AIDS doctor's cure contested

P.S.V. Satyanarayana, an Ayurvedic doctor who runs the GP Institute (Hospital) of Alternate Therapies and Research Centre, has been accused again by the Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) of publicising a fake AIDS cure.

The AIDS society made a complaint to the police on May 1 accusing the doctor of claiming his cures were in conjunction with guidelines of the Federal Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), the Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS).

It said Satyanarayana's website created the impression that the institute was the "highest government research body of the country" with nearly 600 AIDS patients.

APSACS made its first complaint in October 2000. After that, the Andhra Pradesh high court, whom Satyanarayana asked to restrain APSACS and the police from taking any action against him, ruled that both the ICMR and CCRAS failed to respond to Satyanarayana's appeal to them to examine whether the drugs he was using were effective.

The High Court also suggested that Satyanarayana could get the efficacy of his drugs - Avalmic-I, Avalmic-II, Khaphayoga and Medhamrut - tested.

After the second complaint, APSACS said it acted on behalf of NACO. It said the doctor's claim that the treatment given was under the guidelines of federal government organisations was a "blatant falsehood", quoting NACO's additional project director.