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Experimental drugs
Ampligenis the most prevalent experimental antiviral medication for treating chronic fatigue syndrome, currently in Phase III of testing. It is considered a "second generation interferon", designed to stimulate the production of interferons, a family of immune response modifiers that are also known to have antiviral activity.
In some clinical trials more than 50% of test subjects taking Ampligen presented physical and mental improvement of symptoms. But even thou recipients of Ampligen tolerate it well, adverse reactions (liver damage) had been reported. The administration of this drug in CFS patients should be considered experimental.
Study groups until now were too small for the results to be published in the scientific literature and for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve Ampligen for widespread use.
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)is another drug in trials. Recent studies showed improvement of symptoms in some chronic fatigue syndrome patients after using it, but results are not confirmed yet and the use of DHEA in patients is still experimental.
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