November 1996
Drugs of Ill-Repute
Researchers at Johns Hopkins studied 1,450 people with HIV for five years tracking the incidence of "adverse events" linked to the use of AIDS drugs. The results? Glaxo Wellcome dinosaur AZT caused 203 such events, more than all other therapies combined. The runner-up was Bactrim, with 99. Third place went to ddI, with 21. ddc and dapsone tied for fourth, with 17. Adverse-event rates increased progressively as CD4 counts declined. Women were more likely than men to have problems with dapsone, and whites had a more significant risk of failing Bactrim than nonwhites.
