Research on HIV cure done without approval, says Adewole

Isaac Adewole, minister of health, says the research carried out by Maduike Ezeibe, a professor of veterinary medicine and clinical virology, on the cure for HIV/AIDS, was done without approval.

The minister said the experiment was illegal.

Ezeibe, a professor at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Abia, claimed that his drug killed the virus in some patients he tested it on.

But speaking with journalists on Wednesday, Adewole said approval was needed for anyone to carry out such kind of experiment on human beings.

He said the authorities were still awaiting report from the Institute for Medical Research on Ezeibe’s claims that he had discovered the cure for HIV/AIDS.

“On the issue of HIV, we have 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,” Adewole said.

“As you might be aware, nobody is allowed to carry out any experiment or research on human beings without an ethical approval.

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