S Africa bans AIDS vitamin trials

Controversial trials of vitamin therapies to treat AIDS in South Africa have been banned.

The South African Government has been heavily criticised for failing to regulate the widespread use of natural remedies as alternatives to proven anti-retroviral drugs.

However, AIDS lobby groups such as the South African Medical Association have succeeded in gaining a court order banning unauthorised clinical trials of vitamin therapies for AIDS.

Those trials were conducted by German doctor Matthias Rath and American physician David Rasnick, who used to advise the South African President on HIV/AIDS.

Dr Rath is accused of profiteering by selling unregistered vitamin treatments among poor black communities.