Re: Alleged false positive results from 'RANBAXY'

[Guest guest]

[Moderators note: The following anonymous posting is allowed with caution as

this posting raises some very important national level policy and program

issues. Need for a national policy on the role of private labs, in releasing HIV

test results and their role in HIV surveillance is discussed earlier on this

forum but deserves further wider discussion. Anonymous postings are welcome and

they will be posted vigilantly]

Dear forum Readers,

I want to strongly put forth the fact that the way we are all

responding to this incidence of ALLEGED false positive report by

Ranbaxy SRL in totally irresponsible and unwarranted. Here are some

facts that need to be looked into before making any judgment about

any such world-class laboratory facility;

·As pointed by Shubha Shankaran, Mr. Gurinder Singh Should not

think that he is HIV negative at this point in time no matter what

the report from any of the labs say, as this false sense of safety is

the major reason for the spread of HIV in the Educated and well to do

class of people all over India. Mr. Gurinder should take all the

precautions and he should get his blood tested after at least 3

months if not earlier, with ELISA / HIV DNA PCR or for confirmation

he should do Westernblot in consultation with a Qualified Doctor

dealing in HIV and related disorders. If all these tests are negative

only then we can surely say that Mr. Gurinder is truly negative for

HIV.

· I also strongly disagree to the comments made by Dr. Rajesh

Buddhadev MD, as to the " 3 month window period " not being

applicable to this case for the PCR testing of Mr. Gurinder, as the tests

carried out on Mr. Gurinder Singh was not a Qualitative tests but it

was a Quantitative test( Quantitative test is recommended only in a

patient who is a Confirmed HIV positive patient, more ever HIV DNA

quantitation is only a Prognostic test{monitoring} and has NO

Diagnostic value whatsoever). Now it remains to be seen who

recommended Mr. Gurinder Singh to do a Quantitative tests which he

says had a viral load of 4508 copies{which again is an insignificant

value and does not mean much}.

The letter posted by Mr. Gurinder Singh indicates that his friend and Doctor,

Dr. Inderpal Singh Grover could have been the one who recommended him this

test. It's a therefore important for Dr. Inderpal Singh to do a thorough

introspection of the misguidance that he (most probably) gave to his

friend.

· I also am shocked at the ignorance that has been shown by Dr.

Sarman Singh (MD MNAMS) of AIIMS, who ordered tests like Westrenblot

and HIV antibodies-ELISA, in this case, as both these tests will tend

to be False Negative given the time period in which they were

performed after the exposure(??) and would therefore be UTTERLY

USELESS and give misguiding results to the patient. The only test

that could have been useful to Mr. Gurinder Singh in this case would

be HIV DNA PCR Qualitative ( & not a Quantitative test, as done by Mr.

Gurinder Sigh). Senior doctors like Dr. Sarman should take care of

these small things as they could cost an innocent and unknowing wife

of Mr. Gurinder Singh her LIFE, for no mistake of her own.

· As for the suffering that Mr. Gurinder Singh had to go

through during these days, I fully empathize with him, however at the

same time I would like to add that his misdeeds were the most

important cause of his sufferings. And as far as Counseling is

concerned at least I have seen Ranbaxy reports, which carry a

Detailed interpretation of the results and their implications which

in its self are very elaborate and self explanatory. I agree that a

special facility for the counseling of patients should be there in

all the Pathological laboratory, and am sure that all the People

involved in this profession are taking necessary steps in this

direction.

We must however try and remember that these kind of

facility puts a tremendous burden (Financial and technical) on the

parties involved and given the economies of operation they are not

feasible for even Government sponsored Hospitals such as AIIMS, KEM,

J.J. etc., Even in these institute the kind of counseling needed is

either totally missing or it is of a very poor quality and totally

useless to the patients, therefore to expect any private lab to give

an exhaustive Pre- and Post- counseling would be totally meaning less

in today's context. Infact the only good quality counseling that

I have come across is given by the NGO's who are dedicated to the

cause of HIV prevention and treatment, and a very few dedicated HIV

Practioners.

· I also request all the members of the forum to be realistic,

rather that advising Mr. Gurinder Singh to seek compensation from

Ranbaxy. Also we all must urge Mr. Gurinder Singh to be very positive

about his condition and take all precautionary measures so as to

avoid the possible transmission of the virus to his Wife, till any

such time as he is finally proved to be HIV negative (probably after

repeating the tests after at least 3 months).

It remains to be seen what course of action is adopted by Mr.

Gurinder Singh and what is the final out come of this case however it

is a very interesting case study which shows the seriousness of the

situation that we are today facing at this crossroad, both in terms

of the lack of infrastructure and also the SHOCKING ignorance of

Senior Clinicians/Doctors of our country.

For any comments please write to us at ; aidsindiatoday@...

Yours Sincerely.

Anonymous

____________________________

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

I find it extremely odd, to say the least, that this defence of the Ranbaxy

Labs is posted anonymously. Is the writer uncertain of his/her facts? Or is

he/she afraid of somebody somewhere? Is it instigated by the company itself?

Unless these things are known, why should we believe all this?

Now, on specific points. If Ranbaxy Labs is " world-class " , then so is the

AIIMS, where Dr Sarman Singh works. On that basis, should we reject AIIMS

and accept Ranbaxy?

If the latest generation tests and Western Blot and PCR are all

unreliable, what are we supposed to depend on? Pure luck? God's kindness?

I could go on and on. But the biggest problem with this posting is the

anonymity. I wish the moderator had demanded an answer in the first place.

And with no offence meant

Dr Sumit Ghoshal

E-mail: <sumitghoshal@...>

_________________________________