Mysore:AIDS Quacks abound;

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AIDS cure: Quacks abound; health officials say no

The Times of India News Service,Tuesday, 15 May 2001

MYSORE: To combat the spread of AIDS, several disciplines of

medicines have developed and equipped themselves to tackle the deadly

disease. But over the last decade, several quacks have also been

cashing in, promising " cure " . No spectacular recovery has been

reported so far.

When contacted, the concerned district administration officials said,

they were unaware of any such incidents and had not received any

written complaints so that action could be initiated.

Anxious and gullible HIV/ AIDS patients are being exploited by

fraudulent people in and around Mysore district. Several instances of

patients being cheated by quacks have come to the fore in various

parts of Mysore district.

A couple narrated to this correspondent how they were taken for a

ride. Rame Gowda and Savithramma (names changed) alleged, the

organisation they approached for treatment was minting money by

prescribing spurious " herbal " medicines for AIDS cure.

Gowda said, an inquiry must be conducted so that " these cheats do not

take more HIV patients for a ride " .

He said, though a complaint was lodged with village heads about such

organisations, the response has been lukewarm. The couple claimed,

quacks advertised in some of the local dailies and send out pamphlets

in the villages in Mysore district.

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http://www.timesofindia.com/150501/15mban28.htm