident that the discovery would have a favorable effect on Armenia ‘s economy.
All of the 13 AIDS-stricken and HIV-infected people showed positive results two months after they started to use the medicine. In addition to the experimentally obtained data–such as the quantity of CD-4-lymphocytes reflecting the degree of human immunity and the virus concentration in blood–patients were observed to feel much better.
All researches had been financed by private businesses with the immediate assistance of the personnel of the Republican Center for AIDS Prevention and Control.Interior Minister Serge Sarkisian activly helped the research program–Gabrielian said. Six months ago Sarkisian confirmed the presence of 13 AIDS-stricken and HIV-infected prisoners in penitentiaries.
Gabrielian believes that Armenia has all the appropriate conditions to manufacture the new medicine–the name of which includes the word "Armenicum." The full name of the drug will be announced after it is officially registered and a corresponding statement is made. It can be expected in the near future.