Further to the letter by H.H. Fudenberg appearing in The Scientist of Feb. 17, 1997 [page 13], we would like to point out that, although we agree with his overall contention regarding the beneficial effects of transfer factor even on advanced-stage AIDS patients, our polymerase chain reaction (PCR) data, albeit limited, do not confirm his equally limited observations, suggesting a dramatic drop in the PCR counts. In our experience, only one out of three patients showed an important decrease in PCR counts following transfer factor administration.
Nevertheless and notwithstanding the aforementioned results, most patients who received HIV-specific transfer factor over long periods have shown arrest of disease progression with clinical and/or laboratory improvement.
Furthermore, preliminary studies investigating the serum cytokines in patients receiving transfer factor treatment indicate that the latter activates the Th1 secretion pattern, which has a prognostic value (E. Raise et al., Biotherapy, 9[1-3]:49-54, 1996).
Thus, evidence obtained ...
