The proponent of the short-course azt trials defended the study design by stating all the following except: a. the trial was likely valuable to the communities from which the participants were drawn b. that using the 076 regimen as active control would most likely show that the short-course regimen was superior c. the background rate of mother-to-child transmission of hiv varied between populations, because a comparison to placebo was necessary d. the 076 regimen was not available to the women enrolling in the trials, so they were not being deprived of treatment.

d. The 076 regimen was not available to the women enrolling in the trials, so they were not being deprived of treatment.

Explanation:

The therapeutic regimen 076 was the result of the National Institutes of Health's AIDS Clinical Trials Group protocol 076 (ACTG 076 or 076) in 1994. Through this regimen, pregnant women who are positive HIV receive intravenous administration of the antiretroviral zidovudine  (AZT) during labor and delivery; and refrain from breast-feeding. It's important that woman reach early in prenatal care. In addition, newborns should receive oral AZT therapy. The efficacy of this regimen is proven so is important to follow the requirements mentioned.