1996

Health Emergency 1997: The Spread of Drug-Related AIDS Among African Americans and Latinos: The Dogwood Center, Princeton, NJ (11/5/96); Day, Dawn; HIV is a serious risk for injection-drug users and could be reduced with government-supported needle-exchange programs, claims Dawn Day, director of Dogwood Center, a New Jersey- based independent research organization, in a new report. Among injection drug users (IDUs), African-Americans and Latinos are especially vu
Cambodian Blood Supply Tainted by Demand: Nature Medicine (12/96) Vol. 2, No. 12, P. 1289; Marcus, Adam; Due to an aversion among Cambodians to the practice of donating blood, donors in Phnom Penh are sometimes paid by desperate blood centers--despite a law against it. The practice concerns health officials who fear that paid donors are threatening the safety of the blood supply. A pint of blood sells for between $50 a
Health Notes: Controversial AIDS Vaccine: United Press International (12/31/96); An experimental AIDS vaccine that had been shelved merits further study, says Harvard Medical School researcher Ronald Desrosiers. A weakened live virus was used in a monkey version of the vaccine that had failed to protect newborns. The vaccine worked well in older monkeys, however, and upon closer scrutiny, was fou
With New Drugs, Hope Finally Dawns: Philadelphia Inquirer (12/29/96) P. A1; Collins, Huntly; While powerful new anti-HIV drugs have given many patients renewed health and hope, most people with HIV cannot benefit from the advanced treatment. The drugs are too costly for people in Third World countries and too complex for Americans with unstable lives. For David L. McColgin, a Philadelphia lawyer who has bee
Across the USA: Missouri, Vermont: USA Today (12/31/96) P. 6A; The first bloodless surgery program in the St. Louis, Mo. area will open next spring at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. The majority of patients are expected to be Jehovah s Witnesses, who do not believe in transfusions. In Vermont, meanwhile, despite criticism of a condom distribution program for prison inmates in the stat
AIDS and Comfort: Miami Herald (12/30/96) P. 3B; Ifateyo, Ajowa; In Broward County, Fla, grandmothers who are called on to care for their grandchildren after their children die of AIDS have formed the Family CARES Network. Members meet once a month for support, as well as to share food, clothing, and medical supplies. They also organize picnics, trips to the zoo, and other events
Straight Talk for Survival: Financial Times (12/31/96) P. 8; Wrong, Michela; In Uganda , where an estimated one in 10 people are infected with HIV, a campaign of openness against the disease has led to dramatic declines in new infections. Condoms are distributed freely and testing is available at no charge. Sex and AIDS are discussed in newspapers, on bill
AIDS Alert Posted for Nicaragua: Miami Herald (12/30/96) P. A13; The relatively low rate of AIDS in Nicaragua may be increasing, as prostitution rises amid widespread ignorance about the disease, AIDS activists warn. Nobody here thinks of AIDS prevention, and that is dangerous. The numbers could rise very soon, very rapidly, said Dr. Alej
Doctors Criticize Move Against State Measures: New York Times (12/31/96) P. D18; Wren, Christopher S.; The Clinton administration s decision to target doctors who prescribe marijuana under two new state laws brought criticism from several doctors who say the action violates their right to decide what is best for their patients. Now the federal government is entering the practice of medicine, placing itself in the phy
U.S. Will Issue Warnings on Medical Marijuana Laws: Washington Post (12/31/96); Suro, Roberto; Letters warning of sanctions will be sent to doctors, federal contractors, and others who invoke new laws in California and Arizona that permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes, the Clinton administration announced Monday. The plan calls for publicizing federal drug laws but does not propose any new legislat
Standards for Disease Control--Part 1: EDI World (12/96) Vol. 6, No. 12, P. 14; Engel, Wilson F. III; EDI, or electronic data standards that are used for disease control, are essential in the battle against the worldwide spread of infectious diseases, according to Wilson F. Engel, III. The commercial development of EDI has recently gained momentum and has sparked conferences on electronic resources for disease contro
Piloting the Meanders of AIDS Research: Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (12/96) Vol. 2, No. 12, P. 9; Mascolini, Mark; At the 36th International Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, updates on trials of protease inhibitors were presented as well as data on even newer treatment options. Among the research topics covered were non- nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhi
Health Notes: Contraceptives and Low-Income Women: United Press International (12/30/96); Although 80 percent of sexually-active, low-income women in the United States use contraceptives, they may not fully benefit from the methods they choose, a new report says. A survey by the Alan Guttmacher Institute found that 75 percent of pregnancies in lower-income women are unplan
Women Overrepresented Among Young Persons With AIDS: Reuters (12/27/96); An analysis of the more than 37,000 AIDS cases diagnosed in New York City between 1984 and 1993 found that most of the young people diagnosed with AIDS were women and that women developed AIDS at a higher rate than young heterosexual men. Dr. Marcelo Pagano and colleagues at Harvard s School of Public Health reported
Number of People With HIV Reaches 466 in Indonesia: Xinhua News Agency (12/28/96); The number of HIV infections in Indonesia has reached 466, and 112 people have developed AIDS. A total of 128 foreigners were reported to have HIV or AIDS. Approximately 63 percent of the HIV cases were transmitted through heterosexual contact, and women were found to be more
Fighting a 'Hidden Epidemic': New York Times (12/28/96) P. 26; Citing the recent Institute of Medicine report on the high rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States , a New York Times editorial supports new recommendations for a public education and awareness campaign against these diseases. The panel reported that for every
U.S. Will Encourage Doctors Not to Dispense Medical Pot: Washington Times (12/30/96) P. A3; Price, Joyce; The federal plan to enforce anti-drug laws in Arizona and California, where the medical use of marijuana has been legalized, will focus on education rather than prosecution, U.S. drug chief Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey said Sunday. Under the White House s plan, to be released today, groups other than doctors, such as tran
Animals Suffer, to No Benefit: Wall Street Journal (12/30/96) P. A13; Guillermo, Kathy; Menache, Andre; Tatchell, Peter; et al.; In response to a Wall Street Journal article in which Dr. Michael DeBakey criticized animal rights groups for harming AIDS research, several animal rights supporters argue in letters to the editor of the Wall Street Journal that AIDS research does not depend on animal research. Kathy Guillermo of People for the Ethic
Marijuana for the Sick: New York Times (12/30/96) P. A14; The U.S. government s plan to fight state laws legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes is reasonable, but the value of such therapy should be considered, says the editors of the New York Times. The authors agree with the Clinton administration s plan to prosecute doctors who prescribe the drug, but they
Medicine Men: Advocate (12/24/96) No. 723, P. 31; Gallagher, John; The biotech company CytoDyn has produced a new HIV therapy called Cytolin. The company is dedicated primarily to treating HIV; financial concerns are secondary. Unlike any other HIV therapy, Cytolin is an antibody designed to bolster the immune system. Allen D. Allen, the Los Angeles physicist who developed the ide
Coping With AIDS: Together, Online: Yahoo! Internet Life (12/96) Vol. 2, No. 7, P. 24; Gensler, Howard; Internet newsgroups provide an important means for the exchange of HIV and AIDS information, on topics ranging from research and treatment advances to political movements and service organizations. On sci.med.aids, users can access daily AIDS news updates, detailed scientific information about drug therapies, and deb
California's Agouron Pharmaceuticals Applies to Produce Anti- HIV Drug: Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News (12/24/96); Aguilera, Mario C.; Agouron Pharmaceuticals has filed a new drug application with the Food and Drug Administration for its Viracept anti-HIV drug, marking the first time a company has petitioned the FDA for
Chronicle: For Steve Ross, Showtime Is Charity Time: New York Times (12/27/96) P. B6; Brozan, Nadine; In an effort to raise money for the fight against AIDS, cabaret performer Steve Ross will perform songs by request before each show and during intermission for a donation of $100. Ross, who is making his Broadway debut in Noel Coward s Present Laughter, explained that other charity work he does inspired him to giv
Russian Karelia's AIDS Toll Up From Zero to Ten: Itar Wire Service (12/26/96); Karelia, an autonomy in Russia s European north, has reported 10 new cases of HIV in two months. Until November, the Karelia region was considered free of the virus. Karelia health care minister Anatoly Artyomiyev, who revealed the HIV data at a recent news conference, noted that the region lacks funds to maintain c
87 Ohio Counties Report AIDS Cases: United Press International (12/26/96); According to a recently released report from the Ohio Department of Health, 87 of the state s 88 counties have reported at least one case of AIDS. Of the reported cases, 10 percent were among the 57 counties with fewer than 500,000 residents. Moreover, rural Ohio counties have an annual AIDS rate of 3.2 per 100,000 r
Health Aides Push Condoms for Prisons: Boston Globe (12/26/96) P. B9; Dowdy, Zachary R.; Massachusetts public health officials and correctional officers are debating the state s longtime policy of prohibiting condom distribution inside prisons, where AIDS is six times more prevalent than in society at large. Health officials say that, despite rules to the contrary, sex and rape will continue to occur ins
U.S. to Limit HMO Incentives Linked to Curbs on Medicare, Medicaid Treatment: Washington Post (12/27/96); Baker, Peter; New federal rules to be instituted next week address the health care industry s dilemma of trying to contain costs while also easing fears that patients will not receive necessary care. The new regulations from the Health Care Financing Administration will restrict the financial penalties which may be assessed against
A New Regimen: Africa's AIDS Experts Turn to Antibiotics to Slow the Epidemic: Wall Street Journal (12/27/97) P. A1; Bennett, Amanda; In Africa, where the promising protease inhibitor combinations are far out of reach, health workers are putting new faith in a stalwart medicine--the antibiotic. Scientists have found that by using antibiotics to limit the proliferation of conventional sexually transmitted bacterial diseases, they can dramatically re
Rapid HIV Testing: AIDS Clinical Care (12/96) Vol. 8, No. 12, P. 103; Sax, Paul E.; The most commonly-used HIV antibody tests are sent to laboratories and can require one to two weeks for results, even though the test can be completed in 24 hours. A rapid test offers the advantage of one-stop testing, outcome, and counseling; provides immediate results for women in labor; and can guide postexposure
Funding Renewed for JAMA HIV/AIDS Web Site: American Medical News (12/16/96) Vol. 39, No. 47, P. 8; Funding for the HIV/AIDS Information Center on the World Wide Web, produced and maintained by the editors of the Journal of the American Medical Association , has been renewed by Glaxo Wellcome . The site, which began in December 1995,
Agouron Says JT Is Partner in HIV Research: Reuters (12/24/96); Agouron Pharmaceuticals and Japan Tobacco report that they are co-developing the HIV drug Viracept , a synthetic chemical compound designed to inhibit the HIV protease. Agouron also no
Selenium May Reduce Risk of Some Cancers: Washington Post (12/25/96) P. A4; A new study, led by University of Arizona epidemiologist Larry Clark, shows that selenium, which is currently being trumpeted as being a treatment for everything from dandruff to AIDS, could reduce the risk for certain types of cancer, including prostate, colon, rectal, and lung. Selenium is a mineral found in seafoo
Science & Health Bulletin: Zimbabwe--Deaths [From] AIDS: PANA Wire Service (12/25/96); Amath, Mamadou; New statistics show that HIV and problems in Zimbabwe s health sector resulted in 94,352 deaths in the country between January and December 1996. The figure is about a 20 percent increase over 1995 s total, when 71,758 deaths were reported in the 11.2 million strong nation.
Iran to Impose AIDS Test on Foreign Travelers: Xinhua News Agency (12/25/96); Visitors to Iran will now be tested for HIV, according to health officials in the country. The testing, which will be conducted at clinical facilities at the ports of entry, is intended to stem the spread of the virus, Deputy Health Minister Mohammad Esma eel Akbari explained. The
A Year of Tangible Medical Advances: USA Today (12/26/96) P. 1D; Peterson, Karen S.; Health magazine reports that this year s major medical advances are already helping to increase longevity in the United States . The magazine s selections for 1996 s leading discoveries include protease inhibitors , new AIDS drugs tha
Managed Health Care in Prisons Gains Favor, but Draws Concern: New York Times (12/26/97); Petersen, Melody; Bloating U.S. prison populations and a concomitant rise in the cost of medical care for inmates are prompting more U.S. prisons to bring in private companies to manage prison health care. However, although the shift to managed care seems to be saving taxpayers money, inmate advocates fear the move may compromise hea
Celebrities Caught on Both Sides of AIDS Animal Research: Washington Times (12/26/96) P. A6; Richardson, Valerie; AIDS activists confronted numerous Hollywood stars on their way to the Animal s Ball and Humanitarian Awards gala, which was hosted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The protesters accused the celebrities of hypocrisy, saying that they cannot support both animal rights groups and AIDS research, wh
Category of Exposure to HIV and Age in the Progression to AIDS: Longitudinal Study of 1,199 People With Known Dates of Seroconversion: Journal of the American Medical Association (12/11/96) Vol. 276, No. 22, P. 1782; Pezzotti, Patrizio; Italian researchers seeking to determine whether the progression of AIDS is linked to age or the method of HIV infection evaluated the cases of 1,199 people with known dates of seroconversion. During the median study period of 5.8 years, 18.8 percent of the patients progressed to AIDS. Older subjects were more likel
Host Factors and the Pathogenesis of HIV-Induced Disease: Nature (12/12/96) Vol. 384, No. 6609, P. 529; Fauci, Anthony S.; A variety of host and viral factors effect HIV infection and disease progression. In a review of the research on these factors, Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, focuses on the balance between host factors that stimulate HIV and those that suppress the virus. Th
Cuba Starts Testing Anti-AIDS Vaccine on Humans: Reuters (12/22/96); An experimental AIDS vaccine developed by Cuban scientists is being tested on 24 volunteers, President Fidel Castro announced Saturday. Through widespread HIV testing and the isolation of many AIDS patients, Cuba has curbed the spread of HIV. Authorities are concerned, however, that the rise in tourism and an increa
AIDS Seen as Serious Problem by Most: United Press International (12/21/96); Although a new poll shows that most Americans think AIDS is a serious problem, it also found that most people are not concerned that they will become infected. The poll, which was commissioned by Time magazine and CNN, also found that less than half of the respondents have been tested.
Doctor Quit Over Blood Safety: Toronto Globe and Mail (12/20/96) P. A1; McIlroy, Anne; Dr. Bert Aye, former head of the Canadian Red Cross Society, now says he resigned in September because he believed the safety of the blood system was jeopardized by the replacement of doctors with lay people. Aye noted that nine doctors involved in the Red Cross program quit in the past year. Aye also said senior of
Man With HIV Guilty of Raping Young Boy: Miami Herald (12/21/96) P. 1B; Driscoll, Amy; A Miami man with HIV was convicted Friday in a retrial on charges of kidnapping an 11-year-old boy and raping him. Ignacio Perea was convicted in the case, and two similar attacks two years ago; but an appeals court overturned the verdicts due to improper jury selection. In the first trial, prosecutors charged Perea
Dow Ends Up 11 as Expiration Boost Volume; Gainers Ahead 5 to 3; Oil, Financial Issue Lead: Investor's Business Daily (12/23/96) P. A11; Fasciocco, Leo; In trading Friday, Bristol-Myers Squibb increased 3.25 points to 112.5, following the announcement that its anti-HIV drug Zerit will be covered by the Ontario government s drug benefit program. Bristol-Myers and Warner-Lamb
Staying On: The Cabinet: Washington Post (12/23/96) P. A19; Blustein, Paul; Chandler, Clay; Kenworthy, Tom; et al.; Among the seven members of President Clinton s cabinet who will remain in office for his second term is Donna E. Shalala, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. During the past term, Shalala was instrumental in securing additional funding for AIDS research at the National Institutes of Health. Durin
Doctors Are Focus of Plan to Fight New Drug Laws: New York Times (12/23/96) P. A10; Golden, Tim; Federal drug officials say they will restrict the impact of new state laws allowing the medical use of marijuana by prosecuting doctors who provide the drug to patients and revoking their prescription licenses. The Justice Department has decided not to take legal action against the measures, which were passed by vote
Health Journal: We May Be Living a Little Healthier Thanks to '96 Studies: Wall Street Journal (12/23/96) P. B1; Chase, Marilyn; Among the medical advances of 1996 are new treatments for HIV infection and cardiovascular disease, improved detection and treatment of cancer, greater information about the impacts of smoking, and genetic testing. Doctors are now armed with new tools for monitoring and treating HIV. Although new drugs have shown dr
Citizen Koch's Condom Campaign: New York (12/16/96) Vol. 29, No. 49, P. 13; Keil, Beth Landman; Mitchell, Deborah; New York City Mayor Edward I. Koch is promoting a plan to show public-service announcements that encourage safer sex in place of the trivia quizzes shown at city movie theaters before films. The suggestion was offered by one of the Mayor s radio listeners, and a short animated film was produced as a result by two you
Medical Education Gets Wired: Interactive Media Laboratory Targets Patients and Physicians: Journal of the American Medical Association (12/11/96) Vol. 276, No. 22, P. 1788; Stephenson, Joan; Among the multimedia programs developed at Dartmouth s Interactive Media Laboratory to help health care professionals, students, and patients deal with particular health issues, is a project on treating HIV and AIDS. HIV and AIDS: An Interactive Curriculum, developed jointly by the Columbia University School of Nur
Health Notes: AIDS Trial Starts: United Press International (12/20/96); Wasowicz, Lidia; Researchers at Neurobiological Technologies of Richmond, Calif., are initiating a trial of the drug Memantine, a potential treatment for AIDS-related dementia and nerve damage. No treatments are currently available for these conditions. About one-third of all AIDS patients develo
Across the USA: Virginia: USA Today (12/20/96) P. 20A; Margaret Anne Hunter, of Alexandria, Va., has sued a woman she met on the Internet for misrepresenting herself as a man with AIDS. Hunter and Holly Anne Groves, of Bryan, TX, were married four months before Hunter found out Groves was a woman.
Market Place: A Broad Patent Is Spurring the Shares of Protein Design Lab: Wall Street Journal (12/20/96) P. D6; Fisher, Lawrence M.; Protein Design Lab, which announced on Monday that it had received a patent covering the production of humanized antibodies in mice, saw its shares rise 25 percent this week. The patent could create royalties for the company, whose product pipeline is also promising, analysts say. Oppenheimer analyst Matthew Geller n
Adolescent Drug Use Continues to Rise: New York Times (12/20/96) P. B12; Wren, Christopher S.; A new survey has found that drug use continued to increase among adolescents this year, raising concerns about the efficacy of drug prevention programs. Marijuana was the most prevalent of the drugs used, accounting for 90 percent, but alcohol was found to be much more widely used than illegal drugs. Lloyd D. Johnst
Donor May Be Charged After Patient Is Infected With HIV: Richmond Times-Dispatch (12/20/96) P. A11; A blood donor whose HIV-tainted blood infected a transplant patient may face criminal charges, Milwaukee County officials report. Under Wisconsin s HIV confidentiality law, the name of the infected man cannot be released, though authorities hope to contact him through the hospital. Officials at the blood center wher
AIDS Advances Called Top 1996 Scientific Breakthrough: Baltimore Sun (12/20/96) P. 24A; Research into HIV, which resulted in new AIDS drugs and a greater understanding of the virus function, was named the Breakthrough of the Year for 1996 by the journal Science. The research, which identified three natural chemokines that suppress HIV, was published by scientists in Milan,
Powerful Treatments Create Growing Rift Among AIDS Groups: Wall Street Journal (12/20/96) P. A1; McGinley, Laurie; The recent successes of new AIDS drugs have driven some patient advocates to call for a shift of funding away from social services toward drugs and treatment. The providers of these services, including transportation, housing, and counseling, are now desperate to maintain funding for their programs as a result. James
NIH Director Endorses Needle Exchange Research: Washington Post (12/20/96) P. A13; A controversial needle exchange study has been approved by the director of the National Institutes of Health, despite charges from a health industry watchdog group that it is immoral and unethical. NIH Director Harold Varmus said that the $2.4 million study, which would compare the impact of two methods of needle d
I'm OK, You're Not: U.S. News & World Report (12/16/96) Vol. 121, No. 24, P. 24; Whitman, David; Americans widely believe that while their own lives and communities are successful, the rest of the country is failing. This view that we are doing well, while they are not is the most important and least comprehended aspect of public opinion, claims U.S. News & World Report pollster Ed Goeas. Such a perception
HIV Poised to Ravage Asia: Journal of the American Medical Association (12/11/96) Vol. 276, No. 22, P. 1790; HIV is spreading at a rapid rate in Asia, and the continent could have up to 10 million HIV cases by 2000, the World Health Organization reports. If the number of infections in India reaches the 5 million expected by then, it would have the high
Lymph Node Cytokine Activity in HIV-1 Infection Described: Reuters (12/18/96); The lymph nodes are a site of immune activity during very early HIV-1 infection, researchers at Stanford University report in the journal AIDS. Clive M. Gray and colleagues evaluated the B- and T-cell phenotypes found in the lymph nodes of HIV-positive patients and found that these cells were prevalent in the lymph n
Science & Health Bulletin: Zambia--AIDS Call For [Cooperation in AIDS Battle]: PANA Wire Service (12/18/96); Mulenga, Mildred; A coordinated approach to fighting AIDS is needed in Zambia , the country s deputy health minister Nkandu Luo recently announced. At a youth conference on peer education training, Luo said anti-AIDS efforts must include skills training and campaigns to fight poverty. Even if peop
Science & Health Bulletin: Zimbabwe--Mortality Rises [Among Infants]: PANA Wire Service (12/18/96); The infant mortality rate in Zimbabwe is expected to increase by five times by the year 2005, while population growth is expected to drop by about 1.5 percent due to the spread of AIDS. A new report from the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council attributed the dramatic incre
Tainted-Blood Inquiry Ends After Three Years: Toronto Globe and Mail (12/18/96) P. A12; McIlroy, Anne; The public hearings in Canada s inquiry into the country s tainted-blood tragedy ended Tuesday after three years. Many of the final submissions to the inquiry criticized the Canadian Red Cross Society, which has had nearly complete authority over the blood system since 1939. Speakers also questioned the potential ro
In N.J., People With AIDS Are Offered Free Legal Help: Philadelphia Inquirer (12/19/96) P. B5; Lowe, Herbert; For people with HIV and AIDS who live in four South New Jersey counties, free legal services will be provided by the South Jersey HIV Law Project, a new partnership of three advocacy groups. We finally will have dedicated services in New Jersey, said Ronda B. Goldfein, a staff attorney for the AIDS Law Project of P
Blood Center Provided HIV-Tainted Blood: Washington Times (12/19/96) P. A9; A Milwaukee blood center admitted Wednesday that it provided HIV-tainted blood for a transfusion, and it blamed a blood donor for not revealing his high-risk behavior. The center called the failure of its screening process a terrible tragedy.
Charities Debate Strategy of a Limited Time Span for Gifts: New York Times (12/19/96) P. B12; Tollerson, Ernest; Many U.S. charities, including New York s Aaron Diamond Foundation, plan from the beginning to reduce their assets each year for a scheduled number of years. This strategy has, in turn, spurred public debate about the most effective use of charitable spending. The Aaron Diamond Foundation will expire at the end of t
Entertainer, Denied Job Because He Had H.I.V., Settles Case: New York Times (12/19/96) P. A15; A man who was hired to entertain for a cruise line, but was rejected after he tested positive for HIV, will receive a $90,000 settlement in the case. A condition of the settlement also prevents the employer from screening for the virus. The suit, filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, argued that the
Get Married, Please: Advocate (12/10/96) No. 722, P. 18; In an effort to promote monogamy among gay inmates and prevent the spread of HIV, officials at a prison in Honduras are encouraging same-sex marriage. AIDS is the leading cause of death in the Tegucigalpa central penitentiary, wher
HIV-Contaminated Blood Is Transfused: American Medical News (12/09/96) Vol. 39, No. 46, P. 22; A federal judge has ruled in favor of the United States in a negligence case brought by the estate of a patient who received a transfusion of HIV-tainted blood from a serviceman. The patient received the blood in February 1985, one month after it had been donated by a man in basic trai
Film Review: Bittersweet Lessons as a Family Reunites: New York Times (12/18/96) P. C15; Maslin, Janet; `Marvin s Room, the film version of a 1991 play by Scott McPherson, is made especially memorable because of its strong casting and history. The play opened in New York just before McPherson died of AIDS. Now I am 31 and my lover has AIDS, he wrote in the original program for the play. Our friends have AIDS. An
Trial Delayed for AIDS-Infected Suspect: United Press International (12/17/96); An HIV-positive woman charged with attempted murder in the rape of an 11-year-old boy has been found incompetent to stand trial and is being sent to a Florida mental hospital for treatment. Mental health professionals said that Renee Jacobs may be ready for trial in three to six months. The psychiatrists suggested t
Shalala Announces Ryan White Awards for HIV-Infected Individuals: Reuters (12/17/96); Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala announced on Friday that $227.7 million has been awarded to 49 selected cities for the care of HIV-infected patients. Under the Ryan White CARE Act, the cities will receive the funds in fiscal year 1997. Funding for the act has increased 159 percent s
Australia Targets Aborigines in Latest AIDS Fight: Reuters (12/18/96); Pullin, Richard; Australia s indigenous population and gay men will be the focus of the country s anti-AIDS strategy for the next three years, health officials said Wednesday. The vast majority of HIV infections in Australia remain among homosexually active men, although there is the potential for an emerging epidemic among aborigin
Man Who Stole HIV Files to Resign: Miami Herald (12/17/96) P. 5B; William Calvert, the Florida public health worker fired for using a government database to screen his dates for HIV, will be able to resign under an agreement reached with the state on Monday. Calvert will resign on Dec. 31 and will receive his full salary until that date. The controversy surrounding the man is base
American Home Sets $1.25 Billion Deal: Wall Street Journal (12/18/96) P. A3; Langreth, Robert; Hirsch, James S.; American Home Products has announced that it will exercise an option to purchase the 40 percent stake it does not already own of Genetics Institute for $1.25 billion. The drug maker is paying a premium of $85 a share for the smaller biotechnology firm, but it will, in turn, benefit from Genetic Institute s promising
U.S. Forces New Drug Giant to Share Genetic Research: Wall Street Journal (12/18/96) P. B4; Wilke, John R.; In an attempt to keep the new drug giant Novartis from dominating gene therapy research, the Federal Trade Commission has mandated that the merging companies Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz share research developments with rivals. Although gene therapy holds the potential to improve treat
Clinton Offers Six AIDS Goals, Topped by Cure: New York Times (12/18/96) P. A22; President Clinton announced a new national AIDS strategy on Tuesday, outlining six goals that include a cure, a vaccine, and guaranteed care for AIDS patients. Notably missing from the plan is a call to end the ban on federal spending for needle-exchange programs, which, according to ACT UP s Wayne Turner, has hinder
No Stones Unturned in Major Push to Develop Microbicides: AIDS Alert (12/96) Vol. 11, No. 12, P. 133; The U.S. government has pledged to spend $100 million over the next four years on the development of anti-HIV microbicides, which will give women more options to protect themselves from the virus that causes AIDS. The female condom is the only such product now available, and, while new alternatives are in the researc
Randomized Trial of MNrgp120 HIV-1 Vaccine in Symptomless HIV- 1 Infection: Lancet (12/07/96) Vol. 348, No. 9041, P. 1547; Eron, Joseph J., Jr.; Ashby, Mark A.; Giordano, Michael F.; et al.; Disease progression varies among HIV-infected patients, possibly because of differences in immune response. Previous research has suggested that a vaccine based on the recombinant envelope glycoprotein 120 (rgp 120) may have the potential to elicit antibodies capable of neutralizing HIV-1. Dr. Joseph J. Eron, Jr., o
Earth Week: Deep-Sea Cures: Houston Chronicle (12/16/96) P. 7C; Researchers in search of new drug candidates to treat AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer s, and other disorders have begun exploring the oceans near the Bahamas . Using a high-tech submersible from Florida s Harbor Beach Oceanographic Institute, the scientists are collecting algae and other
Beyond the Birds and Bees: New York Times (12/17/96) P. C21; O'Connor, John J.; `Sex and Other Matters of Life and Death, a documentary to be aired tonight on PBS, traces a year in the life of a group of teen-age actors who visit schools and community groups to provide sex education in the form of drama. The program, called Star Theater, was founded by Dr. Cydelle Berlin and is part of the Adol
Dave and Faye Chitty: St. Louis Post-Dispatch--St. Charles Post (12/16/96) P. 1SC; Fenning, Esther Talbot; Faye and Dave Chitty, of St. Charles, Miss., cared for Faye s brother Mike Sohn for the last three months of his life before he died of AIDS. Moved by his brother-in-law s illness and death, Dave Chitty has since become certified as a massage therapist and has so far provided free therapy to four AIDS patients. The
Across the USA: Florida: USA Today (12/17/96) P. 10A; William Calvert, the public health worker in Florida who admitted using a government database of HIV-infected people for the purpose of screening his dates, will be allowed to resign. Calvert was fired in October, but appealed his firing. Health officials note, however, that the appeal process would have been expensiv
AIDS Fears Prompt 'Sex Strike' in Brazil: Washington Times (12/17/96) P. A14; The women of Palestina, a small town in Brazil , have begun a sex strike to combat the spread of HIV. The women promised to stop having sex with their husbands and boyfriends until their partners take an HIV test. The movement was sparked after a 30-year-old man with HIV was fou
President's AIDS 'Strategy' Offers Call to Arms, Few New Weapons: Washington Post (12/17/96) P. A4; Weiss, Rick; The first national strategy against AIDS will be released by President Clinton today, calling for continued research funding and better cooperation among anti-AIDS programs. Detractors say the plan is only a restating of old ideas, and lacks dramatic proposals for change. The report does not address the controversial
Gays' Cases Help to Explain Immigration Rights: Washington Post (12/17/96) P. A1; Branigin, William; The expansion of asylum conditions to include homosexuality and HIV infection as grounds for approval has spurred controversy and debate. Since 1994, more than 60 foreigners have been given asylum based on persecution because of their homosexuality and at least two heterosexuals have also been granted asylum based on
Dr. Ho's Next Step in AIDS Research Is a Remarkable Gamble: Wall Street Journal (12/17/96) P. A1; Waldholz, Michael; As part of a study to determine whether the new AIDS drugs can rid the body of HIV, 21 subjects in a study led by Dr. David Ho are being asked to stop taking the drugs that have helped them fight off disease. Critics say the move is an attempt by Ho to generate publicity for himself and the Aaron Diamond AIDS Resear
Mending Fences: Selling AIDS Drugs to the Gay Community: American Demographics (12/96) Vol. 18, No. 12, P. 43; Kahan, Hazel; Mulryan, Dave; As the market for AIDS drugs expands, pharmaceutical companies have had to modify their marketing methods to compete successfully. Patients may prefer alternative therapies, for example, or may be disenchanted with the medical establishment and not interested in new drug therapies. The gay male population is a natur
Spain's Unwelcome Distinction: Lancet (12/07/96) Vol. 348, No. 9041, P. 1578; Spain now has a higher AIDS rate than any other European country, with 180 cases per 1 million people. Following Spain are Italy , with 101 per million; France , with 89 per million; and
Survey: More Young Filipinos Have Sex: United Press International (12/15/96); More teenage Filipinos are experimenting with sex before marriage, a survey of about 11,00 young adults revealed. One in five Filipinos between the ages of 15 and 24 engages in pre -marital sex, according to the survey. Officials warned that the trend could result in new record levels of unwanted pregnancies, aborti
HHS Secretary Awards $3.35 Million in Ryan White [CARE Act Awards]: U.S. Newswire (12/13/96); Nine projects designed to study programs for HIV-infected and at-risk adolescents received $3.5 million in Ryan White CARE Act awards, Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala announced Friday. The projects, spanning six states, provide services including medical care, outreach services, case management,
Laos Faces Possible AIDS Epidemic: United Press International (12/16/96); A potential AIDS epidemic is feared in Laos , where foreign workers are being hired to work on dams, roads, and other infrastructure projects. The infiltration of workers from Thailand ,
White House Will Announce a National AIDS Strategy: Reuters (12/15/96); Shalal-Esa, Andrea; The White House s first national AIDS strategy, to be announced this week, will include goals aimed at developing an AIDS vaccine, preventing new infections, ensuring health care for infected patients, fighting AIDS discrimination, providing international support for AIDS programs, and applying new research findings.
Red Cross Defends Actions to Tainted-Blood Inquiry: Toronto Globe and Mail (12/12/96) P. A10; Grange, Michael; In its final submission to the federal inquiry into Canada s tainted blood tragedy, the Canadian Red Cross Society gave its perspective on how 3,000 people came to receive tainted blood. Earl Cherniak, who represented the agency, said that mistakes were made and much can be learned from the tragedy--but to try to pin
Baboon-Cell Transplant Failed, But AIDS Patient Is Improved: New York Times (12/16/96) P. A12; Altman, Lawrence K.; Despite the failure of last year s baboon bone marrow transplant, AIDS patient Jeff Getty has gained weight and strength and remained free of serious infections. Along with the experimental procedure, Getty received several other therapies, and doctors have not been able to determine which were responsible for his im
Lessons From Africa in AIDS Prevention: Washington Post (12/16/96) P. A4; Okie, Susan; The success of HIV prevention campaigns in several African countries could be duplicated in the United States , some public health workers say. The transmission of HIV has been reduced in those areas by increasing efforts to prevent and treat other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs),
T Cell Telomere Length in HIV-1 Infection: No Evidence for Increased CD4 T Cell Turnover: Science (11/29/96) Vol. 274, No. 5292, P. 1543; Wolthers, Katja C.; Wisman, G. Bea A.; Otto, Sigrid A.; et al.; HIV-1 infection results in the progressive loss of CD4 T cells, a gradual increase in CD8 T cells, and a decline in immune function. CD4 T-cell count starts to drops at an accelerated rate about one-and-a-half years to two years before the onset of AIDS. One theory holds that the rapid CD4 T cell turnover caused by
Spread of HIV Gains Pace: Nature (12/05/96) Vol. 384, No. 6608, P. 399; The rate of HIV infection is increasing in Africa and Asia, and the virus is appearing in Central and Eastern Europe for the first time, the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS reported. The agency said that sub-Saharan Africa is the hardest-hit area, with more than one in 20 people infected.
Cora Masters Barry's 'Gal'a For Women: Washington Times--Metropolitan Times (12/13/96) P. C14; Marshall, Toni; Cora Masters Barry, wife of Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion Barry, hosted a luncheon Thursday for nearly 100 women, including ambassadors wives and other prominent women in the city. The hostess said she held the event for the professional women involved with issues concerning your countries and dealing with struggle
The Reliable Source: Now You Know...: Washington Post (12/13/96) P. C3; Gerhart, Ann; Groer, Annie; For her 65th birthday celebration on Feb. 16, Liz Taylor will host a Hollywood benefit to raise $1 million for her AIDS foundation. Whoopi Goldberg, Liza Minnelli, Carol Burnett, and Michael Jackson will make appearances.
Medical Marijuana Reply Due Soon: USA Today (12/13/96) P. 3A; Nichols, Bill; President Clinton will receive recommendations by Christmas on how to handle new state laws that allow the use of marijuana for medical reasons, administration officials said Thursday. White House Drug chief Gen. Barry McCaffrey and other anti- drug policy officials met with Clinton Thursday, and encouraged him to spe
Blood Is 'Filthy,' Inquiry Told: Toronto Globe and Mail (12/11/96) P. A12; Grange, Michael; To prevent further tragedies involving the use of tainted blood, Canada s blood system should look to self-donations and directed donations, a lawyer for relatives of people who received HIV-tainted blood told the inquiry into Canada s blood system. Making her final statements to the inquiry on Tuesday, Dawna Ring sai
What Do We Want?--What Kind of Impact Do You Feel These Social Movements Have Had on Today's Values?: Wall Street Journal--American Opinion (12/13/96) P. R4; Kirkpatrick, David; A Wall Street Journal poll of 2,003 Americans on values and morals found that the country s social movements over the past 30 years have improved society. Americans agreed, by margins of four to one, that the civil-rights movement, the environmental movement, the AIDS-awareness movement, the religious or family-value
FDA Panel Recommends Hemophilia-Drug Approval: Wall Street Journal (12/13/96) P. B4; An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration recommended for approval a treatment for hemophilia B developed by Genetics Institute. The panel also suggested that safety studies continue while the drug, called BeneFix, is marketed. Genetics Institute noted that the drug would be the first of its kind not der
Nobel Laureate to Head Panel Pushing for AIDS Vaccine: New York Times (12/13/96) P. B15; Leary, Warren E.; Nobel Laureate microbiologist David Baltimore will head the government s AIDS vaccine research effort, the National Institutes of Health announced Thursday. Baltimore will chair a committee to search for new vaccine approaches and revitalize the decade-long project. The appointment of a vaccine research leader was c
Study of Anti-AIDS 'Needle-Exchange' Programs Is Ethical, NIH Panel Concludes: Washington Post (12/13/96) P. A3; Schwartz, John; A controversial study designed to determine the benefit of needle-exchange programs is not unethical, an expert panel told the director of the National Institutes of Health on Thursday. The $2.4 million study, proposed by Dennis Fisher of the University of Alaska, calls for the random assignment of two groups of drug
Characteristics of Foreign-Born Hispanic Patients With Tuberculosis--Eight U.S. Counties Bordering Mexico, 1995: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (11/29/96) Vol. 45, No. 47, P. 1032; Moser, K.S.; Ocana, M.; Mohle-Boetani, J.; et al.; The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the United States increased 61 percent from 1986 to 1995, in part because of the immigration of people from areas where the TB is prevalent. In 1995, 22 percent of all foreign-born TB patients in the United States were born in
HIV's Other Immune-System Targets: Macrophages: Science (11/29/96) Vol. 274, No. 5292, P. 1464; Balter, Michael; Although T lymphocytes have been the most-studied target of HIV, the virus also infects macrophages and dendritic cells, which are also critical in the immune system. Recently, at the Third International Workshop on HIV and Cells of Macrophage Lineage, researchers reported that macrophages may be an important site of
STD Prevention Education Campaign Launched by CDC: Reuters (12/11/96); A conference on sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention education, sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Social Health Association, is being held this week in Tampa, Fla. CDC Director David Satcher emphasized the need for increased efforts from the private sector to comple
New Findings on How HIV Works: United Press International (12/11/96); Wasowicz, Lidia; Government researchers reported Wednesday on how certain factors influence the progression of AIDS, creating new possibilities for treatment. Scientists at the National Institute of Allergy an Infectious Diseases said the findings, published in the journal Nature, suggest new approaches to HIV treatment. Various fac
Are Gays to Be Held to Double Standard?: Wall Street Journal (12/12/96) P. A13; Turner, Richard; In a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal, Richard Turner responds to letters by others questioning the lack of fidelity in gay relationships. Writers had cited a story by David Sanford about his survival of AIDS, criticizing him for a casual sexual encounter. Turner notes that infidelity is common in het
Banned in Boston: Guaranteed to Help Make a Show a Hit: New York Times (12/12/96) P. C15; Diesenhouse, Susan; Among the works banned from a Boston charity auction show to benefit the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts was a photograph by Herbert Ritts. The photograph, that of a naked male torso, was removed with works by nine other artists because they reportedly offended the building s owner and manager, the Chiofaro Co
Biotech Firm Wants to Test Vaccine for Papillomavirus: Wall Street Journal (12/12/96) P. B4; MedImmune has asked for FDA permission to initiate the first clinical trials in humans of a preventative vaccine against human papillomavirus. The tests will start in January, if approved. The biotechnology firm appears to have moved ahead of Merck & C
Baboon Cells Failed, But AIDS at Bay: USA Today (12/12/96) P. 4D; Jeff Getty, the AIDS patient who received a transplant of baboon bone marrow nearly one year ago, reports he is having the best year I ve had in about five years. Although the baboon cells did not take hold in his bone marrow, Getty says his improved health is probably due to the radiation phase of the treatment an
Hype and Hypocrisy on Animal Rights: Wall Street Journal (12/12/96) P. A12; DeBakey, Michael E.; Animal rights groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which opposes the use of animals for biomedical research, are responsible for delaying medical progress, claims Michael E. DeBakey, chairman of the Foundation for Biomedical Research in a commentary in the Wall Street Journal. The author claims th
AIDS Vaccine Research Leader: Washington Post (12/12/96) P. A19; Nobel Prize-winner David Baltimore has been selected to lead the AIDS vaccine research effort at the National Institute of Health. His appointment is expected to be announced today. Out of the 15 potential vaccines being tested, none are promising enough to merit efficacy trials, and pharmaceutical companies seem to l
The New AIDS Underclass: New York (12/09/96) Vol. 29, No. 48, P. 32; France, David; While the new protease inhibitors have been heralded as near miracle cures for AIDS, the patients who do not respond to the drugs face disappointment and a sense of failure. AIDS experts estimate that between 10 percent and 30 percent of people with HIV do not resp
Sisters at Greater Risk: Essence (12/96) Vol. 27, No. 8, P. 66; Kashef, Ziba; AIDS was the leading cause of death among African-American women in 1993, and the number of AIDS cases in this population increased 65 percent in the two years that followed. The rate of HIV transmission to children has slowed, meanwhile, and treatment advances have been promising. However, the high cost of care is
Howard Professor to Lead D.C. Health Panel: Washington Times (12/11/96) P. B7; Goldreich, Samuel; Howard University professor Bailus Walker was chosen to take over as chairman of Washington, D.C. s Heath Policy Council. He will oversee the city s conversion of Medicaid to a managed -care system, the reorganization of the D.C. General Hospital, and the city s public health clinics. A new D.C. Council committee wil
Baltimorean Says He Found Condom in Food: Washington Times--Metropolitan Times (12/11/96) P. C7; Fear of AIDS prompted Lawrence McNill to call a nurse s hotline on Monday after finding an unwrapped condom in the bottom of a box of Chinese food. The Baltimore, Md., resident was told the food could not have been tainted because the heat and oil used to cook the food would have likely killed any germs. McNill, who
'ER' Takes Pains to Realistically Show HIV's Impact: USA Today (12/11/96) P. 4D; Painter, Kim; Unlike previous television characters, ER s Jeanie Boulet, played by Gloria Reuben, will continue her job and her life despite her HIV infection. Advocates of AIDS patients applaud the development. What they re doing has been very true to the experience of HIV-positive healthcare workers, says Ben Schatz, executiv
Hemophilia Group's Submission Flays Ottawa, Red Cross: Toronto Globe and Mail (12/10/96) P. A3; McIlroy, Anne; The Canadian Hemophilia Society charged Monday that both the federal government and the Canadian Red Cross had more than a year s warning to protect the country s blood supply but failed to take proper precautions. In the group s final submission to the Krever inquiry into the tainting of Canada s blood system, it sa
Personal Health: Sex Education Made Easier for Parent and Teen -Ager: New York Times (12/11/96) P. C13; Brody, Jane E.; Parents of teen-agers should use events in daily life, like news reports and television programs, as opportunities to talk with their children about sex, notes New York Times writer Jane E. Brody. Besides the risk of pregnancy, teen-agers are at risk for sexually transmitted diseases, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, h
Doctors Battle Over Who Treats Chronically Ill: Wall Street Journal (12/11/96) P. B1; Jeffrey, Nancy Ann; The rise in managed care has spurred a debate between primary- care doctors and specialists over who should provide routine care to people with chronic illnesses. Visits to specialists for routine care must often be approved by a primary-care doctor, but these doctors may have a financial incentive to limit such visi
AIDS Protest Leads to Arrests: Philadelphia Inquirer (12/11/96) P. B2; Collins, Huntly; Thirteen Philadelphia-area AIDS activists were arrested Tuesday at a demonstration against HealthChoices, a state plan that will require Medicaid recipients to join HMO s. Several hundred demonstrators called on the federal Heath Care Financing Administration (HCFA) to delay the state plan until it can guarantee qual
Someone Must Speak for Suffering Children: Wall Street Journal (12/11/96) P. A23; Gottlieb, Michael S.; In a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal, Dr. Michael Gottlieb, an AIDS physician, criticizes the Food and Drug Administration, drug companies, and AIDS activists for not responding to the need for AIDS drugs for children. He claims the FDA should urge drug companies to d
Checkmating Parasites: Economist (11/30/96) Vol. 341, No. 7994, P. 83; One theory to explain the evolutionary benefit of sexual reproduction suggests that the frequent exchange of genes helps sexual organisms resist parasitic infections. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have published a study which lends support to this theory and may influence the fight against infectious dise
Targeting a Deadly Scrap of Genetic Code: Newsweek (12/02/96) Vol. 128, No. 23, P. 68; Cowley, Geoffrey; New combinations of AIDS drug have benefitted many people this year, but the drugs are not effective for everyone and no one knows how long they will work. HIV damages the immune system by entering a white blood cell, combining its gene into the host cell s chromosomes, and replicating. A number of drugs have been d
Suicide and HIV Infection: Journal of the American Medical Association (12/04/96) Vol. 276, No. 21, P. 1743; Dannenberg, Andrew L.; McNeil, John G.; Brundage, John F.; et al.; While the onset of AIDS is known to be a significant risk factor for suicide, little is known about the impact of a positive HIV test on suicide risk. Knowing this level of risk could influence the counseling of individuals before and after they are tested for the virus. Dr. Andrew L. Dannenberg, of the Centers for
Don't Ask, Don't Treat: Time (12/09/96) Vol. 148, No. 26, P. 20; Waller, Douglas; A 10-year-old AIDS research program, in which HIV-positive soldiers volunteered to participate in drug company tests, is quietly being cut by the Pentagon. Military officials deny that they are discontinuing the program, but records show that much of the $15 million allocated to the program next year will be diverted
HIV Predominantly Infects CD45RO Cells in Neonates and Infants: Reuters (12/09/96); HIV therapy for children and neonates should target the CD45RO T cell population, researchers at the University of Florida report. John W. Sleasman and colleagues found that the number of HIV-infected cells was 10 times to 100 times higher among CD45R0 cell populations, compared to CD45RA cell populations. The finding
Foscarnet Reduces Plasma Levels of Cytomegalovirus and HIV-1: Reuters (12/09/96); Foscarnet was found to reduce the amount of cytomegalovirus and HIV-1 in the blood of patients who had previously been treated with antiretroviral drugs, researchers at the University of Minnesota say. Dr. Henry H. Balfour, Jr. and colleagues found a significant relationship betwe
Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe's AIDS Victims Hide Under [Fear of Discrimination]: Africa Information Afrique (12/09/96); Discrimination and mistreatment force many HIV-positive women in Africa to keep their infection secret. The International Center for Research on Women has found that, while African women understand heterosexual HIV transmission and have access to condoms, they lack control of their husbands sexual behavior. Moreover
AIDS Estimates in Eastern Europe Show Wide Disparity: Reuters (12/09/96); Large differences exist in the number of reported HIV infections in Eastern European countries. For example, while Poland s Epidemiology Department of the State Hygiene Institute reported 4,215 HIV infections, the country s health minister said there have been 450 AIDS cases and 263 deaths due to AIDS. The Polish He
Drew Barrymore Launches Female Health Foundation--Global Initiative to Educate Women About Contraception: HealthWire (12/09/96); Actress Drew Barrymore, along with public health advocates and the makers of the female condom, announced on Monday the launch of the Female Health Foundation. The nonprofit organization will be the first to be solely dedicated to heightening awareness of women s health issues, and will focus specifically on contrace
Mercy for Inmates With AIDS: Washington Post (12/08/96) P. C8; McDonough, Howard J.; HIV-positive inmates in Washington, D.C. s Department of Corrections system do not receive adequate care, and should be released if proper treatment cannot be provided, asserts Howard J. McDonough, founder of the Washington AIDS Ministry, in the Washington Post. McDonough, who served for three years as a minister to
Tuberculosis: Victorian Values?: Economist (11/30/96) Vol. 341, No. 7994, P. 58; Although tuberculosis (TB) was believed to have been eradicated in Britain 10 years ago, it has resurged to around 6,000 new cases a year. The Health Visitors Association, a British organization of nurses and health visitors, blames the resurgence on a return to Victorian social conditions. Members of the group say
Hardly Immune to Biz Pressures: Crain's Chicago Business (11/25/96) Vol. 19, No. 48, P. 1; Oloroso, Arsenio Jr.; A merger between two Chicago non-profit AIDS organizations to form the city s largest AIDS agency is likely to be followed by similar pairings. The Howard Brown Health Center, one of some 250 non-profit AIDS service organizations in the area, is merging with Stop AIDS Chicago to form a new group with assets totaling
AIDS in Jamaica Hits Women, Children: American Medical News (12/02/96) Vol. 39, No. 45, P. 13; The number of AIDS cases in Jamaica is rising, and the disease is increasingly affecting women and children, the country s health ministry reported. During the first nine months of 1996, 300 new AIDS cases were reported--twice as many as were reported during the same period in 19
200,000 Die of AIDS in Malawi in Decade: Xinhua News Agency (12/08/96); AIDS has claimed 200,000 lives in Malawi since the first case was reported in 1985, the Sunday Times of Zambia reported. According to the Malawian National AIDS Control Program, about 1 million of the country s 11 million people are HIV-positive
Reported Number of HIV Carriers in Mideast Doubles Over Past Two Years: Xinhua News Agency (12/09/96); The number of people in the Middle East with HIV has doubled in the past two years to 12,000, officials reported at a regional AIDS conference. The conference, sponsored by the Jerusalem AIDS Project, brought together more than 40 Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian health professionals and educators. Participants co
A Caution on AIDS Drugs: Washington Post (12/08/96) P. C6; Continued vigilance in the fight against AIDS is needed, despite optimistic news about drug treatment, according to the editors of the Washington Post. Although protease inhibitors have helped many people with AIDS regain their health and strength, the writers caut
Asylum Law Is Used in New Applications: Washington Times (12/09/96) P. A6; People seeking asylum in the United States are increasingly being accepted on the grounds that they would face persecution in their native countries due to cultural or medical conflicts. Since 1994, when homosexuality was first considered a condition for asylum in the United States, mo
Health Journal: You Can Take Steps to Close the Leaks in Your Medical Files: Wall Street Journal (12/09/96) P. B1; Chase, Marilyn; Breaches in the privacy of medical information can have a range of effects, from embarrassment to prejudice. No federal law currently protects the privacy of medical records, but the Health Insurance Accountability Act of 1996 calls for Congress to address this need. Medical information is usually used by insurance
Southern African Nations Pledge New Drive to Fight AIDS": Reuters (12/06/96); A coalition of South African countries resolved on Friday to renew the fight against AIDS. The Southern Africa Development Community said it would focus on anti-discriminatory labor laws, access to inexpensive drugs, and a better flow of information. States in the region have some of the highest HIV infection rates in
HIV and Cigarettes: AIDS Clinical Care (11/96) Vol. 8, No. 11, P. 94; HIV-positive individuals who smoke are more likely to develop certain medical conditions, but may be protected from the development of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), new research has found. The study, published in the journal AIDS, assessed the incidence of AIDS-defining opportunistic infections and other spec
Physicians Living With HIV/AIDS: Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (11/96) Vol. 2, No. 11, P. 20; Shernoff, Michael; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidelines in 1991 recommending that HIV-infected doctors disclose their status to patients before performing exposure- prone procedures. The guidelines came largely in response to outcry following the much publicized case of Dr. David Acer, the Florida dentis
More Bad News on AIDS Vaccine Attempts: Reuters (12/06/96); The latest attempt to develop a vaccine against HIV has failed, researchers say. Joseph Eron and colleagues at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill tested their vaccine, called MNrgp120, in volunteers who were infected with HIV but had no symptoms. However, after 15 months, the researchers stopped the tri
Inside the Beltway: Marriages That Work: Washington Times (12/06/96) P. A7; McCaslin, John; AIDS activists in Washington, D.C. applauded the recent Hawaiian court decision to support homosexual marriage. ACT UP s Steve Michael compared his homosexual partnership with Wayne Turner to the Clintons marriage. Bill Clinton shouldn t be denigrating loving, committed gay relationships, he said. He should be
Parents Seek Faster Action in Getting New AIDS Drugs to Children: Houston Chronicle (12/05/96) P. 3A; Neergaard, Lauran; Because the new AIDS drugs known as protease inhibitors are not approved for use in children, physicians and parents are struggling to determine safe doses for children on their own. Drug companies note that earlier attempts at pediatric studies were stymied and tha
Lessons on AIDS Hit Home: Washington Post (12/06/96) P. C3; Frazier, Lisa; Students at Maryland s Forestville High School learned about HIV and AIDS this week through classroom experiments that simulated the spread of HIV with cups of water and a hidden formula. The students, who were each given a cup of water, were instructed to mix bodily fluids, represented by drops of water. The viru
A Federal Role Urged in the Fight on AIDS: Boston Globe (12/05/96) P. A3; Leading pharmaceutical company researchers agree that government leadership is critical to advancing the development of an AIDS vaccine, the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition reported. The group found that investors and managers are reluctant to pursue an AIDS vaccine due to the scientific uncertainty and long developme
D.C. Vote Sought on the Medical Use of Marijuana: Washington Post (12/06/96) P. C8; A proposal was filed by AIDS activists in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to put a measure on the city s next ballot to legalize the medical use of marijuana. The proposal is based on a similar measure approved by California voters, members of the group ACT UP said. ACT UP spokesman Steve Michael said the group was co
Across the USA: Missouri: USA Today (12/06/96) P. 11A; The 89 people who signed up to participate in Missouri s lottery to provide protease inhibitors to poor AIDS patients will all receive the treatment because there is enough money to treat 132 people. The Health Department will still have to hold a lottery, however,
Digest: NationsBank: Washington Post (12/06/96) P. B12; An HIV discrimination case brought by a former NationsBank employee in Maryland will go to trial, an appeals court ruled this week. A lower court had ruled in favor of the bank in the case of William Runnebaum, who is HIV-positive and was fired from his job in Baltimore. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reverse
HIV Risk Behaviors and Obstacles to Condom Use Among Puerto Rican Men in New York City Who Have Sex With Men: American Journal of Public Health (11/96) Vol. 86, No. 11, P. 1619; Carballo-Dieguez, Alex; Dolezal, Curtis; Little research has been conducted to determine what barriers to condom use exist for minority men, especially Latino men, who have sex with other men. To explore this area further, Alex Carballo-Dieguez and Curtis Dolezal of Columbia University interviewed 182 Puerto Rican men living in New York City who are homosex
The Role of a Mutant CCR5 Allele in HIV-1 Transmission and Disease Progression: Nature Medicine (11/96) Vol. 2, No. 11, P. 1240; Huang, Yaoxing; Paxton, William A.; Wolinksy, Steven M.; et al.; To infect CD4 cells, most sexually transmitted strains of HIV- 1 require the Beta-chemokine receptor 5 (CCR-5) to act as a co -receptor. It has been shown that individuals with a homozygous defect in the CCR-5 gene are virtually resistant to HIV-1 infection despite repeated exposures. Further study has also suggested
New Approaches Reduce Perinatal Transmission: AIDS Alert (11/96) Vol. 11, No. 11, P. 127; To further reduce the rate of perinatal HIV transmission, researchers are testing new treatment methods, including more rapid delivery, shorter courses of zidovudine ( AZT ), and the combination of AZT and other drugs. Since 1994, when AZT was found to reduc
Science & Health Bulletin: Kenya Says [AIDS Rate Is Declining]: PANA Wire Service (12/04/96); Masebu, Peter; Health officials in Kenya have announced that the government s AIDS campaign has effectively slowed the spread of the disease in some parts of the country. Joshua Angatia, Kenya s health minister, reported that about 200,000 people had died from AIDS since 1994 and that an estimate
Sudan--Health: Religious Leaders Oppose AIDS [Education]: IPS Wire (12/04/96); AIDS awareness programs in Sudan have been halted by conservative religious leaders, frustrating efforts by health officials to fight the epidemic. Dr. Tajani Abdalla, head of Sudan s National Laboratory, said AIDS programs have failed and will continue to fail, not because of fun
Science & Health Bulletin: Zimbabwe--Condoms: PANA Wire Service (12/04/96); Female condoms will become available in Zimbabwe in April or May of 1997, AIDS policy officials report. The British Overseas Development Administration and the U.S. Agency for International Development will help to provide the condom at a subsidized price. The sale of the femal
HIV Donors' Names Ordered Released: Toronto Globe and Mail (12/03/96) P. A8; Downey, Donn; Despite objections by the Canadian AIDS Society, the Ontario Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the names of 13 HIV- positive men who donated blood in 1984 and 1985 should be disclosed. The judge held that the greater public interest was served by the disclosure. Although the ruling called for the release of the nam
Medicinal Marijuana Brings Legal Headache: Washington Post (12/05/96) P. A1; Claiborne, William; Suro, Roberto; New laws in California and Arizona that allow the medical use of marijuana are creating conflicts for drug officials, who have been meeting in Washington this week to determine how to enforce the measures. Advocates of the new laws are concerned that the measures could lose public support as some activists call for l
Across the USA: Florida: USA Today (12/05/96) P. 11A; Florida officials reports that the names of state residents who test positive for HIV will not be collected for at least six months, due to concerns about confidentiality.
SyStemix Therapy for HIV Is Cleared for Tests in Humans: Wall Street Journal (12/05/96) P. B6; SyStemix s gene therapy to treat HIV infection has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for human clinical trials, the company announced. The therapy involves removing a patient s stem cells, treating them with a gene engineered to resist HIV, and reinjecting the cells with the hope that they will
Bad Blood?: New York (11/25/96) Vol. 29, No. 46, P. 28; Finkelstein, Katherine Eban; The New York Blood Center, a non-profit organization that supplies 80 percent of the blood to New York City hospitals and tests samples for other blood centers nationwide, is under investigation for failing to follow government safety guidelines. New York Magazine found evidence that, in order to compete with other bl
Maternal Viral Load, Zidovudine Treatment, and the Risk of Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 From Mother to Infant: New England Journal of Medicine (11/28/96) Vol. 335, No. 22, P. 1621; Sperling, Rhoda S.; Shapiro, David E.; Coombs, Robert W.; Sperling, Rhoda S.; While study results have demonstrated that zidovudine therapy significantly reduces the risk of HIV-1 transmission from mother to child, the mechanism of this treatment is not known. Researchers for the AIDS Clinical Trials Group Protocol 076 Study Group, led by Dr. Rhoda Sperling of Mount Sinai medical school, analyz
AIDS Experts Stress Basic Research: United Press International (12/03/96); Basic scientific research is needed in the fight against AIDS and should continue to receive federal funding, AIDS experts told President Clinton Tuesday. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Canter for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he told Clinton that basic research played a major role in two of the
HIV Positive Not Linked to Suicides: United Press International (12/03/96); People who test positive for HIV are not significantly more likely to commit suicide upon hearing the news, researchers reported Tuesday. While previous studies have found that the onset of AIDS sharply increases suicide risk, testing positive for HIV does not have the same impact. The study, published in the Journa
Money Crisis Sinks Betak Home for AIDS Patients: Philadelphia Inquirer (12/04/96) P. B2; Collins, Huntly; Betak, the only nursing home in Philadelphia for AIDS patients, will be closed after the remaining 20 patients are moved, city officials and Mercy Health announced Tuesday. Financial problems have repeatedly burdened the facility since it opened four years ago, and Mercy said that the lack of state funding for the hom
S. Florida Events to Benefit AIDS Victims: Miami Herald (12/03/96) P. 2B; Chey, Elizabeth; Two AIDS benefits in Miami on Wednesday will help to raise money for local AIDS patients. The Food for Life Network, which supports Meals-on-Wheels, a food bank, nutritional counseling, and special holiday dinners, will hold a progressive dinner, Walk on the Avenue, in Miami Beach. In addition, the United Foundati
Criticism of Marijuana Initiatives Mean, Late: USA Today (12/04/96) P. 14A; Barrie, Jeff T.; Harris, Scott; White House drug chief Barry McCaffrey s criticism of the supporters of medical marijuana campaigns was too late and mean, contends Jeff T. Barrie in a letter to the editor of USA Today. He says that the opposition should have been presented during the campaign, and suggests that McCaffrey expected the media to offer
California Issues Marijuana Guidelines: Washington Times (12/04/96) P. A8; In an effort to enforce California s new medical marijuana law, State Attorney General Dan Lungren issued guidelines for the drug on Tuesday. Lungren noted that it is still unclear how federal officials will treat doctors or others who could be prosecuted because the state law conflicts with federal law.
Devious Efforts to Legalize Drugs: Washington Post (12/04/96) P. A25; Califano Jr., Joseph A.; In a commentary in the Washington Post, Joseph A. Califano Jr., president of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, criticizes the campaigns in Arizona and California to legalize the medical use of certain drugs. Califano contends that the Arizona effort falsely led voters to beli
Leader of Black Gay Forum Favorite to be AIDS Czar: Washington Times (12/04/96) P. A1; Bedard, Paul; Phill Wilson, co-founder of Los Angeles National Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum, is the leading candidate for the vacant position of AIDS czar, according to White House officials and AIDS activists. Wilson, who has AIDS, is the choice of many AIDS activists who say the appointment would show President Clinto
Generation of CD4 and CD8 T-Cell Clones From PBLs of HIV-1 Infected Subjects Using Herpesvirus Saimiri: Nature Medicine (11/96) Vol. 2, No. 11, P. 1272; Saha, Kunal; Sova, Pavel; Chao, Wei; et al.; In vitro studies of HIV have revealed widespread differences in the virus ability to infect peripheral blood cells, probably a factor of individuals differences in CD4 T cells, genetic backgrounds, and virus biology. Although these differences would be best studied at the single-cell level, T cells have a short lif
Characteristics of Women 50 Years of Age or Older With Heterosexually Acquired AIDS: American Journal of Public Health (11/96) Vol. 86, No. 11, P. 1616; Schable, Barbara; Chu, Susan Y.; Diaz, Theresa; Of all the AIDS cases in women reported through December 1994, 9 percent were among women aged 50 and older, and most of these women contracted HIV through heterosexual contact. Little research has been done to determine the level of HIV risk behavior in older women. Barbara Schable and colleagues at the Centers for
Jessye Norman Enlists Churches in AIDS Fight: USA Today (12/03/96) P. 1D; Stearns, David Patrick; Opera star Jessye Norman is producing an AIDS benefit Wednesday night that will be attended by stars including Whoopi Goldberg and Elton John. It will be held at New York s Riverside Church, and will be broadcast next year at this time. The concert will benefit an organization called Balm in Gilead, which leads the
Senate Tackles State Propositions Allowing Use of Illegal Drugs: New York Times (12/03/96) P. A13; The enforcement of new laws allowing the medical use of marijuana in California and Arizona was considered Monday at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Committee chairman Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) and other senators, are seeking increased enforcement of federal antidrug laws. Federal law- enforcement officia
Book World: Science vs. Reality: Washington Post (12/03/96) P. E2; Seideman, Nancy; In his book Impure Science: AIDS, Activism, and the Politics of Knowledge, sociologist Steven Epstein uses the U.S. AIDS scene as an example of what happens when the leaders of a social movement become part of the establishment. Epstein describes the actions of activists, scientists, politicians, drug companies, an
Courage, Luck, and Message of Hope: Wall Street Journal (12/03/96) P. A23; Wagner, Russell R.; Lazarus, Sarah; Warren, Caleb; et al.; In a series of letters to the editor, readers of the Wall Street Journal respond to an article in which writer and editor David Sanford described his personal struggle with AIDS. Russell R. Wagner, of rural Iowa, empathizes with Sanford and other AIDS patients, and says the article helped him understand the challenge
Across the USA: Colorado, Alaska: USA Today (12/03/96) P. 10A; Colorado s El Paso County has reported decreasing rates of HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia since 1990. In Alaska, meanwhile, the number of women infected with HIV has increased 50 percent in the past year. The number of heterosexuals with the virus is 150 percent higher, and the HIV rate is rising in Hispani
Looking Past Fear of AIDS to See a Child: New York Times (12/03/96) P. B1; Gonzalez, David; When Wayne and Dianne traveled to New York City from rural Virginia to collect their newly adopted son, an infant born with HIV, they did not know whether he would remain HIV- positive. Three-fourths of babies born to HIV-positive mothers are not infected themselves, but test positive for HIV antibodies. The child wa
Still Needed: An AIDS Vaccine: Wall Street Journal (12/03/96) P. A22; Shepherd, H.R.; In a commentary in the Wall Street Journal, H.R. Shepherd, chairman of the Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Foundation, urges the development of vaccines to prevent, and eventually wipe out, HIV. Shepherd describes the medical costs associated with AIDS treatment, and says that vaccines are the most cost-effective medical tool
Seeking Reasons for Disease Genes: New York Times (12/03/96) P. C1; Kolata, Gina; With new information about how genes impact diseases like AIDS and cancer, researchers are seeking to understand why such genetic advantages exist. Some are searching for advantages brought by mutated genes while more skeptical scientists are asking if there is evidence for a selection effect. Dr. Stephen O Brien, a
HIV, AIDS Not Separate, Court Rules: American Medical News (11/18/96) Vol. 39, No. 43, P. 20; A federal trial court in Pennsylvania granted summary judgment to a blood products supplier and a hospital which were sued after a patient who had received an HIV-tainted blood product died from AIDS. The patient received a blood transfusion during a coronary bypass at the hospital in January of 1984. In January 1987
AIDS and HIV-1: Lancet (11/16/96) Vol. 348, No. 9038, P. 1370; The number of AIDS-related deaths in Australia was 13 percent lower in 1995 than in 1994, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Deaths due to AIDS accounted for 0.5 percent of total deaths. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom , the numb
Some Remember to Share the Bounty: Washington Post (11/29/96) P. D1; Spinner, Jackie; Among the Washington, D.C., organizations that provided Thanksgiving meals to the needy on Thursday was Food & Friends, a group that delivers meals to people with AIDS and HIV. About 200 volunteers helped cook and deliver some 1,200 turkey dinners. Executive director Craig M. Shniderman said, It s wonderful to see
Across the USA: D.C.: USA Today (11/29/96) P. 11A; Washington, D.C. s new human services procurement director, Wanda Mormon, does not approve of the needle exchange program proposed for the city. Wayne Casey, interim director of the department, says the program faces too many technical problems.
Rain Trims Crowd But Not AIDS Day Ire: Philadelphia Inquirer (12/02/96) P. B1; Yant, Monica; In Philadelphia, 125 people attended the rainy World AIDS Day rally at JFK Plaza on Sunday, compared with 500 in previous years. AIDS activist Julie Davids said that, due to promising new drugs, This year we re all supposed to be grateful or silent, but that it s no cure. The fifth annual Day Without Art, a cele
Chronicle: For Natasha Richardson, A Bigger Role in AIDS Fight: New York Times (12/02/96) P. B10; Brozan, Nadine; Natasha Richardson, who lost her father, director Tony Richardson, to AIDS in 1991, will co-host the World AIDS Day awards luncheon today at the United Nations General Assembly. Dr. Mathilde Krim, chairwoman of the American Foundation for AIDS Research, will also serve as co-host, and Elizabeth Taylor will speak. Ric
A Day to Remember Those With AIDS: USA Today (12/02/96) P. 8D; Manning, Anita; Painter, Kim; Sunday s World AIDS Day marked the first time the event was observed at the National AIDS Memorial Grove in San Francisco s Golden Gate Park since it became a national landmark in October. A founder and board member of the grove, Michael Boland, said the designation is significant because it shows a national commitme
Across the USA: Florida: USA Today (12/02/96) P. 11A; For the third year in a row, the number of infants born with HIV in Florida has decreased, health officials report. The number peaked at 316 in 1992, and was down to 232 in 1995. Officials note that fewer women with AIDS are having children.
AIDS-Prevention Groups to Shift Fund Targets: Wall Street Journal (12/02/96) P. B7; Sharpe, Anita; Due to increasing evidence that AIDS campaigns lack effectiveness, private foundations in the United States are planning to redistribute millions of dollars in HIV prevention funds to high-risk groups. Funders Concerned about AIDS, a group that works with some 1,800 U.S. foundations t
World AIDS Day Marked Widely: Washington Post (12/02/96) P. A18; World AIDS Day was observed around the world Sunday after a United Nations agency reported that the death rate from the disease is increasing. The Joint U.N. Program on HIV/AIDS said that almost 25 percent of the 6.4 million AIDS-related deaths so far occurred in the past year. The total number of people who now hav
Correction to November 22, 1996, MMWR and CDC AIDS Daily Summary: (11/27/96) CDC National AIDS Clearinghouse; The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and the AIDS Daily Summary dated Friday, November 22, 1996, inadvertently listed an incorrect telephone number for the CDC National AIDS Hotline. Please disregard that number. The correct telephone numbers for the National AIDS Hotline are (800) 342-2437, (800) 344-7432 (Span
Study: Depression Affects AIDS Survival: American Medical News (11/18/96) Vol. 39, No. 43, P. 24; A new study of HIV-positive gay and bisexual men suggests that chronic depression is linked to shorter survival. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco report that, out of 405 men, those who reported being depressed throughout the eight-year study period were two-thirds more likely to die than thos
Resistance to HIV-1 Infection Among Persistently Seronegative Prostitutes in Nairobi, Kenya: Lancet (11/16/96) Vol. 348, No. 9038, P. 1347; Fowke, Keith R.; Nagelkerke, Nico J.D.; Kimani, Joshua; et al.; Canadian and Kenyan researchers studied HIV-1 resistance among prostitutes in Nairobi, Kenya, to determine if some individuals in a highly exposed group would be resistant to HIV-1 infection. The authors found that, among 424 prostitutes who tested negative for HIV-1 in 1985, 239 seroconverted by 1994. Forty-three of
Ukraine Mulls HIV-Positive Prisons: United Press International (11/26/96); Coumarianos, Philippe; Hoping to stop the spread of HIV in the prison system, Ukraine officials have proposed isolating HIV-infected prisoners in separate facilities. HIV has spread rapidly among inmates over the past two years, due to rape, homosexuality, and intravenous drug use. Officials say about
Treat Patients on Individual Basis: USA Today (11/27/96) P. 13A; Benjamin, Ken; In response to an editorial that appeared in USA Today approving of new liver transplant policies, Ken Benjamin, of the May Day Hepatitis Action Committee, objects to the policies on medical and ethical grounds. In a letter to the editor, Benjamin says the policy, established by the United Network for Organ Sharing,
Thailand Visit Caps Clinton Tour: USA Today (11/27/96) P. 4A; Nichols, Bill; President Clinton ended his 10-day tour of Asia in Bangkok on Tuesday, and told his Thai audience that the U.S. commitment to the Asian Pacific is stronger than ever. He also brought attention to two epidemics in the region: AIDS and drug use. These forces of destruction defy traditional defenses, just as traditio
Public Forum: Facts of Domestic Partner Benefits: Boston Globe (11/26/96) P. D4; Sherman, Andrew D.; While domestic partners are increasingly included in employee health insurance plans and benefit programs, some businesses fear higher costs due to large numbers of AIDS patients and other factors. However, the rate of HIV infection and AIDS among those enrolling in such plans is small, and the cost is not significan
Group Wants HIV Ruling Overturned: Toronto Globe and Mail (11/26/96) P. A3; Downey, Donn; Members of the Canadian AIDS Society are seeking to keep undisclosed the names of 13 HIV-positive men, claiming their identification would defeat the purpose of Ontario s Health Protection and Promotion Act and discourage others from seeking voluntary HIV tests. Madam Justice Janet Wilson of the Ontario Court s Gener
Nationline: AIDS and Abstinence: USA Today (11/27/96) P. 3A; Bacon, John; Federal funds will be denied to Idaho school districts that teach any HIV prevention methods besides sexual abstinence, Idaho Schools Superintendent Anne Fox announced. Fox said the decision is based on public demand, and denied conceding to fundamental religious interests opposed to modern sex education. The policy
Japan May Approve the Pill, but Women May Not: New York Times (11/27/96) P. A1; WuDunn, Sheryl; Although Japan s legal ban of the birth control pill may be lifted as early as next spring, many Japanese women say they will not use it. Condoms are the most popular form of birth control, followed by withdrawal, and abortions are easily available when these methods fail. The government is concerned that the pill w
Market Place: Some Analysts See a Silver Lining to Chiron's Cloud: New York Times (11/27/96) P. D6; Fisher, Lawrence M.; Despite Chiron s failed clinical trial of a new herpes vaccine, some analysts say the biotechnology company s shares remain attractive because the company is so diverse. The failure of one product is not as serious a concern at Chiron because it has so many other candidates in development. However, the failed herpes
CD4-Dependent, Antibody-Sensitive Interactions Between HIV-1 and its Co-Receptor CCR-5: Nature (11/14/96) Vol. 384, No. 6605, P. 184; Trkola, Alexandra; Dragic, Tatjana; Arthos, James; et al.; Certain strains of HIV-1 require the beta-chemokine receptor CCR-5 to infect CD4 T-cells. HIV-1 s surface glycoprotein gp120 mediates the binding of the virus to the CD4 molecule. Researchers at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Progenics Pharmaceutical
Research Issues Involving HIV-Associated Tuberculosis in Resource-Poor Countries: Journal of the American Medical Association (11/13/96) Vol. 276, No. 18, P. 1502; De Cock, Kevin M.; Binkin, Nancy J.; Zuber, Patrick L. F.; et al.; Tuberculosis (TB) infects an estimated 8 million people each year, and it kills an estimated 3 million, mostly in developing countries. About 9 percent of all TB cases are linked to HIV infection. Some TB programs in developing countries are failing to control the disease, even though effective treatment is availabl
China to Set Up AIDS Study Center: Xinhua News Agency (11/25/96); A national AIDS prevention and control center is being established in China , according to officials at the Ministry of Public Health. The estimated number of HIV cases in the country is between 50,000 and 100,000.
'Aunt' Bea Injured by Drug Needle: Washington Times (11/26/96) P. C6; Aunt Bea Gaddy, a Baltimore advocate for the homeless who prepares a Thanksgiving Day dinner for thousand s of city residents, was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital Sunday after stepping on an intravenous drug needle. Gaddy was given several shots and tested for HIV. She said she had found a man who was staying at
AIDS Researcher Dies: Richmond Times-Dispatch (11/26/96) P. B3; Dr. Kathelyn Sue Steimer, who led research into the development of an AIDS vaccine at Chiron, died recently at the age of 48. She was vice president for research in the vaccines division.
Venereal Diseases Rampant Among America's Teenagers: Washington Post--Health (11/26/96) P. 7; Russell, Cristine; The United States has the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) of any developed country, and about one-fourth of the estimated 12 million new cases of STDs annually reported here occur in teenagers, a committee of the Institute of Medicine reported last week. The panel
FDA's Kessler Will Resign Early in 1997: Washington Post (11/26/96) P. A1; Schwartz, John; David A. Kessler, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration for the past six years, said Monday that he will resign early next year. Kessler said he had accomplished his major goals at the agency. Although praised by President Clinton, Kessler was criticized throughout his tenure from varying political standp
Judge Postpones Cash Payouts to HIV-Infected Hemophiliacs: Philadelphia Inquirer (11/26/96) P. A8; Shaw, Donna; The proposed $640 million settlement for HIV-infected hemophiliacs in the United States was delayed on Monday, because lawyers are still working on a plan to protect the money from federal and state government claims. U.S. District Judge John F. Grady told the claimants, who would eac
Chiron Drops Development of Vaccine for Herpes, Sending Stock Down 17 Percent: Wall Street Journal (11/26/96) P. B7; King, Ralph T., Jr.; Development of a vaccine for genital herpes will be halted due to its failure in two phase III clinical trials to prevent infection, Chiron reported. The company s stock declined 17 percent to $18.125 on the news. Chiron had spent an estimated $50 million on the vaccine s deve
With Plague's Fury, HIV Spreads in Belarus Town: Washington Post (11/26/96) P. A1; Hockstader, Lee; In the town of Svetlogorsk, Belarus , more than 1,000 people have contracted HIV since June due to the sharing of needles by drug addicts. Officials say the virus may infect 90 percent of the town s 3,000 to 4,000 addicts within two years. Factors contributing to the epidemic, suc
La. Clinic Resumes Free Medicine for HIV Patients: American Medical News (11/11/96) Vol. 39, No. 42, P. 29; Patients with HIV and AIDS continue to receive free medicine from the Louisiana State University Medical Center after a proposal to stop the distribution of about 70 drugs was reversed. The center s Viral Disease Clinic provides the medication to about 430 patients. However, officials said in September that the free
Scourge of Africa: Science (11/08/96) Vol. 274, No. 5289, P. 923; While 93 percent of the world s HIV infections occur in developing countries, the virus is especially concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa. That region, with its high level of male promiscuity and low level of condom use, accounts for 68 percent of newly infected people worldwide. Life expectancy in the region was at
Book Review: A Crisis of Meaning: How Gay Men Are Making Sense of AIDS: Los Angeles Times--Book Review (11/24/96) P. 3; Mixner, David; In a review of Steven S. Schwartzberg s A Crisis of Meaning, AIDS activist David Mixner recommends the book for people who are coping with HIV themselves or for those who have loved ones who have HIV. Mixner says the author provides a structure to understand why one person with AIDS seizes his or her status as an
Break the Cycle of AIDS: Miami Herald (11/23/96) P. 28A; In an editorial in the Miami Herald, the authors, citing the high rate of HIV in gay and bisexual men in the community and the country, urge that AIDS be accepted as a public health issue. Studies show that homosexuals continue to practice high risk behaviors for a variety of reasons. Grass-roots education and suppor
Teen-Sex Survey: Houston Chronicle (11/22/96) P. 14A; According to a new survey by RAND Corp. and researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles, teenagers who may not be engaging in intercourse may still be putting themselves at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) through other sexual practices. The RAND corporation study, published in the American
Spermicide Study Begins: Washington Post (11/23/96) P. A2; A panel of advisors to the Food and Drug Administration reported that sufficient data is not available to conclude how well spermicides work as contraceptives. The panel s study found that women who rely on spermicides as their only contraceptive have from a 9 percent to a 57 percent chance of becoming pregnant withi
HIV-Positive Man Gets His Day in Court v. Red Cross: Washington Post (11/23/96) P. C1; Miller, Bill; A Washington, D.C., Court of Appeals has ruled that a patient who received HIV-infected blood during a transfusion can legally challenge the American Red Cross for not taking greater precautions than smaller blood banks. When Roland Ray sued the organization for negligence in 1994, after learning he was infected, a D
Across the USA: New York: USA Today (11/25/96) P. 8A; Under a proposal offered by New York Assemblyman Jules Polonetsky, hospital patients in New York would be able to bank their own blood. Polonetsky says the practice would help to reduce the potential for disease.
The Not-So-Hidden Epidemic: Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (11/25/96) P. A10; New evidence that the United States leads all other developed countries in the rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) should alert Americans that the problem should be handled as a public health threat affecting everyone, according to the editors of the Los Angeles Times. The ed
FDA Panel Divided on Pharmacia's Drug for Treating AIDS: Wall Street Journal (11/25/96) P. B7; Unable to decide whether Pharmacia & Upjohn s new AIDS drug delavirdine merits recommendation for accelerated approval, an advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration left the decision to the agency. The panel voted 4-4 after hearing company data on
Ribozymes Enter Clinical Trials for HIV-1 Treatment: Lancet (11/09/96) Vol. 348, No. 9032, P. 1302; Rowe, Paul M.; Diseases caused by RNA viruses may be treated by destroying specific RNA sequences with ribozymes. This strategy has proven successful in cell-culture experiments and in preclinical studies, and the first phase I trial of a ribozyme is being conducted now in patients infected with HIV-1. Previous studies have shown t
Quantitative Image Analysis of HIV-1 Infection in Lymphoid Tissue: Science (11/08/96) Vol. 274, No. 5287, P. 985; Haase, Ashley T.; Henry, Keith; Zupancic, Mary; et al.; The amount of HIV-1 in the body is considered a reliable measure of the progress of the infection, but little is known about the virus ability to replicate and reside in lymphoid tissue. Ashley T. Haase, of the University of Minnesota Medical School, and colleagues, developed a method of determining viral load in th
AIDS--Confidentiality in AIDS Cases: PANA Wire Service (11/21/96); Mulenga, Mildred; The issue of AIDS confidentiality, and the potential problems it causes, was discussed at a conference of experts in Zimbabwe Thursday. If we stick to confidentiality, what about the wife at home who doesn t know that her husband has AIDS, asked a physician who treated several
Many HIV-Positive Patients Use Alternative Therapies: Reuters (11/21/96); Physicians of AIDS patients should be aware that many HIV- infected people use alternative therapies, and do not always inform their doctors. A University of Nevada in Las Vegas survey of 127 HIV-positive patients found that 100 percent were using alternative therapies. Moreover, previous research published in the N
Access to New AIDS Drug Demanded; Not Yet Approved: U.S. Newswire (11/21/96); Clinical trials are needed to test the safety and efficacy of new AIDS drugs for children and pregnant women, claims Bonita Judon, of the AIDS Policy Center for Children, Youth and Families. Judon will testify to a committee of the Food and Drug Administration today to urge their consideration of such trials. There
111 Kenyans Died of AIDS Daily: Xinhua News Agency (11/22/96); An average of 111 Kenyans died from AIDS each day between January 1995 and June 1996, the Daily Nation reports. Assistant Minister for Health Basil Criticos said the figure represents only a third of the actual number of people suspected of having AIDS. AIDS officials have estimated that more than 1.7 million people
World AIDS Day--December 1, 1996: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (11/22/96) Vol. 45, No. 46,; This year s World AIDS Day, with the theme One World, One Hope, will be observed on December 1 in 190 countries. AIDS has claimed the lives of 5.8 million people worldwide, including 1.3 million children. In the United States , World AIDS Day activities are coordinated by the Americ
Across the USA: Kentucky: USA Today (11/22/96) P. 8A; About 50 residents of Kentucky will be subjects in a study of a vaccine designed to prevent HIV-infected individuals from developing AIDS.
AIDS-Free in 1991, Cambodia Tops HIV Rate: Washington Times (11/22/96) P. A16; Although Cambodia had virtually no AIDS cases five years ago, the country now has the highest HIV infection rate in Asia. Health officials estimate that 1 percent of the population, including 2.5 percent of pregnant women, is infected with HIV. The spread of the virus is attribut
AIDS Among Children--United States, 1996: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (11/22/96) Vol. 45, No. 46; Of the total number of AIDS cases reported by Sept. 30, 1996, 7,472, or 1 percent, were among children aged less than 13 years. Most children with HIV contracted the virus from their mothers. The number of children infected perinatally from 1986 to 1996 peaked in 1992. In 1994, research showed that treating HIV-inf
Accentuating the Positive: Entertainment (11/08/96) No. 352, P. 54; Watson, Bret; The HIV-positive character Jeanie Boulet on NBC s ER, played by Gloria Reuben, is breaking new ground for prime time television by continuing her normal routine despite her infection. While other dramatic series have introduced AIDS story lines, the infected characters have typically become ill quickly. ER coexe
AIDS Researcher Loses Libel Fight Against French Newspaper: Nature (11/07/96) Vol. 384, No. 6604, P. 10; The French Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed Robert Gallo s libel and slander lawsuit against the French newspaper Le Monde. Gallo made the charges against the paper and journalist Frank Nouchi in relation to coverage of the conflict between Gallo and French researcher Luc Montagnier over claims on the discovery o
New Health Standards Issued in Tanzania: Xinhua News Agency (11/20/96); In hopes of improving health care there, the Tanzanian government released new guidelines on Wednesday for the country s governmental hospitals. Patients will be charged for half the cost of their care, with the government paying the rest, and medical consultation fees will no longer be allowed. Health minister Zaki
140 People Found HIV-Positive in Macao: Xinhua News Agency (11/20/96); Of the 140 people in Macao found to be HIV-positive, 110 are non-Macao residents, public health officials reported. Most of the non-residents are women from Thailand working in the entertainment business. The public health department reported that it will continue regular check
FDA Conducting Inspections of New York Blood Centers: Reuters (11/20/96); Two New York City blood centers are being investigated by the Food and Drug Administration for manipulating the results of tests for HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases, New York Magazine reports. The article charges that the centers altered test results to allow them to provide more blood to area hospitals
Condom Sales Boom in Mali: Reuters (11/20/96); Condoms are being sold at an impressive rate in the West African state of Mali , according to the national committee against AIDS. A total of 2,265,926 condoms was reportedly sold in the first nine months of the year, compared to the 1,699,014 that were sold in all of 1995.
Science & Health Bulletin: Zimbabwe--AIDS Now [Declining]: PANA Wire Service (11/20/96); The rate of HIV infection in Zimbabwe s Manicaland province is declining, thanks to education programs and subsequent behavior changes, health officials reported. In addition, Diarmund McClean, medical officer of health for the Mutare city council, said the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea
Across the USA: Connecticut, Vermont: USA Today (11/21/96) P. 12A; The Board of Selectmen in Windham, Conn., is requesting that the state end a six-year-old needle-exchange program on the grounds that discarded needles are littering the streets and parks. Separately, Vermont Gov. Dean spoke in opposition to efforts to legalize the medical use of marijuana, contending that better tre
Haven for AIDS Patients: Baltimore Sun (11/21/96) P. 3B; Imhoff, Ernest F.; Baltimore s AIDS Interfaith Residential Services (AIRS) organization provides housing and services to single adults and families with AIDS. The first AIRS house opened in 1988 and has been home to 72 people, and three additional AIRS houses opened this year. Using a $1 million grant from the Department of Housing an
Seeking Assurance From a $40 Kit: New York Times (11/21/96) P. D1; Canedy, Dana; Home HIV test kits, made by Home Access Health and Johnson & Johnson , are being marketed with distinct campaigns aimed at gay men, teenagers, and heterosexual adults in publications targeting each of these populations. Despite the relatively high cost of the tests, the anony
Rural Human Immunodeficiency Virus Health Service Provision: Indications of Rural-Urban Travel for Care: Journal of the American Medical Association (11/06/96) Vol. 276, No. 17, P. 1364j; Mainous, Arch G. III; Matheny, Samuel C.; A survey of HIV-positive adults from rural areas of Kentucky reveals that 21 percent traveled to urban areas for HIV testing and care. Researchers at the University of Kentucky report in the Archives of Family Medicine that, out of 63 survey participants, 74 percent traveled outside their home county for HIV-related
Early Progression of Disease in HIV-Infected Infants With Thymus Dysfunction: New England Journal of Medicine (11/07/96) Vol. 335, No. 19, P. 1431; Kourtis, Athena P.; Ibegbu, Christian; Nahmias, Andre J.; et al.; Perinatally infected infants generally develop AIDS either very early in life or at a very slow rate. Because disease progression is signified by the depletion of CD4 cells, and CD4 cells develop in the thymus, it has been suggested that more rapid disease progression in infants may be linked to thymus dysfunction.
Combined Technique Improves HIV-1 RNA Detection: Reuters (11/19/96); Combining an HIV-1 RNA detection method, nucleic acid sequence -based amplification (NASBA), with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, German researchers report, provides a major improvement of NASBA technology. NASBA provides an alternative to the polymerase chain reaction test and is an ultrasensitive method f
Feature--Magic Johnson Sees Change in Attitudes to AIDS: Reuters (11/20/96); Croft, Adrian; After retiring from professional basketball five years ago because he learned he was infected with HIV, Earvin Magic Johnson says he is pleased that the public s acceptance of HIV has improved significantly. It s so much different now because we can hold a conversation about it anywhere now. It used to be ...ever
AIDS Rate on Increase in Cities, Study Shows: Reuters (11/19/96); Doctors in Britain announced Tuesday that the number of patients with unreported HIV infections has increased. Dr. Mark Poznansky and colleagues at St. Mary s Hospital in London reported that as many as 75 percent of HIV-positive patients coming to the emergency room for treatment did not inform the staff that they w
Brazil Launches Anti-AIDS Campaign for Indians: Reuters (11/19/96); Christie, Michael; Brazil launched a new AIDS education campaign on Tuesday, hoping to prevent the spread of HIV among the country s 320,000 Indians. Anthropologists will be trained to educate the Indians, a population that is thought to be at low risk but highly vulnerable to the spread of HIV. Th
Americas-Health: AIDS Cases in Americas Up To [Nearly 700,000]: IPS Wire (11/18/96); While almost three-fourths of the 700,000 AIDS cases in the Americas since 1979 were reported in the United States , officials from the Pan American Health Organization report that there are now more HIV infections in Latin America than in the United States. More than 411,000 people in
Briefcase: Medical Info a la Carte: Houston Chronicle (11/19/96) P. 1C; A web site called Cafe Herpes, developed by the pharmaceutical company SmithKline Beecham, offers medical information about genital herpes in a menu-themed format. The site, located at http://www.cafe.com, is an attempt by the company to reach people with genital herpes and off
Firms Pledge Better Blood Recalls: Philadelphia Inquirer (11/20/96) P. A17; Shaw, Donna; Leaders of the blood products industry and the Food and Drug Administration announced a pact on Tuesday to protect the public better from contaminated blood products. After the meeting at the National Institutes of Health, however, it was unclear how the promise would be kept. A better product recall system was disc
U.S.'s Rate of Sexual Diseases Is Highest in Developed World: New York Times (11/20/96) P. D20; Leary, Warren E.; The rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is higher in the United States than in any other developed country, and the diseases cause thousands of deaths and serious health problems each year, a panel of the National Academy of Sciences reported Tuesday. The committee attributed
Black Up!: Village Voice (11/05/96) Vol. 41, No. 45, P. 45; Schoofs, Mark; At a recent meeting of African-American leaders convened to address the growing threat of AIDS in the black community, the absence of many leaders was noted. No members of the Congressional Black Caucus attended, for example, and the leaders of the NAACP and the National Urban League were also absent. If HIV continu
Experts Say AIDS Pain 'Dramatically Undertreated': Journal of the American Medical Association (11/06/96) Vol. 276, No. 17, P. 1369; Stephenson, Joan; Although AIDS and cancer patients experience comparable levels of pain, pain is dramatically undertreated in AIDS patients, according to Dr. William Breitbart of the Memorial Sloan- Kettering Cancer Center. The problem may be partly attributed to the rise in managed care, since many primary care physicians have lit
Home Access Express HIV-1 Test System Available at Walgreens: HealthWire (11/18/96); Walgreens, the country s largest retail drug store chain, is now selling the Home Access Express HIV-1 Test System, made by Home Access Health. The test instructs users to collect a blood sample, send it to a lab for testing, and receive results in three business days. Walgreens has nearly 2,200 stores in 34 states.
Windfall Prophets: Washington Post Magazine (11/17/96) P. 17; Due to a life insurance promotion by the federal government in 1993, employees of the federal government and the District of Columbia were able to buy large life insurance policies for relatively little money. Many employees with preexisting medical conditions, even the terminally ill, were able to take advantage of
Team in Search of the Ebola Virus: Houston Chronicle (11/18/96) P. 8D; Susman, Tina; In the Tai Forest of Cote d Ivoire , a small group of researchers are working to track the source of the Ebola virus. They catch and test rodents, searching for signs of Ebola or other diseases. The diseases emerging today in Cote d Ivoire may be the diseases emerging tomorro
Alexandria Mulls Gay 'Marriages': Washington Times--Metropolitan Times (11/19/96) P. C5; Cain, Andrew; Lonnie C. Rich (D), a member of Alexandria, Va. s City Council, is advocating that the state consider legalizing same sex marriages. Rich would like to see his proposal included in the city s wish list to state legislators, although he said he would be shocked if it passed. He explained that the measure might pro
Condoms Available: Washington Times (11/18/96) P. A14; Although food, water, and medicine may not be available to the refugees in eastern Zaire , condoms and reproductive health kits will be provided. This is the first time that reproductive-health services have been planned at the beginning of a crisis, said Hirofumi Ando, deputy e
Plan to Test Drug's Effectiveness in Bureaucratic Limbo: Washington Post--Health (11/19/96) P. 7; Okie, Susan; One prominent AIDS researcher has failed to obtain federal approval to conduct a study on the benefits and risks associated with the medical use of marijuana, despite the fact that experts say such research is needed to resolve the issue. Donald I. Abrams, of the University of California San Francisco School of Medici
Water Filters Available for D.C. AIDS Patients: Washington Post (11/19/96) P. B5; AIDS patients in Washington, D.C. are being supplied with water filters to protect them from the excessive levels of bacteria found in the city s water supply. Made available by federal and city funding, the carbon water filters will be provided to as many as 600 city residents with AIDS. The nonprofit AIDS group Fo
Md. AIDS Institute Opens With Great Fanfare, Expectations: Washington Post (11/19/96) P. B3; Goldstein, Amy; At the opening of the Institute of Human Virology in Baltimore on Monday, politicians and academics heralded the center s promise of combining the scientific study of AIDS and other viral diseases with clinical treatment. Maryland Gov. Parris N. Glendening said, The work that is going on here is ... of the most nobl
Document Management Keeps CDC's Data Flow Healthy: Government Computer News (11/04/96) Vol. 15, No. 28, P. 15; Jackson, William; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently began using an electronic document management system as part of a two-year plan to integrate document management, correspondence control, and workflow management at the agency. The Basis document management system, from Information Dimensions of Ohio, has been u
Full Japanese Hospital List Announced: Lancet (11/02/96) Vol. 348, No. 9036, P. 1235; Gutierrez, Ed; Japan s Council on Public Health has decided to publish a list of 2,413 hospitals where HIV-tainted blood may have been used in the 1970s and 1980s. Hiroshima officials were the first to respond, contributing 54 facilities to the list. The Health and Welfare Ministry had initially released the names of seven of the
Ottawa Denies Krever Key Data: Toronto Globe and Mail (11/15/96) P. A1; Grange, Michael; On the final day of evidence in the three-year-old federal inquiry into Canada s tainted-blood tragedy, a federal official announced that the government would not release 30 key documents about the incident. The documents concern draft legislation that the federal government had considered to better protect the blood
An AIDS Memorial in Stanley Park: Toronto Globe and Mail (11/15/96) P. A23; Cernetig, Miro; A decision by the Vancouver Parks Board to erect an AIDS memorial in Stanley Park has sparked public outrage. In a Toronto Globe and Mail commentary, Globe and Mail Vancouver bureau chief Miro Cernetig describes what others have written about the opposition. One columnist, for example, said the arguments against the
AIDS Groups Receive Grants: Miami Herald (11/15/96) P. 2B; Two Miami AIDS organizations have received grants from the Levi Strauss Foundation. The Food for Life Network, which delivers meals to 417 homebound AIDS patients in Dade County, received $25,000. In addition, the University of Miami Department of Pediatrics Project Cradle, which cares for mothers and children with
World Is Less Crowded Than Expected, the U.N. Reports: New York Times (11/17/96) P. 3; Crossette, Barbara; The world s population is growing at a slower rate than was expected just a few years ago, the United Nations reports, adding that the number of children being born each year has begun to fall sooner than expected. Analysts credit family planning and other programs implemented in the 1960s and 1970s to give people mo
Votes on Marijuana Are Stirring Debate: New York Times (11/17/96) P. 16; Wren, Christopher S.; The approval of proposals to allow the medical use of marijuana in Arizona and California has sparked a wider debate across the country as advocates seek to pass similar initiatives in other states. While supporters say the initiative allows patients with AIDS, cancer, and other serious illnesses to obtain pain relie
In Irish Jail, Jets and Sharks Rumble Again: New York Times (11/18/96) P. A8; Clarity, James F.; Among the inmates participating in a performance of West Side Story in a Dublin jail is John O Hanlon, who plays a violent member of the Jets. He relates that he was a heroin addict, and lost six of his friends to AIDS. Three others, he says, are dying, but he appears not to be infected.
Unconventional Wisdom: AIDS and Tolerance: Washington Post (11/17/96) P. C5; Morin, Richard; Despite fears that AIDS would increase discrimination against homosexuals, surveys have shown that Americans have become significantly more tolerant of homosexuality, partly because of the disease. According to Stuart Michaels, director of the National Health and Social Life Survey at the University of Chicago, AIDS
HIV Co-Discoverer Opens Research Center: Washington Times--Metropolitan Times (11/18/96) P. C7; The Institute of Human Virology, to be operated by AIDS researcher Robert Gallo, opens today in Baltimore. The dedication will include two days of lectures by scientific leaders, including four Nobel laureates. Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening and Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke have promised the center, part of the Uni
International Treatment Access and Research, How You Can Help- -Interview With Dr. Peter Piot of UNAIDS: AIDS Treatment News (11/01/96) No. 258, P. 6; James, John S.; AIDS activists in the United States are increasingly interested in improving AIDS care worldwide, both because 90 percent of people with the disease live in developing countries and because scientific study of traditional and accidentally discovered treatments is needed to assess the e
Human Rights and the HIV Paradox: Lancet (11/02/96) Vol. 348, No. 9036, P. 1217; Kirby, Michael; Government efforts to reduce the spread of HIV should aim to protect the rights of those at risk rather than enact laws against activities that increase risk, contends Michael Kirby, a justice of the High Court of Australia , in the Lancet. Kirby says that social sanctions agains
Brown Opposes Licensing Sex Clubs: United Press International (11/14/96); Under a new proposal, sex clubs in San Francisco would be monitored by the city s health department to make sure that safer sex guidelines are being followed, rather than being licensed, an official said Thursday. Mayor Willie Brown said on Wednesday that he felt licensing, which was widely supported in the health co
AIDS Meeting to Focus on Blacks: United Press International (11/14/96); The first western regional conference on the impact of AIDS on African-Americans will begin today in California. AIDS is No Laughing Matter: The African-American Community Faces the Challenge of HIV/AIDS is sponsored by the African American AIDS Coalition. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported th
Pioneering AIDS Group Is Sinking: Miami Herald (11/14/96) P. 1B; Rogers, Peggy; The League Against AIDS, a Miami-based AIDS organization that serves the Hispanic community, was once a thriving center but is now threatened by a financial crisis. Founded in 1987, the League previously provided social services and counseling at two locations, employed 40 workers, supported more than 1,200 patients,
AIDS Book OK'D: USA Today (11/15/96) P. 3A; The autobiography of teenage AIDS patient and activist Ryan White will be returned to the library of Stroudsburg Middle School in Pennsylvania, officials said. The book was removed last week because it contains references to sodomy, condom use, and smoking. White died six years ago at age 18, after contracting HIV th
Resistance to HIV Discovered in Group of Kenyan Prostitutes: Washington Times (11/15/96) P. A18; A group of prostitutes in Nairobi appears to be resistant to HIV infection, Kenyan and Canadian doctors report in the journal The Lancet. The women did not appear to have the same genetic mutation that protects some Caucasians from infection, however. Francis Plummer and colleagues at the University of Manitoba repor
New Year's Resolution: Fleming Leaving AIDS Policy Office: Washington Post (11/15/96) P. A29; Kamen, Al; Patricia S. Fleming, the U.S. AIDS policy director, says she will quit the post early next year. Fleming, who replaced the office s first director, Kristine M. Gebbie, is credited with helping to boost funding for research, treatment, and HIV prevention programs.
In the Line for AIDS Drugs, Children Are Last: Wall Street Journal (11/15/96) P. B1; McGinley, Laurie; Because the new HIV drugs known as protease inhibitors have not been tested widely in children, most doctors will not prescribe the drugs for pediatric use, citing a lack of safety data. Legally, doctors are allowed to prescribe a drug to children if it has been ap
Lack of Assurance: Able to Work Again, AIDS Patients Worry About Disability Pay: Wall Street Journal (11/15/96) P. A1; Anders, George; Jeff Bloom, like other AIDS patients who have seen their health improve with new drug therapies, is facing a dilemma about the prospect of returning to work and losing his disability benefits. Moreover, disability insurers had become accustomed to paying benefits to AIDS patients, not expecting them to survive the di
AIDS in Europe 'Stabilizes': Nature (10/31/96) Vol. 383, No. 6603, P. 755; The European Center for the Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS reports, with caution, that the incidence of AIDS in Europe seems overall to have stabilized. For the first half of 1996, 13,310 AIDS cases were recorded in the 45 countries in the World Health Organization s European grouping, bringing the total number
Preventing HIV/AIDS Among High-Risk Urban Women: The Cost- Effectiveness of a Behavioral Group Intervention: American Journal of Public Health (10/96) Vol. 86, No. 10, P. 1442; Holtgrave, David R.; Kelly, Jeffrey A.; The rate of HIV infection among women is rising, and women at especially high risk include those who inject drugs, have sexually transmitted diseases, have multiple sex partners, or partners who inject drugs or have extrarelationship sex. Previous research has shown that behavioral interventions are effective for redu
Researchers Target How AIDS Virus Infects Cells: Reuters (11/13/96); Additional information about how HIV infects immune system cells was revealed Wednesday by two teams of U.S. researchers. HIV was found to use one receptor, the cell s CD4 receptor, as a handle for attachment, which facilitates attachment by a second handle, CCR-5. The finding was reported in the journal Nature by te
Federal Judge Dismisses Prodigy AIDS Case: Newsbytes Online (11/13/96); McKenna, Patrick; A U.S. District Court judge in Manhattan has dismissed a case brought by a subscriber of Prodigy Service, who claims she became HIV-infected from sexual contact with a Prodigy employee she met online. Judge Sonia Sotomayor said the employee s failure to disclose that he had HIV was beyond the scope of an employer s r
Inquiry Witnesses Defend Red Cross Officials: Toronto Globe and Mail (11/13/96) P. A8; Grange, Michael; Witnesses testifying to Canada s Commission of Inquiry into the tainted-blood scandal on Tuesday defended three of the 17 Red Cross officials who may be cited in the incident. Indeed, Dr. James Goldie, a cancer expert who was influential in the examination of the impact of AIDS in Vancouver in 1982, said that two Red
State OKs AIDS Care Center in Central West End: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (11/13/96) P. 12A; Bell, Kim; A residential care center for people with AIDS was approved for St. Louis Central West End by a Missouri board on Tuesday. The $3.5 million center, to house 36 people, will be operated by Doorways, a group that provides housing for AIDS patients. The center is for people who are too ill to live alone but not ill en
Across the USA: California: USA Today (11/14/96) P. 6A; A web site has been established by the Berkeley Prescription Cannabis Growers and Buyers Club for people who want to buy marijuana under the recently passed Proposition 215, which allows use of the drug for medical purposes.
Nova Scotia: Toronto Globe and Mail (11/13/96) P. A4; The fourth aboriginal AIDS conference, which ended in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Tuesday, could be the last unless the Canadian government maintains funding for AIDS organizations. The conference was attended by more than 300 people, mostly aboriginals. The number of AIDS cases in the population is growing, pointing to
Pa. Plan Is 'Disaster,' Say AIDS Activists: Philadelphia Inquirer (11/14/96) P. B3; Stark, Karl; AIDS activists in Pennsylvania held a press conference Wednesday to report what they see as problems in the state s Medicaid plan, especially for people with AIDS and other chronic illnesses. Starting early next year, the state plans to require HIV-infected Medicaid recipients to join health maintenance organizations
A Matter of Life and Death: Washington Post (11/14/96) P. B1; Span, Paula; Dr. Howard Grossman, one of New York s leading AIDS doctors, is also one of three doctors in the state to have challenged laws prohibiting doctors from helping terminally ill patients hasten their deaths. As the Supreme Court prepares to hear cases from New York and Washington state which challenged assisted suicide
One World, One Hope...One Gender?: Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (10/96) Vol. 2, No. 10, P. 28; Gorma, Robin; Amid the promising news of powerful new HIV drugs presented at this year s International AIDS Conference, little data was released about how the new treatments work for women. However, among the issues pertaining to women that were discussed was the link between human papilloma virus (HPV) and HIV. Research presented
HIV Test-Seeking Before and After the Restriction of Anonymous Testing in North Carolina: American Journal of Public Health (10/96) Vol. 86, No. 10, P. 1446; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva; Lee, Lester W.; Hoyo, Cathrine; In North Carolina, state health officials have attempted to discontinue anonymous HIV testing because reporting would allow state agencies to contact both HIV-positive individuals and people that may have been exposed to the virus. A proposal to end anonymous testing in 1991 met with public opposition, and as a compr
HIV Infection on Surge in Ukraine Penitentiaries: Itar Wire Service (11/11/96); In the Ukraine , 10,800 people are infected with HIV, the Committee for AIDS Control reported Monday. The rate of HIV is highest in the Odessa, Nikilayev, Donetsk, and Lugansk regions, the capital Kiev, and the Crimea enclave. There is also concern about the spread of HIV in pris
Food-Health: Impact of AIDS on Food Security: IPS Wire (11/12/96); In some countries where communities depend on food production for survival, AIDS has disproportionately affected those regions by claiming the lives of workers. As HIV spread in Uganda , for example, crop production declined dramatically, pests became more prevalent, and death and
Welfare Body Moves to Help AIDS Orphans in Zimbabwe: All Africa Press Service (11/12/96); Welfare groups in Zimbabwe have estimated that 45 percent of the country s children will be orphaned by AIDS within the next decade. Policy-makers are responding by trying to devise a national welfare system to support the orphans. Worldwide, the number of people orphaned by AI
Feminists Allied With AIDS Activists: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (11/12/96) P. 13B; Charen, Mona; The National Organization of Women is more interested in educating women about rape than supporting laws to help rape victims, claims Mona Charen in a commentary in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Charen notes that NOW has joined AIDS activists in opposing mandatory HIV testing, even for accused rapists, and in protecti
Pro-Gay Opinions Drive Rights Panel, Fined Dentist Says: Washington Times (11/13/96) P. A6; Trotta, Liz; In New York, a dentist who was found guilty of discriminating against a man exposed to HIV has claimed that the ruling, made by the New York Human Rights Commission, shows that the group is led by agenda-driven fanatics who want to promote homosexual causes. Dr. Dennis W. Cahill was fined $10,000 for refusing to trea
Clinton Administration Asks Supreme Court to Rule Against Assisted Suicide: New York Times (11/13/96) P. A18; Greenhouse, Linda; The Clinton administration told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that it opposed physician-assisted suicide, urging the court to rule that the right to a doctor s aid in hastening death is not guaranteed by the Constitution. Solicitor General Walter Dellinger filed two briefs in which the Administration supported efforts
Deformity Drug Thalidomide to Make Comeback in U.S.: Washington Times (11/13/96) P. A3; Celgene announced on Monday that it will seek FDA approval of thalidomide for the treatment of inflamed leprosy. The company later plans to seek clearance to sell the drug to AIDS patients who experience wasting. Andrulis, meanwhile, plans to se
Chronic Illnesses Cost U.S. $425 Billion a Year: Washington Post (11/13/96) P. A6; About 100 million Americans are affected by chronic illnesses, costing the country about $425 billion a year in health care, a new study has found. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, report in today s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Associatio
McCann Picks Right Outlet to Get Out Message for Durex: Ad Age International (10/96) Vol. 67, No. 42, P. A10; Koranteng, Juliana; Commercials aired on MTV in Europe for Durex-brand condoms were so successful at raising awareness of the name, that the condom s maker, London International Group, plans to use the same strategy in its first global campaign. The commercials, which ran in Germany ,
Controlled Trial of Interleukin-2 Infusions in Patients Infected With the Human Immunodeficiency Virus: New England Journal of Medicine (10/31/96) Vol. 335, No. 18, P. 1350; Kovacs, Joseph A.; Vogel, Susan; Albert, Jeffrey M.; et al.; HIV-infected individuals have reduced immunity due to the destruction of CD4 cells, but therapeutic approaches may be able to boost the immune system by preventing, delaying, or reversing this effect. Interleukin-2, a cytokine, is known to regulate the proliferation and differentiation of lymphocytes, including CD4 c
Asides: Pot Republic: Wall Street Journal (11/11/96) P. A16; The law legalizing marijuana in California for medical uses is excessively weak, claims an editorial in the Wall Street Journal. The movement to legalize the drug for medical purposes is being promoted under largely false pretenses, the writers say, noting that supporters of the measure who were smoking the drug at t
Victims Once More: Philadelphia Inquirer (11/11/96) P. A10; Francil J. Stoffa Jr., the former head of Philadelphia s AIDS Task Force, stole from thousands of people with HIV/AIDS when he stole from the organization, according to the editors of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Stoffa pleaded no contest last week to stealing $52,000 from the agency, and avoided a jail sentence on the
Portable DNA System Developed: Washington Times (11/12/96) P. A16; The first battery-operated, portable DNA testing device could have uses ranging from testing food and water for contamination to identifying human remains on the battlefield, researchers said Monday. The new system, developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, has been used in experiments to detect HIV in
The Courage to Live With a Disease That Kills: Washington Post--Health (11/12/96) P. 6; Trafford, Abigail; An individual s battle against an illness is compared to a soldier s experience in combat in a commentary by Abigail Trafford in the Washington Post. The soldier s first experience with gunfire is related to a patient s diagnosis with AIDS, cancer, or another serious illness. Trafford notes that patients often feel
Clean Needles and the Crisis in Drug Use: Washington Times (11/12/96) P. A23; Walters, John P.; O'Gara, James F.X.; Studies have not proven that needle exchange programs actually reduce the spread of HIV, in part because such studies depend on an unreliable population, have no control group, and cannot tease out the different modes of transmission in the subjects, argue John P. Walters and James F.X. O Gara in an commentary in the
It's Health Reference Data (Do Not Take as Medicine): New York Times (11/11/96) P. D7; Sreenivasan, Sreenath; Patients seeking medical help on the Internet should be cautious to consider what they find there as only information, and not advice. The on-line site of the Journal of the American Medical Association has a section devoted to AIDS, called the JAMA HIV/AIDS Information Center.
Why Isn't Glaxo's New AIDS Drug Ready Yet?: Wall Street Journal (11/12/96) P. B1; Waldholz, Michael; While the new AIDS drugs known as protease inhibitors became available in less than five years, a drug being developed by Glaxo Wellcome was discovered in 1989 but is not expected to be approved before mid-1998. AIDS ac
Developing AIDS Vaccine a Priority, Shalala Says: Washington Post (11/12/96) P. A15; Research into the development of a vaccine for AIDS has become a priority for the Clinton administration, Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna E. Shalala told reporters Monday. She made the announcement at the dedication of new AIDS research laboratories in New York. A vaccine research ought to be at the top
Health Centers Vie for Gays: Crain's New York Business (10/28/96) Vol. 12, No. 44, P. 6; Two new health centers targeting gays are set to open in New York City next year. One clinic, being built by Community Health Project, is expected to open in November 1997 and handle about 60,000 visits a year from predominantly gay clients. The Gay Men s Health Crisis is also planning to open a primary care clinic
Opening an Electronic Pharmacy to the World: Nature Medicine (10/96) Vol. 2, No. 10, P. 1064; Steele, Fintan R.; In an effort to make powerful new AIDS drugs more widely available around the world, a group of pharmacists in Raleigh, N.C., has founded a company that sells the drugs globally via the World Wide Web. The company, AIDSRx, was created to give physicians around the world access to AIDS drugs at a 5 percent discount of
AIDS Researchers Predict Shortage of Participants for Pediatric Trials: Reuters (11/06/96); Studies by the Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group (PACTG) may be hindered by a lack of participants, said Dr. Deborah Cotton of the Harvard Medical School last week in a report to the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council. One of the group s objectives is to reduce the rate of HIV perinatal infection by 2 percen
New Class of Drug Offers New Hope Against AIDS: Reuters (11/06/96); Fox, Maggie; Researchers at the Third International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection presented evidence that a new class of drugs, known as non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), work as well as protease inhibitors and offer new choices to AIDS patien
Medical Marijuana Law in Legal Limbo: United Press International (11/07/96); The new California law legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes has left prosecutors in the need of guidelines for enforcement. The priority is to delineate what the responsibilities are of the federal authorities versus the local authorities, said Larry Brown of the California District Attorneys Associ
Italian Study Finds HIV Does Not Increase Risk of Miscarriage: Reuters (11/07/96); New research indicates that, contrary to previous findings, HIV infection does not heighten the risk of miscarriage. Dr. Augusto E. Semprini of the University of Milan and colleagues studied the miscarriage rate in HIV-infected women compared to HIV-negative women, and concluded that HIV does not significantly influ
New Tests Measure HIV Level in Tonsils: Reuters (11/07/96); A new testing method will improve the monitoring of HIV levels in immune system cells in the tonsils, researchers said Thursday. Ashley Haase of the University of Minnesota and colleagues report in the journal Science that they have developed a test to determine the level of HIV in the tonsils lymphoid tissue, where
Abbott AIDS Drug Called Safe for Kids: Chicago Tribune (11/07/96) P. 3-1; Hutchcraft, Chuck; New research suggests that a combination of AIDS drugs including a protease inhibitor will soon be available for children with the disease. One of the issues with AIDS drugs in particular, and with drugs in general, is that new drugs come along and are ultimately approved for adults way in advance of children, says
Blue Dye Is Found to Kill HIV: Washington Times (11/08/96) P. A11; Klinka, Karen; A patented new use for Methylene Blue could virtually eliminate the threat of AIDS from blood transfusions, researchers at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation report. Biochemist Robert Floyd said that the drug, used to treat the bilrubin buildup that causes blue baby syndrome, can inactivate HIV in stored human
One Man's AIDS Tale Shows How Quickly Epidemic Has Turned: Wall Street Journal (11/08/96) P. A1; Sanford, David; In the Wall Street Journal, editor David Sanford recounts to readers how he has lived with HIV for more than 10 years and how advances in treatment over the last year have given him new hope of surviving. Sanford says he was probably infected at a Manhattan bath house in 1982. At the time, the new infectious disease
Court: ADA Doesn't Apply to Ex-Workers: Crain's Detroit Business (10/21/96) Vol. 12, No. 43, P. 28; Cowans, Deborah; In a decision stemming from a lawsuit brought by the estate of a Hardee s employee who died of AIDS, a U.S. appellate court has ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act does not apply to former employees. Timothy Bourgeois was working at a Hardee s restaurant owned by Garner Food Services (GFS) when he was diagn
AIDS Rates: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (10/25/96) Vol. 45, No. 42, P. 926; Among U.S. metropolitan areas, New York City had the highest number of AIDS cases per 100,000 people for the reporting period of July 1995 to June 1996, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The city s AIDS rate was 132 per 100,000, followed by Miami, with 117.3; Jersey City, N.J., with 115.2; S
UPI Science News: United Press International (11/06/96); Bovsun, Mara; New research may help explain why some babies born with HIV die within 2 years and others can live for 10 years without developing symptoms. Andre J. Nahmias, of Emory University, and colleagues, report in the New England Journal of Medicine that, in some babies, HIV destroys the thymus, a gland needed to develop the
Nasdaq Drops Novatek: Washington Times (11/07/96) P. B12; Novatek, the Columbia, Md., medical supplier being investigated for fraud, has been removed from the Nasdaq stock exchange. Trading in the company was stopped on Oct. 11 because of an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Novatek has since filed for bankruptcy protection.
Blood Brothers: Financial Times (11/07/96) P. 12; While the risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis from a blood transfusion has grown very small since the tainted-blood incidents of the 1980s, the emergence of synthetic blood is expected to remove any residual fears of disease. Six U.S. companies--Baxter, Enzon, Northfield Laboratories, Biopure, DNX, and Somatogen--are
New Pot Law Brings Turmoil, Concerns: Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (11/07/96) P. B1; Bailey, Eric; The approval of a California ballot initiative to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes has raised concerns among state and federal law enforcement officials. The proposition, which allows doctors to recommend marijuana to treat various conditions, passed on Tuesday with 56 percent support. While official
AIDS Group's Ex-Boss Enters No-Contest Plea: Philadelphia Inquirer (11/07/96) P. B1; The former director of the Philadelphia AIDS Task Force pleaded no contest on Wednesday to charges that he stole $52,000 from the organization. He was sentenced to four years probation and ordered to repay the money. Francis J. Stoffa Jr., who was accused by a grand jury in March 1995 of embezzling from the group and
Feared Drug Is Subject of New Interest: Philadelphia Inquirer (11/07/96) P. A13; Cimons, Marlene; The drug thalidomide, which caused serious birth defects when used to treat nausea in Canada , Britain, and West Germany 40 years ago, has potential as a treatment for AIDS and cancer patients. A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel is m
Dispensing Needles, Not Judgment: New York Times (11/07/96) P. B21; Martin, Douglas; The needle exchange van in East Harlem, like the six others in New York City, offers clients free syringes and other drug injecting equipment as well as a place to feel connected and supported. Studies have shown that the programs, which have received state support for more than two years, have reduced the rate of ne
For First Time, Drug 'Cocktail' Seems to Eliminate HIV in its Hiding Places: Wall Street Journal (11/07/96) P. B8; Waldholz, Michael; A new combination of drugs is capable of eliminating all detectable levels of HIV in the body tissues where it is known to reside, researchers say. Previous studies have shown that the drugs can reduce the level of HIV in the bloodstream, but the virus is also known to hide in the tonsils, lymph nodes, spinal fluid,
Glaxo HIV Ads Urge Treatment: Advertising Age (10/28/96) Vol. 67, No. 44, P. 12; Wilke, Michael; Glaxo Wellcome s latest AIDS-related advertising campaign does not focus on the company s new AIDS drugs but encourages those with HIV to seek treatment. The education campaign, estimated to cost between $2 million and $5 million, targets gays, African Americans, and Hispanics. Carl Weisber, of FCB Health Care, the
Kenya to Install Condom Slots in District: Xinhua News Agency (11/05/96); To help prevent the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases in Kenya , condom dispensers will be installed in all public places in the Isiolo district by the Kenyan Department of Public Health. The dispensers will be installed in bars, hotels, and lodging houses
Brazil's Indians Under Threat From AIDS: Reuters (11/05/96); Christie, Michael; The risk of AIDS in Brazil s indigenous tribes is a growing concern to the government, which will launch an AIDS awareness campaign targeting the population in the coming weeks. Brazil said that fears that AIDS could wipe out the population were exaggerated, though it noted that a major education project was needed.
Indonesia Against Condoms to Stem AIDS -- Minister: Reuters (11/06/96); The use of condoms to curb the spread of HIV will not be advocated by the Indonesian government because the practice is not culturally appropriate, Health Minister Suydi said. The Antara news agency quoted Suydi as telling a meeting of the Indonesian Medical Association that the most suitable method for us is counse
HIV-Positive Johnson Lives Life His Way: USA Today (11/06/96) P. 1C; Carter, Kelly; This week marks the fifth anniversary of Earvin Magic Johnson s announcement that he was HIV-positive and that he would not submit to the virus. Although he said I m going to beat it, he was unconvincing to many. At that particular time you just thought of [HIV] as a death warrant, said Byron Scott, who was Jo
More Than $10,000 Raised for Pediatric AIDS Clinic: Baltimore Sun (11/06/96) P. 3B; A benefit concert at Greater Grace World Outreach in Baltimore raised more than $10,000 Saturday for the Maryland Pediatric AIDS clinic. The clinic is Maryland s largest comprehensive service provider for children of HIV-infected women.
Hospital Is Offering Free HIV Tests for Young People: Philadelphia Inquirer (11/06/96) P. B2; A Philadelphia clinic will begin, on Nov. 12, to offer free and anonymous HIV tests to people aged 12 to 24. The Primary Care Center at Cobbs Creek, a satellite clinic operated by Children s Hospital of Philadelphia, will provide testing and counseling on Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The goal of the program is to
Calif. DMV Sued for Denial of "HIV POS" License Tag: Baltimore Sun (11/06/96) P. 2A; A California man with AIDS is suing the state s Department of Motor Vehicles for $5 million after his request for a license plate reading HIV POS was denied. DMV spokesman Evan Nossoff said the request was denied because it would be offensive to a significant number of Californians and insensitive to many people w
Limit on Affirmative Action Heads for Win in California: Washington Post (11/06/96) P. B12; Havemann, Judith; Among 91 ballot initiatives decided Tuesday were proposals in California and Arizona to legalize the medical use of marijuana. Arizona voters approved the measure and exit polls indicated that California voters would also. The California proposal, which would allow patients and defined care givers to possess or cu
Adventuring to Fight AIDS: Women's Sports+Fitness (10/96) P. 25; AIDS education is an adventure. That might be a fitting motto for Michael E. Coyne, head of Expedition Outreach. Coyne, his wife Christine, and other members of the group have undertaken a series of adventures aimed at educating people about AIDS and HIV prevention, as well as raising funds for the AIDS Action Commi
A Black-and-White Approach to AIDS: Across the Board (10/96) Vol. 133, No. 9, P. 63; A 1995 study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 54 percent of workplaces with at least 750 employees have had a worker with HIV or AIDS. The CDC provides sample workplace policies to advise companies on managing issues related to the disease. The agency also offers a Manager s Kit, i
Progesterone Implants Enhance SIV Vaginal Transmission and Early Virus Load: Nature Medicine (10/96) Vol. 2, No. 10, P. 1084; Marx, Preston A.; Spira, Alexander I.; Gettie, Agegnehu; et al.; Genital HIV transmission in women is thought to be influenced by progesterone, a hormone which causes changes in the vaginal epithelium, vaginal pH, and cervical mucus. Epidemiological studies have yielded inconclusive results about the impact of hormonal contraceptives on HIV transmission. To test the relationship,
President Takes His Final Campaign to Where Quest Began: Boston Globe (11/04/96) P. A10; Wilkie, Curtis; President Clinton has kept up a rapid pace during the final days of his campaign, traveling from coast to coast speaking about the healthy economy and his bridge to the 21st century. In a recent speech in Oakland, Calif., Clinton pointed to advances in medical science. We now know how to move drugs and mix drugs i
Battle to the Death?: Washington Times (11/05/96) P. B6; Companies in the viatical settlements business are at odds over the implications of a new law that allows individuals with terminal illnesses to sell their life-insurance policies tax-free. At the same time, advances in the treatment of AIDS have dramatically changed the business. Independent viatical companies are
New Director Out of Job at Action AIDS: Philadelphia Inquirer (11/05/96) P. B2; Burling, Stacey; Billy S. Jones, chosen two weeks ago by the board of directors of Action AIDS to run the Philadelphia AIDS service agency, was removed from the position Sunday. The board met with Jones to discuss a report published Friday in the Philadelphia Gay News that said that Jones was sentenced to jail in 1985 for embezzling
Restoring Parental Responsibility: Wall Street Journal (11/05/96) P. A22; Parental rights and responsibilities have become a hot political issue, and they are being debated from the presidential race to a Colorado ballot initiative, according to a New York Times editorial. The proposal in Colorado would limit how far schools and governments can go against the wishes of parents in areas lik
'Cocktail' Therapies Offer Hope in AIDS Battle: Baltimore Sun (11/05/96) P. 7A; A triple combination of AIDS drugs is dramatically delaying the progression of the disease among European patients, doctors reported at a conference in England Monday. Dr. Ian Weller of London s Middlesex Hospital noted that we are talking about a 40 [percent] to 50 percent reduction in mortality, and that the bene
Across the USA: Rhode Island: USA Today (11/05/96) P. 10A; In Rhode Island, a state Education Department task force made up of parents and educators has proposed a sex education plan that would include teaching kindergartners about AIDS and demonstrating condom use to ninth-graders.
Success of AIDS Drug Has Merck Fighting to Keep Up the Pace: Wall Street Journal (11/05/96) P. A1; Tanouye, Elyse; Merck s AIDS drug Crixivan , which won the FDA s fastest approval ever, is now so popular that the company is having difficulty keeping up with demand. About 90,000 patients worldwide are already taking the drug, and demand is expected to increase as more s
Kemped Out: Village Voice (10/29/96) Vol. 41, No. 44, P. 8; Schoofs, Mark; Despite the GOP s depiction of Jack Kemp as an advocate for the poor, AIDS activists remember his role in barring people with AIDS from federal housing programs for the handicapped in 1990. Under Kemp s leadership, the Department of Housing and Urban Development refused to include AIDS as a disability, making people w
Grievance Filed in TB Case: Federal Times (10/28/96) Vol. 32, No. 38, P. 4; Rivenbark, Leigh; A prison union local claims that management at an Allenwood, Pa., federal prison was negligent in protecting employees from an inmate with tuberculosis (TB). Last March, eight employees at the facility tested positive for exposure to the disease. However, the exposure was only recognized after an inmate was admitted
HIV Prevention in Developed Countries: Lancet (10/26/96) Vol. 348, No. 9035, P. 1143; Coates, Thomas J.; Aggleton, Peter; Gutzwiller, Felix; et al.; While significant advances have been made in treating AIDS, strategies to prevent the spread of HIV remain critical to combating the disease. Dr. Thomas J. Coates, of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues review, in the Lancet, the successes and failures of HIV prevention strategies throughout t
India-Health: Illegal AIDS Vaccine Test Worries...: IPS Wire (10/31/96); An illegal clinical trial of an AIDS vaccine in India , made public by a newspaper reporter a year ago, has been more fully described in a citizen s report by an AIDS discrimination group. The trial was conducted by a U.S.-based doctor of Indian origin with the aid of a controversial
Morrison Raising Funds, Questions: Boston Globe (11/02/96) P. G2; Borges, Ron; Tommy Morrison defends his decision to return to boxing, despite the fact that he has HIV, based on the fact that he feels healthy. It s a dormant virus. It s not doing anything to me. I feel perfectly fine, but people expect me to be 120 pounds and dying, he said. Although Morrison said he initially felt hopeles
Louisiana Race for Senate Going Down to the Wire: USA Today (11/04/96) P. 12A; Hall, Mimi; In Louisiana, Republican Louis Woody Jenkins, a former state representative, is facing Democrat Mary Landrieu, former state treasurer, in one of the closest Senate races this year. In a recent debate, Jenkins said he opposed increased AIDS funding because 90 percent of the problem would be eliminated if gay people w
Science Votes No on California's Marijuana Plan: New York Times (11/04/96) P. A26; Rosenthal, Mitchell S.; The legalization of marijuana for medical use is not supported by scientific evidence and could be dangerous, contends Dr. Mitchell S. Rosenthal, president of Phoenix House, a drug treatment facility in Los Angeles. In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, he says that there is no scientific proof that mariju
Foreman and Morrison Earn the Right to Fight Again: New York Times (11/04/96) P. C7; Pollack, Andrew; Both George Foreman and the HIV-positive heavyweight Tommy Morrison beat their opponents, Crawford Grimsley and Marcus Rhode, respectively, in Sunday s fights in Tokyo. Morrison said the fight will improve acceptance of HIV-positive boxers. This is a dangerous thing, no doubt about it, he said. But we re trying t
The Changing Face of AIDS: New York Times (11/04/96) P. A26; The AIDS rate is rising in the black community, and will continue to be a serious threat until black leaders and citizens recognize the problem, according to an editorial in the New York Times. Black leaders met at a conference last month to address the problem and the denial among many in the black community. AIDS n
Merck Delays AIDS Drug's Distribution in Pharmacies Until Sometime in 1997: Wall Street Journal (11/04/96) P. B6; Tanouye, Elyse; Merck s new AIDS drug Crixivan will not be available in retail pharmacies at the end of this year, as the company had planned, due to production limitations and higher-than expected demand. Wider distribution of the drug, which was approved in March, will
New Web Site Highlights HIV/AIDS Workplace Issues: CDC National AIDS Clearinghouse (11/01/96); The CDC Business Responds to AIDS and Labor Responds to AIDS Program (BRTA/LRTA) has established a new World Wide Web site located at http://www.brta-lrta.org. The BRTA/LRTA programs help large and small businesses and labor organizations meet the challenges of HIV/AIDS in the workplace and in the community. This Web
Hanoi Gears Up for Growing AIDS Threat: Lancet (10/26/96) Vol. 348, No. 9035, P. 1162; Ivker, Robert; An estimated 1 percent of Vietnam s population will be infected with HIV by the end of the year, officials say. The disease is expected to have an especially harmful effect on the economy because almost half of those infected are between 15 and 24 years old. In September, officials from the
The Effects of Preparations of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin on AIDS-Related Kaposi's Sarcoma: New England Journal of Medicine (10/24/96) Vol. 335, No. 17, P. 1261; Gill, Parkash, S.; Lunardi-Iskandar, Yanto; Louie, Stan; et al.; Previous studies have shown that Kaposi s sarcoma, the most common cancer in AIDS patients, can be inhibited in vitro and in immunodeficient mice by treatment with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Dr. Parkash S. Gill, of the University of Southern California, and colleagues recently tested the effect in humans by
AIDS Office Gets Budget Increase; Sets New Research Priorities: Reuters (10/30/96); The new budget for the Office of AIDS Research (OAR) increased more than the budget for the National Institutes of Health as a whole, according to Dr. William H. Paul, director of the OAR. Funding for federal AIDS research will increase from $1.4 billion in fiscal year 1996 to $1.5 billion in the fiscal year that beg
Reliable Source: Now You Know: Washington Post (11/01/96) P. D3; Groer, Annie; Gerhart, Ann; Bob Hattoy, the special assistant at the Interior Department who spoke about living with AIDS at the 1992 Democratic National Convention, celebrated his 45th birthday Thursday night at an AIDS education fund-raiser in New York. Hattoy had not expected to live long in 1992, but noted that new drugs, love, and hope h
Ban on Pill Encourages Abortions: Washington Times (11/01/96) P. A17; Witter, Willis; Abortion remains one of Japan s most widely used methods of birth control, in part because birth control pills are still illegal, health experts say. Officials in the health ministry have said the pill has not been approved because of concerns about safety, that it could encourage promiscuity, or promote the spread o
A Few Notables Back Marijuana Initiative: Boston Globe (10/31/96) P. A33; Among those who have contributed to the campaign for a ballot measure to legalize marijuana for medical use in California are George Soros and Laurance Rockefeller. The measure would allow marijuana to be used by people with cancer, AIDS, and other illnesses if recommended by a physician. Billionaire currency trader
Clinton Gets Direct in Criticizing Challenger: Washington Post (11/01/96) P. A20; Baker, Peter; As the presidential campaign winds down, President Clinton is increasingly attacking challenger Robert J. Dole and the Republican Congress. In an appearance in Tempe, Ariz., on Thursday, Clinton criticized Dole for actions he said would hurt children, the elderly, and the disabled. At an appearance in Oakland, Calif
Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests for Tuberculosis: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (11/01/96) Vol. 45, No. 43,; A nucleic acid amplification (NAA) test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, the Amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis Direct Test (MTD), was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for clinical use. The test, which uses transcription-mediated amplification to detect M. tuberculosis -complex ribosomal
Helping Children With AIDS: Washington Post (11/01/96) P. A24; Grahm, Jim; Washington, D.C. s Whitman-Walker Clinic does indeed serve children with AIDS by providing housing for families with AIDS and serving pregnant women with HIV, writes clinic director Jim Graham in a letter to the editor of the Washington Post. Graham is responding to a previous letter which said the clinic did not serv
Biogen Inc.: A Hepatitis Antigen Patent Is Ruled Invalid in Britain: Wall Street Journal (11/01/96) P. B4; One of two Biogen patents for hepatitis B antigen was found to be invalid by Britain s House of Lords, but the company s chief executive said the ruling will not significantly affect Biogen s earnings. Based on the ruling, the challenger, Medeva, will eventually be able to sell a hepatitis vaccine in the
Global Epidemics, Close to Home: U.S. News & World Report (10/28/96) Vol. 121, No. 17, P. 41; Brink, Susan; Coleman, Dana; The global resurgence of infectious diseases is attributed to war, migration, tourism, and other aspects of modern life. Tuberculosis kills 3 million people a year, compared to the AIDS toll of 1 million. Measles claims the lives of about 1 million children each year, far more than any of the new diseases, such as th
Glaxo's AIDS Ammo: Business Week (10/21/96) No. 3498, P. 52; Flynn, Julia; Glaxo Wellcome , the London-based pharmaceutical company that makes Epivir and AZT , is expected to control more than 50 percent of the world s $1.3 bi
Chinese Urged to Donate Blood Free of Charge: Reuters (10/30/96); In an attempt to improve the safety of the blood supply in China and to make up for a shortage of donated blood, Chinese health officials are urging people to start giving blood for free. The Red Cross Society of China has thus initiated a blood drive to encourage donors to give blo
Needle Exchange Aims at Reducing Spread of HIV: Detroit News (); Pipp, Tracy L.; The first needle exchange program in Detroit will begin Dec.1, with the hope of reducing HIV incidence among drug users, their sexual partners, and children. The program, called Life Points, will begin with two sites. Registered participants will be issued an identification card, which will exempt them from prosecut
The Reliable Source: Now You Know: Washington Post (10/31/96) P. B3; Groer, Annie; Gerhart, Ann; The Episcopal Caring Response to AIDS benefit will be held Saturday night at Washington, DC s Loew s L Enfant Plaza Hotel. Among items to be sold are: a gingerbread replica of the National Cathedral, a garden basket with a box of Miracle- Gro autographed by actor-spokesman James Whitmore, and boxing gloves signed by S
Boxing: New Foe for Morrison: New York Times (10/31/96) P. B22; A new opponent has been found for the HIV-positive heavyweight Tommy Morrison, after Anthony Cooks, his planned foe for Saturday s bout, was forced to return to Oklahoma where he was wanted by law enforcement officials. Morrison is now scheduled to face Marcus Rhode in Tokyo on the undercard of the George Foreman-Cra
Plan for Sale of D.C. Corrections Unit Blasted at Hearing: Washington Post (10/31/96) P. D3; Pierre, Robert E.; A proposal to privatize Washington, D.C. s Correctional Treatment Facility does not adequately provide specifics on staffing and medical treatment of prisoners, the vice chairman of the Medical Society of the District of Columbia told city lawmakers Wednesday. Dr. Michael G. Michaelson, said the proposed contract doe
Columbia Company Files for Bankruptcy: Washington Post (10/31/96) P. E1; Knight, Jerry; Novatek International, a Columbia, Md.-based medical supply company that is currently being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has filed for bankruptcy protection. Trading of the company s stock was recently stopped on the Nasdaq market because of the SEC probe and other possible irregulari
Small Stock Focus: Cel-Sci: Wall Street Journal (10/31/96) P. C7; Shares of Cel-Sci gained 11 percent to close at 5.125 in Wednesday s Nasdaq trading after the company reported that preliminary data of a Phase I safety study of the HGP-30 AIDS vaccine showed it to be safe in HIV-positive patients.
Drug May Lift T-Cells, a Key in AIDS Battle: Wall Street Journal (10/31/96) P. B1; Waldholz, Michael; A team of government researchers may have discovered a way to boost levels of the immune system s T-cells to help the body fight off HIV infection. Studies at the National Institutes of Health, published in today s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, show that a genetically engineered version of interleukin
The 1,000-Year Lawsuit: Forbes (10/21/96) Vol. 158, No. 10, P. 166; Adams, Susan; Harold Nix, a lawyer representing 3,328 people in a lawsuit who claim they were infected with chemical AIDS while working in a Texas steel plant, says the suit is a means for him to help the poor. Nix says the condition, which has never been recognized by the medical community, was caused by a large toxic cloud tha
Weed the People: People (10/21/96) Vol. 46, No. 17, P. 75; Rist, Curtis; Harrison, Laird; Dennis Peron, who founded San Francisco s Cannabis Buyers Club and is leading the effort to legalize the medical use of marijuana in California, said he came to appreciate the drug s medical value when his lover, Jonathon West, was sick with AIDS. Marijuana improved West s appetite and reduced his pain, he said. Pero
Needle Exchanges Endorsed by Study That Lacks Key Data: Washington Times (10/28/96) P. A3; Trotta, Liz; Although a new study has concluded that New York City s needle exchange program significantly reduced the rate of AIDS among drug users, critics note that a large number of drug users withdrew from the four-year program and are not accounted for in the final report. The study, led by Don Des Jarlais of Beth Israel Me
Baring Teeth in the Drug War: New York Times (10/30/96) P. A21; Shenk, Joshua Wolf; In a column in the New York Times, Joshua Wolf Shenk, a writer for the Economist, lists the differences between current drug- fighting proposals offered by President Clinton and those offered by Ronald Reagan as President in 1986. Clinton s proposals are much more severe, Shenk says, because the drug problem is more
Boxing: Principals Discuss the Morrison Bout: New York Times (10/30/96) P. B16; Anthony Cooks, the heavyweight who will fight the HIV-positive boxer Tommy Morrison on Sunday in Japan , told the match s referee, Frank Garza, that he finally told his girlfriend he was going to fight Morrison. She just told me to be careful, and she would pray for me, Cooks said
BioChem Pharma Shares Returning to Health: Toronto Globe and Mail (10/29/96) P. B18; Northfield, Stephen; A patent dispute over BioChem Pharma s AIDS drug 3TC has brought down the company s stocks, but, thanks to a consensus, BioChem will prevail--combined with strong sales of 3TC--a recovery is underway. The drug, licensed to marketing partner
Novatek Asks Bankruptcy Protection: Baltimore Sun (10/30/96) P. 1C; Just a week after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) suspended trading of its stock, Novatek International, the Columbia, MD-based medical equipment company, has filed for bankruptcy protection. The SEC said it was evaluating the company s assets and the accuracy of its claims about contracts it had signed
Systemix's Independent Directors Reject Sandoz Offer: New York Times (10/30/96) P. D4; Systemix, which develops gene therapies for cancer, AIDS, and genetic diseases, has rejected Sandoz s offer to acquire the rest of the company for about $67 million. Sandoz, which already owns 73 percent of Systemix, made the unsolicited offer in May, spurring a 71 percent rise in Systemix shares.
Yet Another Sex Difference Found: Gaining Relief From a Painkiller: New York Times (10/30/96) P. C12; Angier, Natalie; Men and women experience pain very differently, suggest researchers at the University of California in a new study in the November issue of Nature Medicine. Jon D. Levine and colleagues say that clinicians should consider gender when prescribing pain medications. The researchers point to the robust response in women
Medical Marijuana Use Winning Support: New York Times (10/30/96) P. A12; Goldberg, Carey; Although several U.S. political leaders have criticized the California initiative that would legalize marijuana for medical uses, polls show that voters in the state favor the policy. Proposition 215 would require a doctor s recommendation for marijuana use by patients with AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, or any other illn
Medical Marijuana: The State of Research: AIDS Treatment News (10/28/96) No. 257, P. 1; Mirken, Bruce; The recent controversy over the medical use of marijuana in California has sparked renewed interest in research about the drug s benefits and risks for patients with AIDS and other conditions. For years, the U.S. government has classified marijuana as a drug with much potential for abuse and no medical benefit, and d
Prevention of HIV Infection in Developing Countries: Lancet (10/19/96) Vol. 348, No. 9034, P. 1071; d'Cruz-Grote, Doris; Programs aimed at curbing the spread of HIV through heterosexual contact in developing countries are increasingly important, because such transmissions account for 70 percent to 80 percent of all HIV cases in the developing world, notes German researcher Doris d Cruz-Grote in the Lancet. Current prevention strategies
Banned Works Up Ante for ARTcetera: Boston Globe (10/28/96) P. C5; Temin, Christine; The ARTcetera auction held Saturday night at Boston s International Place raised $400,000 for the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, breaking the record of $260,000 set for the biannual event in 1994. More than 300 works were on display in a public preview, but eight artworks were temporarily censored last week,
One Man's Race Against AIDS: New York Times (10/27/96) P. 5; Longman, Jere; Although Jim Howley, 35, was diagnosed with AIDS at the age of 28, he has become an intense athlete, and has completed 36 triathlons and several marathons. Howley takes a drug cocktail that includes AZT and a protease inhibitor, and, over the past year, ha
Morrison Pleads Guilty to Firearm Charge: New York Times (10/29/96) P. B8; HIV-positive heavyweight Tommy Morrison was fined $100, given a six-month suspended sentence, and ordered to spend 30 hours talking to students about AIDS after he pleaded guilty to transporting a loaded firearm in Jay, Okla. Morrison could have faced a six-month jail sentence. Earlier this year, a loaded .22 calibe
Chemical Cleanup Under Way at Lab: Richmond Times-Dispatch (10/29/96) P. B5; Springston, Rex; While checking out a break-in in early October, police found that the deserted site of Applied Science Laboratories in Richmond, Va., contained hazardous chemicals, low-level radioactive waste, and blood that may be infected with HIV. Now, the Environmental Protection Agency is overseeing the site s cleanup, which sta
All-Gay Rugby Club Accepted in Britain: Washington Post (10/29/96) P. D2; Britain s first all-gay rugby team, the King s Cross Steelers, has been accepted by the Surrey Rugby Football Union. Rob Hayward, club chairman, said that despite suggestions that other teams would be reluctant to oppose the club for fear of contracting HIV, opponents have not been hard to find. Some of the people
Brazil to Offer Patients Free AIDS Drug 'Cocktail': Miami Herald (10/28/96) P. 1A; Ellison, Katherine; AIDS patients in Brazil will be able to receive, starting in November, combination drug treatments including the expensive new protease inhibitors . Officials say they will buy the drugs, which can cost up to $12,000 per patient
Three GOP Freshmen Advance Agenda, Even as Revolution Falters: Wall Street Journal (10/28/96) P. A1; Farney, Dennis; Tom Coburn, a doctor from Oklahoma, was one of three Republican freshmen congressmen, all Christian conservatives, who shared a townhouse in Washington, D.C., and banded together to advance conservative social legislation. Coburn claims that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is suppressing an invisible
Across the USA: Florida, New Jersey: USA Today (10/29/96) P. 7A; Beginning next year, students starting seventh grade in Florida schools will be required to receive shots for measles, tetanus-diptheria, and hepatitis B, health officials announced. In Camden, New Jersey, meanwhile, free AIDS tests are being offered by the Area Health Education Center. New Jersey has the fifth-high
AIDS in a Medical Intensive Care Unit: Journal of the American Medical Association (10/16/96) Vol. 276, No. 15, P. 1240; Lazard, Thierry; Retel, Oliver; Guidet, Bertrand; et al.; Because AIDS is a terminal illness, the benefit of admitting an AIDS patient to a hospital s medical intensive care unit (MICU) is questionable. To help doctors decide if an AIDS patient should be admitted to the MICU, Dr. Thierry Lazard, of the Hospital Saint-Antoine in Paris, and colleagues, studied the cases of 12
The Relation of Virologic and Immunologic Markers to Clinical Outcomes After Nucleoside Therapy in HIV-Infected Adults With 200 to 500 CD4 Cells per Cubic Millimeter: New England Journal of Medicine (10/10/96) Vol. 335, No. 15, P. 1091; Katzenstein, David A.; Hammer, Scott M.; Hughes, Michael Katzenstein, David A.; Assessing the level of HIV RNA in the plasma is commonly used to monitor the activity of antiviral drugs. David Katzenstein, of the Stanford University Medical Center, and colleagues, examined changes in this measurement, along with CD4 cell counts, and viral phenotype, to determine the relation of these factors to c
S. African AIDS Infection Rate Spiraling: Reuters (10/25/96); Mnyandu, Ellis; With one of the world s fastest-growing HIV rates, South Africa could have 5 million cases of infection by the year 2000. Clive Evian, director of a Johannesburg-based AIDS unit, said on Friday that the HIV infection rate for the country s sexually active population, currently be
On the Record: Richard Klausner: Chicago Tribune (10/27/96) P. 2-3; Schreuder, Cindy; In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Richard Klausner, director of the National Cancer Institute, said that cancer research and AIDS research have enhanced each other because advances against AIDS have been based on studies of the viral causes of cancer. He also said that, while he does not think cancer will eve
Voice in Wilderness Challenges AIDS Apathy: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (10/25/96) P. 5D; Freeman, Gregory; Erise Williams Jr., executive director of the St. Louis organization Blacks Assisting Blacks Against AIDS, says his attempts to raise AIDS awareness in the African-American community have been largely ignored. A conference of black leaders from across the country was held last week by the Harvard AIDS Institute and o
China Bans Item Tainted With HIV: Houston Chronicle (10/25/96) P. 31A; A common blood product has been banned in China because it was found to be contaminated with HIV. On Thursday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry officially confirmed earlier reports that vials of Wolongsong brand blood albumin was tainted. The news comes as health officials are raising
Boxing: Magic Criticizes Morrison's Return: Chicago Tribune (10/26/96) P. 3-2; Magic Johnson said he would not support the return of heavyweight Tommy Morrison, who is HIV-positive, to boxing, because of the risk involved. I feel that he shouldn t be doing it because it s a blood sport, Johnson said. If something were to happen, it would set the fight [against HIV and AIDS] back five to ten
'When AIDS Hits Home': Washington Post (10/28/96) P. A20; Hager, Christine J.; In a letter to the editor of the Washington Post, Christine J. Hagar of Rockville, Md. takes issue with some implications made in a recent Post article about the current state of the AIDS epidemic. She objects to the comparison of federal spending on heart disease and spending on AIDS, arguing that heart disease has
It Turns Out Novatek Bought a New Owner: Washington Post--Washington Business (10/28/96) P. 31; Knight, Jerry; A press release from Novatek International incorrectly reported last week that the medical supply company would acquire Medical Products, when in fact Medical Products has acquired Novatek. `Management attributes this error to the complexity of the transaction, as well as to the complexity of accounting rules governin
Loss Grows to $14.5 Million Amid Outlays for Viracept: Wall Street Journal (10/28/96) P. B3; Agouron Pharmaceuticals reported a net loss of $14.5 million for the third-quarter, compared to a net loss of $2.5 million for the same period last year. Higher costs related to the development and commercialization of Agouron s anti-HIV drug
Danish Court Awards Hemophiliac: Lancet (10/12/96) Vol. 348, No. 9033, P. 1024; Skovmand, Kaare; The Danish health authorities must pay a Danish hemophiliac with HIV some $42,000, the country s Supreme Court decided in a surprising verdict. The patient contracted HIV in 1985 via an imported blood product that had not been heat-treated. The court ruled that the health authorities should have warned the doctors n
A Multi-Institutional Outbreak of Highly Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis: Journal of the American Medical Association (10/15/96) Vol. 276, No. 15, P. 1229; Frieden, Thomas R.; Sherman, Lisa Fine; Maw, Khin Lay; et al.; The emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) in the United States is a serious health threat, and multidrug- resistant strains are particularly difficult to treat and often deadly. Several outbreaks of multidrug-resistant TB have involved one strain, labeled strain W, and have occ
Addicts Account for New HIV Surge in Russia: Itar Wire Service (10/25/96); Although HIV first appeared in Russia in a small segment of the homosexual population, the virus is now increasingly infecting drug addicts, a health official says. Alexander Golimusov, Health Ministry senior infection expert, notes that while only three cases of HIV infection wer
Fanfare: Boxing: Washington Post (10/25/96) P. C2; Heavyweight Tommy Morrison, who tested positive for HIV in February, announced that he would fight in Tokyo on Nov. 3 on the undercard of the George Foreman-Crawford Grimsley fight. Morrison will likely face Anthony Cooks. According to a provision in his contract, the fight will end if Morrison suffers any heavy blee
Don't Underestimate Infectious Diseases: Washington Post (10/25/96) P. A24; Black, Robert E.; Simon, Jonathon; Infectious diseases are a serious health threat and demand both attention and resources, contend Robert E. Black of Johns Hopkins Medical School, and Jonathon Simon of the Harvard Institute for International Development, in a letter to the editor of the Washington Post. Specifically, the authors take issue with a Pos
Abreast of the Market: Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Baxter International: Wall Street Journal (10/25/96) P. C2; O'Brien, Robert; Shares of Agouron Pharmaceuticals rose 4.5 to 54.25 in Thursday s stock market trading after the drug firm announced it would file for FDA marketing approval of its HIV protease inhibitor Vi
Judge Rejects Appeal By Johnson & Johnson on an AIDS Test Kit: Wall Street Journal (10/25/96) P. B2; Johnson & Johnson s appeal of an arbitrator s order to turn over rights to its HIV home test kit to former executive Elliott Millenson was rejected Thursday by a New Jersey judge. Millenson, who developed the test kit independently in the late 1980s and sold it to Johnson & Johnson, was hired by the company to
CDC Issues Warning About Anti-AIDS Drugs 'Cocktail': Reuters (10/24/96); Morgan, David; Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned physicians on Thursday that protease inhibitors , used in a new cocktail of anti-AIDS drugs, are ineffective when given with rifamycin derivatives, which are used to treat mycobacterial infections
China Concedes Blood Product Contained AIDS Virus: New York Times (10/25/96) P. A3; Tyler, Patrick E.; Two years after initial reports by journalists claimed that a common blood product made by a Chinese military-run factory was infected with HIV, China s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that some samples of the product have tested positive for the virus. Earlier this year, China s Ministry of Public Health ordered state
Drug Makers' AIDS Offer Gains Support: New York Times (10/25/96) P. D7; More than 90 percent of the hemophiliacs who contracted HIV through tainted blood products have accepted a $640 million settlement offered by the pharmaceutical companies involved. Under the agreement, each person would receive about $100,000. The companies must decide by Nov. 22 if they will agree to the deal and fac
Zidovudine Alone or in Combination With Didanosine or Zalcitabine in HIV-Infected Patients With the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or Fewer Than 200 CD4 Cells per Cubic Millimeter: New England Journal of Medicine (10/10/96) Vol. 335, No. 15, P. 1199; Saravolatz, Louis D.; Winslow, Dean L.; Research has shown that a combination of zidovudine with either didanosine or zalcitabine is more effective against HIV than zidovudine alone. To determine if the combination is also more effective at delaying HIV progression, researchers compared the outcome of the therapies in 1,102 patients with AIDS or severe imm
HIV Incidence Among Injecting Drug Users in New York City Syringe-Exchange Programs: Lancet (10/12/96) Vol. 348, No. 9033, P. 987; Des Jarlais, Don C.; Marmor, Michael; Paone, Denise; et al.; Although previous studies have shown that syringe-exchange programs reduce the rates of HIV risk behavior among injection -drug users, and do not increase illegal drug use, no evidence has been found that participating in an exchange program lowers an individual drug user s HIV risk. Researchers, led by Don C. Des Ja
UPI Science News: [Blood Substitute May Reduce Risk of Viral Transmission]: United Press International (10/23/96); Wasowicz, Lidia; A blood substitute made from human red blood cells could provide a safe alternative to blood transfusions for critically ill patients, researchers said Wednesday. Dr. Eric Bloomfield of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation told participants at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists that diaspirin
Japan Tobacco Says US Partner to Seek FDA's HIV Drug Approval: Reuters (10/24/96); Japan Tobacco announced that its partner, Agouron Pharmaceuticals, will apply for FDA clearance of Viracept by the first quarter of 1997. The drug, a
Science & Health Bulletin: AIDS Chemical Condoms: PANA Wire Service (10/23/96); Kayaya, Musengwa; Chemical condoms, or vaginal microbicides, are currently being tested in Cote d Ivoire , Benin , and Thailand , in studies supported by the United Nations Program on AIDS (
Controversial Art Back on Display: Chicago Tribune (10/23/96) P. 1-4; Photographs depicting male couples will remain on display at Boston s International Place, after a ban on certain works was lifted on Tuesday. The works are among 325 to be auctioned Saturday in the lobby of the building as part of an AIDS benefit.
Scaring the Public About AIDS, HIV and Immigration for No Reason: Washington Times (10/24/96) P. A18; Meissner, Doris M.; In a letter to the editor of the Washington Times, Doris Meissner, commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), objects to a Times article that made the issue of asylum for people with HIV appear controversial. She claims that the issue is not controversial, and that the INS considers all claims
AIDS Victims' Housing: Houston Chronicle (10/23/96) P. 18A; Ground-breaking ceremonies were held Monday for a 50-unit apartment complex in Houston for AIDS patients and their families. The project is being funded with $1.3 million from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department and $1.5 million from the city of Houston. The complex is expected to be finished next year
Study Questions Ending Anonymous HIV Testing: Washington Times (10/24/96) P. A10; Ending anonymous HIV testing in North Carolina could result in fewer people getting tested, a study in today s issue of the American Journal of Public Health suggests. The study found that more people sought tests in counties where names were not reported to state health officials. North Carolina health officials ar
A Pregnancy Hormone Is Found to Reduce an AIDS Cancer: New York Times (10/24/96) P. A24; Altman, Lawrence K.; Injections of a hormone produced during pregnancy can shrink the skin tumors of Kaposi s sarcoma, the most frequent form of cancer among AIDS patients, researchers report today in the New England Journal of Medicine. Parkash S. Gill of the University of Southern California School of Medicine in Los Angeles and collea
A Reluctant Campaigner: Newsweek (10/21/96) Vol. 128, No. 17, P. 36; Kosova, Weston; Klaidman, Daniel; Gen. Barry McCaffrey, President Clinton s drug czar since last year, is more interested in long-term solutions to the drug problem than campaigning for Clinton s re-election. He believes that drug use can be diminished more effectively through long-term prevention and treatment programs, rather than through incarcera
Here's the Straight Dope: Newsweek (10/21/96) Vol. 128, No. 17, P. 37; Klaidman, Daniel; While Bob Dole s charges about the rise in drug use during the Clinton administration have received a lot of attention during the presidential campaign, his claims may be misleading, writes Daniel Klaidman in Newsweek. The proportion of teens using marijuana rose from 4 percent in 1992 to 8.2 percent last year, accor
New Surveillance Tool Introduced for Global Monitoring of HIV- 1 Variants: Reuters (10/22/96); A new method has been developed to determine more easily the type of HIV-1 that is in a contaminated blood sample. Sharon Cassol of the University of Ottawa and other Canadian researchers report that their method, which involves collecting a blood sample on paper and mailing it to a laboratory for analysis, avoids th
HIV Perinatal Transmission Risk Not Affected by Infection Outcome of Previous Siblings: Reuters (10/22/96); The risk that a woman will transmit HIV to a child does not increase with time, according to researchers at Emory University. In the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal, Dr. Steven Nesheim and colleagues report on a study of 114 HIV- positive women who gave birth to at least two children after becoming infected. Amo
Survey: Congress Hopefuls Lean to Drug Prevention: USA Today (10/23/96) P. 3A; Johnson, Kevin; Prevention is the favored tool among many Republican and Democratic congressional candidates for reducing teen drug use, in contrast to the enforcement methods favored by their parties presidential candidates. A new survey, conducted by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, found that 65 percent of the 1,00
ADA's Miseries and Accommodations: Washington Times (10/23/96) P. A15; Germer, Fawn; Critics of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) argue that measures needed for compliance are too costly and time- consuming, but supporters say that the changes are fair and necessary. The ADA prohibits employment and public access discrimination against disabled people--including those who use wheelchairs, the
USA Snapshots: AIDS in the Workplace: USA Today (10/23/96) P. 1B; Employees at about one in six companies are offered HIV/AIDS education, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s Business Responds to AIDS Program. Only about 6 percent of companies with less than 50 employees offered employee AIDS education, compared to 32 percent of companies with at least 750
Study of Access to Medical Care Finds Outlook Remains Grim for Uninsured: Wall Street Journal (10/23/96) P. B9; Winslow, Ron; As many as 17 million adults have difficulty getting the medical care they need or struggle to pay for it when care is obtained, a new study has found. Researchers at Harvard University report in today s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association that 15 percent of
Helping Kids With HIV: Washington Post (10/23/96) P. A22; Brodsky, Marian; Washington, D.C. s Whitman-Walker AIDS Clinic does not serve children with HIV, claims Marian Brodsky, of Children s National Medical Center in a letter to the editor of the Washington Post. Brodsky, who serves as hospital volunteer coordinator of Project CHAMP (Children s HIV/AIDS Model Program), takes issue with a r
Blacks Urged to Act to Increase Awareness of the AIDS Epidemic: New York Times (10/23/96) P. A16; Rimer, Sara; Black leaders representing government, academia, religion, and medicine met Tuesday at Harvard University to urge African- Americans to take action against the spread of HIV. Henry Louis Gates, chairman of Afro-American studies at Harvard, told the group that our people, our leaders, our culture, have long been in de
The Great Fellatio Debate: How Safe is Oral Sex?: Village Voice (10/15/96) Vol. 41, No. 42, P. 25; Schoofs, Mark; As the level of HIV risk involved in oral sex is debated by researchers and health experts and contradicting studies are reported, the public is left in confusion. It is known that oral sex is less risky than anal or vaginal sex; however, no one can say what that risk level is. At the International Conference on AID
New Hemoglobin From Old Blood: Business Week (10/14/96) No. 3497, P. 88; Stodghill, Ron, II; A substitute for hemoglobin--the component of red blood cells that carries oxygen--could help relieve the high demand for donated blood. Several companies have been developing potential blood substitutes, and Baxter International received Food and Drug Administration approval in June to start Phase III trials of its
Can HIV-1 Transmission be Prevented During Pregnancy and Labor?: Lancet (10/12/96) Vol. 348, No. 9033, P. 1021; McCarthy, Michael; Caregivers have little control over the majority of the factors that increase the risk of mother-to-infant HIV transmission during pregnancy and delivery, according to French researchers. Laurent Mandelbrot and colleagues analyzed the pregnancy and delivery history, and the HIV-1 status at 18 months, of more than 1,6
Court Rejects Assisted Suicide Case: United Press International (10/21/96); Kirkland, Michael; California s request to the Supreme Court to speed up a review of a lower-court ruling that favors assisted suicide was rejected Monday. The Court may, however, still review the case, brought by an unidentified man with AIDS. The Court has already decided to hear similar cases from Washington state and New York.
Depression in Children With HIV-Infected Mothers May Be Overlooked: Reuters (10/21/96); Depression is a serious threat in the HIV-negative children of HIV-positive mothers, and one that is often overlooked, report researchers at Yale University medical school. Dr. Brian W.C. Forsyth and colleagues found that children with HIV-positive mothers were significantly more withdrawn, had more attention problem
Making AIDS Vaccine: United Press International (10/22/96); Wasowicz, Lidia; Researchers have found an antibody that may help protect people from contracting HIV through sexual contact. Scientists at the University of California Los Angeles, report that, in a study of 252 homosexuals, those with high levels of the antibody VH3 were more resistant to HIV infection through sexual contact than th
USA Snapshots: Why Teens Use Drugs: USA Today (10/22/96) P. 1D; One-quarter of 17-year-olds surveyed by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse say the main reason teens use drugs is because their friends do, while 49 percent of 12-year -olds said the main reason is to be cool. Other popular reasons cited included to feel good and stress relief. Overall, about 4
Concerns Grow That Doctor-Assisted Suicide Would Leave the Powerless Vulnerable: New York Times (10/20/96) P. 14; Kolata, Gina; As assisted-suicide cases move rapidly through the court system, concerns are being raised about how society would be impacted if doctors are allowed to help patients die. Opponents of assisted-suicide say society s attitudes toward people who are poor, elderly, or physically and mentally ill would become less compass
FDA Panel Advises Against Approval of Contraceptive: Washington Post (10/22/96) P. A6; Approval of a new barrier contraceptive device was not recommended by a panel of the Food and Drug Administration on Monday, due to concerns about how well the device prevents pregnancy. Yama Inc. has sought the approval for a device similar to a cervical cap, called Lea s Shield. The company had tested the device o
White House Waffles on HIV Asylum Policy: Washington Times (10/22/96) P. A1; Larson, Ruth; The White House has been criticized for being unclear on its policy of granting asylum to people with HIV. A spokesman for the White House Office of National AIDS Policy said a 1993 law barring the immigration of people with HIV still stands, but the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has reported that, at
The Utility of IgA Antibody to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 in Early Diagnosis of Vertically Transmitted Infection: Journal of the American Medical Association (10/09/96) Vol. 276, No. 14, P. 1118j; McIntosh, Kenneth; To determine the effectiveness of anti-HIV IgA antibody in identifying HIV-positive infants, researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases conducted a study of infants born to HIV-positive mothers at five centers in the United States and
False Positives: Barron's (10/14/96) Vol. 76, No. 42, P. 15; Laing, Jonathan R.; Despite the success of Novatek International, a biotechnology company, on Wall Street and an aggressive public relations campaign touting its potential, an investigation by Barron s magazine suggests that the company is involved in a stock rig. Novatek s success began in March, when it acquired the rights to market di
Zimbabwean Minister Urged Child Education on AIDS: Xinhua News Agency (10/19/96); Parents in Zimbabwe have been urged to teach their children about AIDS in hopes of helping them avoid HIV infection. We have to be frank with our children because an ignorant child is a vulnerable child, warned Timothy Stamps, Zimbabwe s Minister of Health and Child Welfare.
AIDS Campaigns in Poor States Fail Most Women: Reuters (10/18/96); Married women in developing nations are at high risk for HIV and are not being reached by HIV prevention programs, a German researcher claims in the British medical journal The Lancet. Doris D Cruz-Grote found that programs in developing countries attempt to reduce the spread of HIV by targeting prostitutes and others
Japan TV Says HIV-Positive Candidate Wins Seat: Reuters (10/20/96); An HIV-positive hemophiliac in Japan has apparently won a seat in parliament, after campaigning that he wanted to inspire others who contracted the virus through unheated blood products. If poll predictions are accurate, Satoru Ienishi, who ran in Sunday s election for the newly for
New Spermicide Unveiled in Canada: Toronto Globe and Mail (10/17/96) P. A16; Immen, Wallace; Roberts Pharmaceuticals Advantage 24, a new spermicide introduced in Canada , has the potential to be a condomless condom, physicians say. The spermicide--which is currently being tested by the United Nations AIDS program and U.S. National Institutes of Health in Africa and Asia
Morrison Hopeful: USA Today (10/21/96) P. 1C; HIV-positive fighter Tommy Morrison said his planned comeback fight in Tokyo next month would be stopped immediately for an uncontrollable cut. The heavyweight said his comeback, which would partially benefit his AIDS-awareness foundation, will consist of one or two fights.
Medical Realities: Washington Post (10/21/96) P. A18; Cohen, Murray J.; The federal guidelines proposed for animal-to-human organ transplants overlook the reality that medical care is not affordable for many Americans, claims Murray J. Cohen, in a letter to the editor of the Washington Post. Cohen questions the use of federal research funds to develop therapies that most health care cons
Phila. AIDS Walk Draws Thousands to River Drives: Philadelphia Inquirer (10/21/96) P. B1; Participants in Sunday s 10th annual Philadelphia AIDS Walk raised more than $1.3 million for 62 area AIDS organizations. `We did better than last year ... so we re ecstatic, said Steve Brown of the sponsoring organization From All Walks of Life.
If You'll Need Blood, New Options Offer Some Peace of Mind: Wall Street Journal (10/21/96) P. B1; Chase, Marilyn; New alternatives for people in need of a blood transfusion offer increased protection from HIV and other blood-borne diseases. Blood recycling, which became popular in the 1980s after tennis star Arthur Ashe and others contracted HIV from blood transfusions, can reduce or eliminate the need for a transfusion. Self-d
Tosoh Says it Has Created Way to Count Viral Particles in Blood: Nikkei Weekly (10/07/96) Vol. 34, No. 1743, P. 10; Tosoh Corp., a Japanese chemical maker, has developed a new method for measuring the number of viral particles in a blood sample. The test, which uses a special ion-exchange resin to isolate viral genes, may be used to diagnose viral infections and has the potential to be automated. The company has reported that the
Physicians Try Unusual Drugs to Fight Cryptosporidium: American Medical News (10/07/96) Vol. 39, No. 37, P. 19; Creative new therapies are being developed to treat cryptosporidiosis, the diarrhea-causing infection for which nearly 100 potential drugs have been tried. NTZ, a drug initially developed for dogs with worms, will enter final testing at the National Institutes of Health in November. AIDS patients are demanding the dr
Inside Politics: Dating Clinton: Washington Times (10/18/96) P. A6; Members of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, or ACT UP, have placed an ad in the Washington Blade, Washington, D.C. s gay newspaper, urging AIDS activists not to support President Clinton. He keeps toying with our affections. Do we really want another date with this man? asks the ad.
PM's Brother Testifies at Blood Probe: Toronto Globe and Mail (10/17/96) P. A12; Grange, Michael; Concerns about the possibility of HIV being transmitted through the blood supply had diminished by 1987, testified Michel Chretien, co-chairman of a study about the disease with Justice Horace Krever in 1987-1988, on Wednesday. Chretien, the brother of Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, was called by the province
Hospitals Keep Drug Packs in Case of AIDS Accidents: Toronto Globe and Mail (10/17/96) P. A7; Coutts, Jane; Hospitals in Toronto are starting to prepare for the accidental exposure of health-care workers to HIV by keeping drugs to treat such exposures on hand. The plan is based on recommendations made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in July, which call for treating HIV-exposed workers with a combinat
Ten-Year-Old Fraud Suit Settled for $14.5 Million: Wall Street Journal (10/18/96) P. B5; ICN Pharmaceuticals reports that it has settled a 10-year-old class action investor lawsuit for $10 million in cash and $4.5 million in common stock. According to an attorney for the plaintiffs, the suit alleged that ICN had defrauded investors by making claims about possible effects on patients of its AIDS drug riba
Merck Looks to Attack Price Variations in EU With Launch of AIDS Treatment: Wall Street Journal (10/18/96) P. A13A; Moore, Stephen D.; Murray, Shailagh; Merck is introducing its AIDS drug Crixivan in the European market, hoping to prevent parallel trading of the drug between countries by selling the drug at a fixed price across the European Union (EU). The legal practice of parallel trading, buying goods
Biotech Firms Find Structure of Protein for Hepatitis C: Wall Street Journal (10/18/96) P. B3; Johannes, Laura; Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Agouron Pharmaceuticals have separately identified the structure of a protein necessary to the reproduction of the hepatitis C virus, sparking a more intense competition between the two to find a drug for the treatment of hepatitis C. The discovery, publ
Questions on Ethics Lead to Review of Needle-Exchange Study: New York Times (10/18/96) P. A22; Leary, Warren E.; Amid charges that a proposed needle exchange study in Alaska is unethical, the National Institutes of Health announced Thursday that it would review the plan. The $2.7 million, three-year study at the University of Alaska at Anchorage was slated to begin recruiting patients in December. The researcher will attempt t
Ten Leading Nationally Notifiable Diseases--United States, 1995: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (10/18/96) Vol. 45, No. 41,; Last year, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) represented 87 percent of all cases of the 10 most frequently reported infectious diseases in the United States , federal researchers report. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 10 most prevalent infectious di
Exposure Not Basis for Emotional Damages: American Medical News (10/07/96) Vol. 39, No. 37, P. 20; A woman who learned that her gynecologist had AIDS was denied her claim to emotional damages by the Supreme Court of Minnesota. The patient, who knew the doctor had dermatitis when he treated her but only found out after that he had AIDS, sued for emotional distress. Fifty other former patients brought actions agains
HIV Vaccines: Where We Are and Where We Are Going: Lancet (10/05/96) Vol. 348, No. 9032, P. 933; Haynes, Barton F.; Research has led to a better understanding of HIV and AIDS, however important questions related to vaccine development persist. In a series on HIV in the journal Lancet, Dr. Barton F. Haynes, of the Duke University AIDS Center, identifies key areas of vaccine research. He explains that, if protective anti-HIV immune
Small Stock Focus: Whoa! Novatek!: Wall Street Journal (10/16/96) P. C7; Lohse, Deborah; Trading of Novatek International securities has been suspended for 10 business days by the Securities and Exchange Commission for reasons involving questionable contracts, licenses, and financial condition. Novatek sells diagnostic tests for HIV and other diseases. Barron s recently published an investigative articl
AIDS Conference Provides 'Kick Into Reality': Baltimore Sun (10/17/96) P. 3B; Reinhard, Beth; An annual AIDS conference for teen-agers was held Wednesday at Towson State University in Maryland, bringing the AIDS message to 250 area youths. The Baltimore County Health Department sponsored the fourth annual Stopping AIDS For Everyone (SAFE) forum, which included workshops on AIDS prevention, sexually transmitte
Across the USA: Missouri: USA Today (10/17/96) P. 8A; In Columbia, Missouri, police report that a 31-year-old man was charged with knowingly giving HIV-infected blood plasma at a donor center.
China Facing 'Last Chance' to Combat HIV Infection: Richmond Times-Dispatch (10/17/96) P. A4; China s health minister Chen Minzhang warned on Wednesday that to control the spread of AIDS, drug abuse, prostitution, and ignorance must be combated immediately. Chen attributed the increase in HIV infections in China to a rise in sexually transmitted diseases, illegal blood banks, a large migrant population, as we
Biochamp: BioChem Pharma Hits Mark With Its Anti-AIDS Drug 3TC: Investor's Business Daily (10/17/96) P. A6; Benko, Laura B.; The anti-AIDS drug 3TC , made by BioChem Pharma of Laval, Quebec, is expected to raise up to $297 million by the end of the year, becoming the best-performing biotech drug ever in terms of first-year sales. Moreover, sales of 3TC have surpassed those of
Report: HIV-Infected Boxer Returning to Ring: Washington Post (10/17/96) P. C2; Tommy Morrison, the heavyweight who retired in February after testing positive for HIV, will fight in Japan next month, according to a Tokyo newspaper. The daily Asahi Shimbun reports that Morrison is scheduled to fight an undetermined opponent on Nov. 3, in an undercard for the Ge
Dentists Must Treat AIDS Patients: New York Times (10/17/96) P. A26; The New York Court of Appeals recent ruling that prohibits discrimination of HIV-infected people by medical providers is applauded in a New York Times editorial. The editors also praise Gov. George Pataki for approving of the decision. The court, which was hearing two separate cases in which people claimed they had
Antibody May Resist AIDS Virus: New York Times (10/17/96) P. A18; An antibody commonly used by the body to ward off the flu and other invaders may offer some protection from HIV infection, researchers report. Dr. Jonathan Braun, of the University of California at Los Angeles, and colleagues found that a group of homosexual men with low levels of the VH3 antibody were very susceptib
Bringing Medicine Home: Consumer Reports (10/96) Vol. 61, No. 10, P. 47; HIV tests have joined the ranks of medical tests that can be performed at home, including tests for pregnancy, ovulation, cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar. About $1 billion is now spent by Americans on such products, which offer privacy and are usually less expensive than a professional test. A survey by
Following the Inner Light: Science News (10/05/96) Vol. 150, No. 14, P. 220; Travis, John; Frustrated with the methods available to track how infection spreads in the body, Stanford University virologist Christopher H. Contag developed a better way, using bioluminescence. Luciferase, an enzyme that occurs naturally in fireflies and certain glowing bacteria, has long been used by scientists. Contag proposed
BioChem Pharma Says Emory Patent Claims Invalid: Business Wire (10/15/96); BioChem Pharma, the maker of 3TCr (lamivudine), filed a response on Tuesday to a patent infringement lawsuit brought by Emory University. Francesco Bellini, CEO of BioChem, says the company welcomes the chance to settle the patent issue and finally put to rest Emory University s baseless claims to 3TCr. BioChem Ph
Quick Action Can Curb Drug-Resistant TB: Reuters (10/15/96); Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) can be spread in hospitals and is often deadly, but early diagnosis and proper treatment can extend the lives of patients, according to researchers from the New York City Department of Public Health. A review of 267 TB cases over a 43-month period found that 86 percent of patients als
Brazil Votes to Give AIDS Patient Free Drugs: Reuters (10/15/96); Legislation that would provide free drugs to AIDS patients was approved by Brazil s Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday, congressional officials said. This bill will save the lives of people who are HIV-positive and cannot afford the cocktail of drugs, noted Green party deputy Fernando Gabeira, the author of the bill.
Teen-Agers Find Drugs Easy to Obtain and Warnings Easy to Ignore: New York Times (10/10/96); Wren, Christopher S.; The increase in marijuana use among teen-agers, reported in a recent government study, was confirmed by interviews with 30 teens in New York and Massachusetts. Teenagers from working- class and suburban neighborhoods across the country said that marijuana is as easily obtained as beer or cigarettes. The interviews f
PM's Brother May Testify at Krever Blood Inquiry: Toronto Globe and Mail (10/15/96) P. A1; McIlroy, Anne; Because of his connection to the leader of Canada s commission of inquiry into the country s tainted-blood tragedy, the brother of Prime Minister Jean Chretien is expected to be called in an inquiry hearing this week. Michel Chretien, a scientist at the Clinical Institute of Montreal, served with Justice Horace Kreve
Across the USA: New Jersey: USA Today (10/16/96) P. 9A; A survey of 625 New Jerseyans found that 92 percent support government aid for people who have a health problem for which they are not responsible, such as those who contract HIV through blood transfusions. Only 53 percent of those polled thought that people who contracted HIV through unsafe sex should be eligible fo
Dual Strategy to Fight Both TB and AIDS: Wall Street Journal (10/16/96) P. A21; Sbarbaro, John; A combined strategy is needed to fight the spread of HIV and tuberculosis (TB), contends Dr. John Sbarbaro, Medical Adviser to the Global TB Education Fund, in a letter to the editor in the Wall Street Journal. He notes that TB causes the most AIDS-related deaths worldwide, and that treating AIDS patients effectively
State Court Expands Human Rights Law: New York Times (10/16/96) P. B5; Dao, James; The New York State Court of Appeals announced a decision Tuesday that significantly extends the protection of people with HIV from discrimination by doctors and dentists. The court ruled that the state s Human Rights Law, which prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations, should be inte
HIV Blocked by Chemokine Antagonist: Nature (10/03/96) Vol. 383, No. 6599, P. 400; Arenzana-Seisdedos, Fernando; Virelizier, Jean-Louis; Rousset, Dominique; et al.; Recent research has shown that HIV-1 depends on chemokine receptors to act as cell surface co-receptors to enter and infect cells. Scientists from the Pasteur Institute, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Bern report that a modified version of the chemokine RANTES can block HIV-1 without prompt
The Changing Epidemiology of Acquired Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in San Francisco, USA: Lancet (10/05/96) Vol. 348, No. 9032, P. 928; Bradford, Williamson Z.; Martin, Jeffrey N.; Reingold, Arthur L.; The emergence of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in recent years has created a serious global health threat. To effectively control tuberculosis (TB) and determine what the best treatment options are, the factors that contribute to drug-resistance must be defined. Dr. Peter M. Small, of Stanford Medical Sc
China Sounds Alarm on AIDS: United Press International (10/15/96); Chinese health officials report that AIDS is spreading rapidly throughout the country, adding that government AIDS campaigns were not effective. The State AIDS Supervision Station said AIDS awareness was low among members of high-risk groups and that most HIV infections are attributed to intravenous drug use. By the a
Animal Research Key to Progress: USA Today (10/15/96) P. 14A; Paris, Susan E.; The award of the Nobel Prize in medicine for work in immunology serves as a reminder that animals are vital to medical progress, notes Susan E. Paris, president of Americans for Medical Progress, in a letter to the editor in USA Today. Paris points out that the research that won the prize involved the study of laborata
Culture, et cetera: Sex Club Mission: Washington Times (10/15/96) P. A2; A safe-sex club has opened in San Francisco, according to an article in the October 7 issue of U.S. News & World Report. Eros, the Center for Safe Sex, provides free condoms and other safe-sex supplies, offers a massage studio and sauna, as well as safe-sex lessons. Gay sex clubs have returned, and city officials a
Judge Finds D.C. Medicaid in Violation: Washington Post (10/12/96) P. A1; Locy, Toni; A federal judge has ruled that Washington, D.C. s Medicaid program is failing to reach thousands of poor residents--and is threatening their health and violating their constitutional rights. U. S. District Judge Gladys Kessler said the program s problems range from failing to process Medicaid applications on time to
South Africa Slow to Battle Spread of Tuberculosis: New York Times (10/13/96) P. 12; McNeil, Donald Jr.; Although the World Health Organization has called South Africa s tuberculosis (TB) problem the worst in the world, the country s government has been slow to respond to the emergency. South Africa has the highest reported infection rate--about 350 cases per 100,000 people--and an in
Condoms a Safer Sell in South Korea: Chicago Tribune (10/14/96) P. 4-5; Since talking about sex in public is taboo in South Korea , stores are therefore reluctant to display condoms and consumers are embarrassed to be seen buying them. As an alternative, entrepreneur Paek Myong-ju has packaged condoms i
Shoo Flu, Don't Bother Me: Washington Post--Health (10/15/96) P. 7; Squires, Sally; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicts that this year s influenza season is likely to be a bad one, with the advent of at least one strain of flu virus that has been linked to severe symptoms. The CDC therefore recommends that people in high-risk groups--including the elderly; people infected w
At-Home Kits Test Medical Policies: Richmond Times-Dispatch (10/15/96) P. A1; As the number of Americans using home health test kits increases, questions are being raised about the lack of government guidelines for such tests. Americans spent more than $1 billion on home tests in 1995, a 13 percent increase over the previous year. The Food and Drug Administration only approved the first home
The New Tuskegee Experiment: Village Voice (10/01/96) Vol. 41, No. 40, P. 8; Hentoff, Nat; A new law in the state of New York, sponsored by Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn, requires that mothers be informed if their newborns test positive for HIV. Mayersohn pushed for the legislation for years, battling opponents that included the Gay Men s Health Crisis, the ACLU, and some feminists and medical societies.
Congress: Biomedical Research Wins Big: Science (10/04/96) Vol. 274, No. 5284, P. 27; Marshall, Eliot; Lawler, Andrew; The 1997 appropriation bill recently passed by Congress includes a 6.9 percent funding increase for the National Institutes of Health, raising the research center s budget to $12.7 billion. The total is some $330 million greater than the spending proposals offered by either the Clinton administration or the Senate.
Marijuana Club's Founder Arrested: Washington Post (10/12/96) P. A15; The founder of San Francisco s Cannabis Buyers Club, which provided marijuana to people with AIDS, cancer, and other terminal diseases, was arrested Friday on charges of selling the drug to dealers. Dennis Peron, also the leader of a ballot measure to legalize marijuana for medical use, is accused of conspiracy, as w
AIDS Program Criticized: Houston Chronicle (10/11/96) P. 11A; A new housing program for AIDS patients in Los Angeles has come under attack by Congressional Republicans. The program will use federal funds for the housing but will not evict people for using illegal drugs, even if the drugs are used in the facility. Critics argue that a government policy requires that any resident
Obituary: Janice A. Burns, 33, Who Sought a Wider Understanding of AIDS: New York Times (10/14/96) P. A15; Saxon, Wolfgang; Janice A. Burns, who worked to educate the public about AIDS through her writing and speaking, died of the disease on Sept. 28 in New York. Burns wrote Sarah s Song about her life with her husband William Burns, and their struggle to live with AIDS. She was active in several AIDS organizations and has spoken to th
Clinton, in Detailed Interview, Calls His Health 'Very Good': New York Times (10/14/96) P. A1; Altman, Lawrence K.; President Clinton reports, in his first interview about his health, that he has never had a serious illness and that he would make such an illness public if he developed one while in the White House. As part of an exam for a life insurance policy, Clinton tested negative for HIV in 1990. He has not been re-tested.
When AIDS Hits Home: Washington Post (10/12/96) P. A1; Goldstein, Amy; AIDS, more than any other disease, has become a part of American society, evidenced by the numerous community groups, fund-raising efforts, and corporate sponsorships focused on AIDS. The wide acceptance of the disease in the 1990s is especially surprising because it was highly stigmatized in the 1980s. The portrayal
In Age of Acupuncture and Nose Piercing, Who Can Give Blood?: Wall Street Journal (10/14/96) P. B1; Chase, Marilyn; When the threat of AIDS appeared in the 1980s, the screening process for blood donors became more probing and specific. Potential blood donors are now screened for disease risks based on medical and lifestyle information. A person who has had malaria must wait at least three years to give blood, for example, and a pe
A New Danger in the Age of AIDS: Washington Post (10/14/96) P. A4; Tippit, Sarah; The disclosure of confidential AIDS records by a Florida health worker has focused attention on new threats to the security of medical records in the information age. As computer networks, insurance databases, and computer hackers proliferate, concerns about maintaining such confidentiality have been raised. The offi
Police Break Up AIDS Protest at White House: Washington Post (10/14/96) P. B3; More than 300 AIDS activists took part in a demonstration at the White House Sunday to protest President Clinton s AIDS policies and to voice demands for guaranteed access to AIDS treatments, increased AIDS research, and federally funded needle exchange programs. The event, called a political funeral, was organized b
NCF Builds on AIDS Catalog's Success: DM News (09/30/96) Vol. 18, No. 36, P. 8; Asato, Cathy; The National Catalog Foundation, which has met great success with its National AIDS Awareness Catalog, is planning to publish a National Lesbian and Gay Pride Catalog for the 1996 holiday season. The circulation of the 2-year-old AIDS catalog is now 600,000. The NCF donates 100 percent of its profits to nonprofit or
Pediatric HIV Infection: Lancet (09/28/96) Vol. 348, No. 9031, P. 863; Scarlatti, Gabriella; About 1.5 million children had been infected with HIV by late 1994, according to the World Health Organization , with over 75 percent of them in sub-Saharan Africa and developing countries in the Americas. Moreover, almost half of all adults with HIV are women of child-bearing age,
Varied Events Expected to Draw a Million Visitors to D.C.: Washington Post (10/11/96) P. B4; Wheeler, Linda; More than 1 million people are expected to visit Washington, D.C., this weekend, as they come to the city to participate in any one of a number of events. Starting today, the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on display, unfolding its mile-long quilt on the Mall. Along with the quilt will be a nine-member demonstration gr
Florida Mother Who Fed HIV Baby Sues Hospital: Reuters (10/10/96); A woman who was mistakenly given the child of an HIV-positive woman at a Florida hospital in place of her own to nurse has filed a lawsuit against the hospital. She claims that she has been unable to breast-feed her own daughter for fear that she contracted HIV and could pass it along, and has consequently suffered b
Drug Combinations Found More Effective Against AIDS: Reuters (10/09/96); Emery, Gene; Adding either of two AIDS drugs, ddI (didanosine) or ddC (zalcitabine), to AZT therapy is better than the AZT alone for slowing the progression of AIDS, researchers at Harvard Medical school said
AIDS Is Becoming a Black Disease: Washington Post (10/11/96) P. A25; Raspberry, William; In a commentary in the Washington Post, columnist William Raspberry notes the growing incidence of AIDS and HIV among young African Americans as pointed out by Mario Cooper, a member of the Harvard AIDS Institute who is black, gay, and HIV-positive. Cooper cited statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prev
New Drugs Boost Results at Biogen, Biochem, Which Are Closely Watched: Wall Street Journal (10/11/96) P. B5A; Eisinger, Jesse; Several small biotechnology firms performed well in the last quarter, due largely to new products, while some of the bigger biotechnology companies posted mixed results. Biogen, Centocor , and Biochem Pharma produced strong results, driven by the introduction of new drugs, includ
Japanese Aide Gains Favor by Fighting the Bureaucrats: New York Times (10/11/96) P. A12; WuDunn, Sheryl; Naoto Kan, Japan s Health Minister, is popular among many of his countrymen for his role in taking on the Japanese bureaucracy and launching an investigation into the tainted- blood scandal. At least 400 Japanese, the majority of them hemophiliacs, have died of AIDS as a result of having contracted HIV from contaminat
Fla. Employee Fired Over AIDS List: Philadelphia Inquirer (10/11/96) P. A2; Perez, Evan; William Calvert, a public health worker in Miami, was fired Wednesday for using a confidential list of almost 4,000 people with HIV and AIDS to check the status of potential dates. Calvert allegedly took the computer disks to a gay bar and offered to look up names for his friends. Calvert was turned in anonymously wh
L.A. Plan Allowing Drug Users in HUD Housing Raises GOP Ire: Washington Post (10/11/96) P. A3; Schwartz, John; Evans, Judith; A pilot program in Los Angeles that will provide federally funded housing for AIDS patients, but will not evict those who use illicit drugs, even in the residence itself, is being attacked by Congressional Republicans who contend that the program conflicts with Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) policie
A New Focus on Primary HIV Infection: AIDS Clinical Care (09/96) Vol. 8, No. 9, P. 72; Hecht, Frederick; The initial period of HIV infection is thought to be an important time for treatment--to possibly improve a patient s survival, or to eradicate the virus completely. Recent research suggests that HIV production stabilizes after primary infection, and that if replication is high at this point, AIDS is more likely to p
Antibodies to Human Herpesvirus Type 8 in the General Population and in Kaposi's Sarcoma Patients: Lancet (09/28/96) Vol. 348, No. 9031, P. 858; Lennette, Evelyne T.; Blackbourn, David J.; Levy, Jay A.; Human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) has been detected in individuals with all forms of Kaposi s sarcoma (KS), as well as HIV-seropositive individuals with and without KS, and individuals with other diseases, suggesting that the virus may be widely distributed in the population. Previous seroepidemiological studies of th
The Quilt: Washington Times (10/10/96) P. M3; The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on display from Friday through Sunday on the Mall in Washington, D.C. In addition, a program called The Quilt will be sponsored by the Smithsonian Associates on Saturday at 3 p.m. The program will feature the co-founders of the NAMES Project, Cleve Jones and Michael Smit
Indonesia, Vietnam Face AIDS Pandemic: Washington Times (10/10/96) P. A16; The number of people infected with HIV in Indonesia and Vietnam could be more than 1 million by the year 2000, increasing the number of infected people in Southeast Asia to more than 2 million, a regional task force reported Wednesday. Facto
AIDS Is a Bi-Partisan Issue: Washington Times (10/10/96) P. A2; Driscoll, James; The issue of AIDS is being used by Democratic AIDS activists to diminish the Republican record and the accomplishments of the private-sector in an effort to promote President Clinton, AIDS Activist James Driscoll argues in a commentary in the Washington Times. Driscoll, the national AIDS policy advisor to the Log Cab
Nationline: AIDS Confidentiality: USA Today (10/10/96) P. 3A; Bacon, John; A Florida public health worker has been fired for taking computer disks which listed nearly 4,000 HIV-infected individuals to a gay bar and offering to look up names for his friends. William Calvert also used the list to check out his dates.
Pact Signed to Sell Policies in $8.7 Million Transaction: Wall Street Journal (10/10/96) P. B4; Dignity Partners has made a deal with an undisclosed viatical settlement company to sell 197 policies with a total face value of $14.2 million for $8.7 million. All of the policies insure the lives of people with HIV or AIDS. After seeking stockholder approval, Dignity intends to sell all or nearly all of its assets
Home Drug Test Kits: Washington Post (10/10/96) P. A20; A new home testing kit that allows parents to determine if their children are using drugs should not be kept off the market unless it is unsafe or inaccurate, contend the editors of the Washington Post. The editors compare the FDA s concern over the drug test to the agency s reluctance to approve a home HIV test kit-
But Success in Many Others Is Cutting Hospital Costs: Wall Street Journal (10/10/96) P. B1; Waldholz, Michael; The use of new AIDS drug therapies seems to be reducing the cost of in-patient health services by AIDS patients, medical officials say. As a result, the government and private agencies could be forced to transfer some of their spending from medical care to drug therapies. Hospitals could increase out-patient service
Some AIDS Cases Defy New Drug 'Cocktails': Wall Street Journal (10/10/96) P. B1; Waldholz, Michael; Although new AIDS drug combinations including protease inhibitors have shown promise in reducing levels of HIV and boosting immune cells, doctors say that the therapies do not work for many patients. Perhaps up to 10 percent of patients taking the drug combinations
Pharmaceutical Industry Sues to Stop Discount Pricing to Clinics: AIDS Treatment News (10/04/96) No. 256, P. 4; James, John S.; The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA), an organization representing drug companies, filed a lawsuit in July to protest a federal law that requires pharmaceutical companies to offer discounts to certain government-supported medical programs for the poor. Most public medical clinics and AIDS
Genetic Restriction of HIV-1 Infection and Progression to AIDS by a Deletion Allele of the CKR5 Structural Gene: Science (09/27/96) Vol. 273, No. 5283, P. 1856; Dean, Michael; Carrington, Mary; Winkler, Cheryl; et al.; Recent research has shown that the chemokine receptor CKR5 serves as a critical co-receptor for certain strains of HIV-1. Further studies have suggested that a defect in co-receptors may protect some individuals from HIV-1 infection. Stephen J. O Brien, of the National Cancer Institute, and colleagues, mapped the loc
Health: World Health Group Details Progress on 10 [Killer Diseases]: IPS Wire (10/07/96); The World Health Organization notes in its latest report on the State of the World s Vaccines and Immunization that significant progress is being made in the development of vaccines against 10 major deadly diseases, comprising HIV/AIDS, malaria, pneumococcal disease, meningococcal
Blood Banks Look at New Draws as Donations Dry Up: USA Today (10/09/96) P. 4A; Norman-Culp, Sheila; Blood donations in the United States have been dwindling for more than the past decade, due to the fear of AIDS, the aging of reliable donors, and the rise in body-piercing, tattooing, and other short-term factors that prevent willing donors to give blood. In 1982, a Montclair, N.J. b
Digest: Digene and Cytyc: Washington Post (10/09/96) P. B12; Biotechnology companies Digene, based in Maryland, and Cytyc, of Massachusetts, have agreed to cooperate on the development and sale of tests to detect and monitor cervical cancer and certain sexually transmitted diseases.
Seven Office-Mates at a Dying Bank Ask: Who Will Survive?: Wall Street Journal (10/09/96) P. A1; King, Ralph T., Jr.; With Wells Fargo s recent takeover of First Interstate Bank, seven people at the bank s Los Angeles headquarters Corporate Insurance Department were left wondering if their jobs would survive the expected layoffs. The office consisted of three vice presidents, three administrative assistants, and their boss. One of
No Stone Turns Up: Washington Post (10/09/96) P. C3; Gerhart, Ann; Groer, Annie; Despite publicity that Sharon Stone would appear in Washington, D.C., this weekend for events related to the displaying of the AIDS memorial quilt, she will not be involved. Fellow AIDS activist and AmFAR founder Elizabeth Taylor will be present and will lead a candlelight march on
Prisoner's Cry of 'Rape' Is Heard: New York Times (10/09/96) P. B1; Lorch, Donatella; Maurice J. Mathie was awaiting trial in a Suffolk County jail in New York when he claims he was raped by the chief of security. While serving 10 to 15 years in a state prison on manslaughter charges, Mathie told his story to legislators, judges, and prisoners rights groups through hundreds of letters. In August, he w
Morrison Receives Offers to Fight: New York Times (10/09/96) P. B10; George Foreman has said he will fight heavyweight Tommy Morrison, who announced that he wants to return to the ring despite the fact that he has HIV. Foreman is scheduled to fight Crawford Grimsley this November and has invited Morrison to fight on that undercard and reiterated his offer to fight Morrison next year.
Japan AIDS Scandal Raises Fear That Safety Came Second to Trade: Wall Street Journal (10/09/96) P. A1; Hamilton, David P.; Although U.S. drug companies had safe, heat-treated blood products available between 1983 and 1985, the Japanese government did not allow them to be imported in order to protect domestic companies. During that time, more than 1,800 Japanese hemophiliacs contracted HIV. Some 400 have already died. Many Japanese see
Editorial: AIDS Clinic Deserves Support: Crain's Chicago Business (09/23/96) Vol. 19, No. 39, P. 12; Businesses in the Chicago area are urged, in an editorial in Crain s Chicago Business, to contribute to a proposed $25 million project that will provide outpatient care for people with HIV and AIDS-related health problems. The joint project by Cook County Hospital and Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke s Medical Center would
Japan's HIV Blood Scandal Broadens Out: Nature (09/26/96) Vol. 383, No. 6598, P. 291; Swinbanks, David; Three arrests were made recently in Japan s tainted blood scandal, and others are expected as more attention is given to non-hemophiliacs who contracted HIV from contaminated blood products. The president and two former presidents of Green Cross Corp. were arrested in a case involving the death of a non-hemophiliac w
Across the USA: California: USA Today (10/08/96) P. 7A; Police in California confiscated brownies from a booth set up by the activist group ACT UP to promote Proposition 215, which would legalize medical uses of marijuana. The police say they will return the brownies if no drugs are found in them.
Elders Says Record as Surgeon General Requires No Regrets: Washington Times (10/08/96) P. A6; Price, Joyce; Former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders says she does not regret any of her actions during her tenure, and that she is not disturbed that she has become a campaign issue. She confirmed a report that the Clinton administration was prepared to lift a ban on federal funding for needle-exchange programs in 1994 but revers
Red Cross Urges Compensation: Toronto Globe and Mail (10/07/96) P. A1; McIlroy, Anne; The leader of the Canadian Red Cross has urged federal and provincial health ministers to offer financial compensation to the 12,000 Canadians who contracted hepatitis C through tainted blood products in the 1980s. Secretary-General Douglas Lindores said the Red Cross would contribute to the compensation fund, which
AIDS Tests Join At-Home Diagnostics: Chicago Tribune (10/07/96) P. 4-1; Hutchcraft, Chuck; The two home AIDS tests now available, Johnson & Johnson s Confide and Home Access Health s Home Access, may soon be joined by a test that uses a person s saliva rather than a blood sample to test for HIV antibodies. SmithKline Beecham s OraSure, now only available through doctors offices and clinics, may later be
South Africa Scandal Over 'Sarafina' Spotlights Corruption in the A.N.C.: New York Times (10/08/96) P. A6; Daley, Suzanne; The scandal surrounding the musical Sarafina 2, sponsored by South Africa s national health department to bring an anti- AIDS message to the illiterate, is said by some to exemplify the corruption within the African National Congress (ANC). When the musical opened last spring, AIDS experts criticized its message as
Rare AIDS Strains Stir Concerns: Richmond Times-Dispatch (10/08/96) P. A14; The discovery of rare strains of HIV in the United States has led scientists to search globally for strains so that tests may be developed to detect every type. The first U.S. case of the rare Group O was found in July, and a second case was discovered this month. Additionally, anoth
A Fusion of Love, Logistics: Washington Post (10/08/96) P. C1; Wheeler, Linda; The three-day display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt in Washington, D.C, to start on Friday, will employ 10,000 volunteers and cost $1 million. The Names Project, the San Francisco group that maintains and displays the quilt, is preparing for the event from a downtown office. The quilt has 37,856 panels, representing ab
2 Get Nobel for Work on Immune Response: New York Times (10/08/96) P. C6; Kolata, Gina; Two scientists have been awarded the 1996 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of how the immune system recognizes cells that are infected with viruses. Peter C. Doherty, of St. Jude s Medical Center in Memphis, and Rolf M. Zinkernagel, of the University of Zurich in
We're Here! We're Queer! Let's Get Coffee!: New York (09/30/96) Vol. 29, No. 38, P. 25; Mendelsohn, Daniel; The mainstreaming of gay culture over the last ten years is illustrated by the taming of ACT UP s activist tactics. The AIDS cause was embraced by the gay activist community in the late 1980s and provided a forum for the gay culture to display its attention-grabbing style. ACT UP s political demonstrations in 1987 a
HIV-1 Tat Protein as a Potential AIDS Vaccine: Nature Medicine (09/96) Vol. 1, No. 9, P. 960; Goldstein, Gideon; The Tat protein is critical to HIV-1 s ability to infect and destroy the immune system, and New York University Medical School s Gideon Goldstein suggests that an AIDS vaccine could be developed to take advantage of this factor. Goldstein notes that because HIV-1 is able to mutate rapidly, the conventional approach t
First HIV Baby in Indonesia Reported: Xinhua News Agency (10/06/96); The first case of an HIV-infected baby being born in Indonesia was reported Saturday. The government s tally of HIV cases now stands at 449. Indonesia has 108 confirmed AIDS cases, but experts estimate that up to 2.5 million people in the country could be infected with HIV by
Inside the Beltway: Too Busy for Bill: Washington Times (10/07/96) P. A8; McCaslin, John; After criticizing President Clinton for his lack of compassion for AIDS patients at an AIDS conference earlier this year, actress Elizabeth Taylor refused to take phone calls from Clinton, according to San Francisco s Bay Area Reporter. The newspaper reported that Clinton called Taylor twice at her home a few days
Nationline: Grove Uses Life to Memorialize AIDS: USA Today (10/07/96) P. 3A; Bacon, John; The 15-acre AIDS National Memorial Grove in San Francisco s Golden Gate Park will most likely be designated by legislation, expected to be signed by President Clinton, as the country s living memorial to AIDS losses.
Mike Smith's Life Is Woven Into the Fabric of AIDS Quilt: USA Today (10/07/96) P. 8D; Wilson, Craig; Mike Smith, co-founder of the NAMES Project Foundation, coordinated the first display of the AIDS quilt in 1987 and says this year s display, to open on Friday in Washington, D.C., will be his last. The quilt now has almost 40,000 panels, and covers 24 acres. It will be spread out from the U.S. Capitol to the Washin
Teens, Unwed Women Having Fewer Babies: USA Today (10/07/96) P. 6D; The birth rate for unmarried women fell in 1995 for the first time in nearly 20 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. The agency also reported that the number of AIDS-related deaths in 1995 held steady for the first time at 42,506.
Editorial: Some Hope on Third-World AIDS: New York Times (10/07/96) P. A16; Campaigns to curb the spread of HIV should be embraced by governments, especially in developing countries, a New York Times editorial says. It holds up a government program in Thailand that requires all sex workers in brothels to demand that clients use condoms as a good example
Arrest in Japan's AIDS Scandal: Wall Street Journal (10/07/96) P. A18; A former official in Japan s Ministry of Health was arrested on reported charges of professional negligence for his role in the tainted blood scandal. Akihito Matsummura was responsible for ensuring the safety of plasma blood products in 1985, when the government approved heat-treated blood products for sale. Several
Thousands Walk to Raise Funds for AIDS Clinic: Washington Post (10/07/96) P. B3; Powell, Michael; The AIDSWALK Washington, held on Sunday, raised $2.1 million for the Whitman-Walker Clinic, the largest provider of health care and legal services for AIDS patients. The number of participants in the event has grown over the past ten years, from 400 or 500 the first year to 20,000 this year. Homosexuals and heterosex
AIDS Update: American Health (09/96) Vol. 15, No. 7, P. 14; Beim, Amy; Intravenous drug use is responsible for most HIV infections in women and heterosexuals in the United States , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency reported that 85 percent of AIDS cases among heterosexual men and 66 percent of cases among women report
Or Is it the Host, Sir?: Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (09/96) Vol. 2, No. 9, P. 8; Mascolini, Mark; Recent research suggests that the immune system s initial response to HIV infection can predict the rate of disease progression. Drs. Timothy Schacker and Lawrence Corey, from the University of Washington in Seattle, have reported that the viral set point, the level of virus reached after the immune system s initial
Malawi: Family Planning and Sex Education Not [Effective]: Africa Information Afrique (10/03/96); Livuza, Anthony; New statistics on teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases in Malawi have raised concerns about the efficacy of government and Family Life education efforts. In the country, which has 11 million citizens, the rate of child mortality is 234 per 1000, and the maternal mor
Tanzania: Quality Control Needed for Condoms: Africa Information Afrique (10/03/96); Kasumuni, Ludger; Medical and social workers are expressing concerns about the quality of condoms sold in Tanzania , because most condoms on the market there have passed their expiration date, making them prone to lost elasticity and increased breakage. Expired condoms that do not carry expiration
Japan Arrests Health Official in HIV Scandal: Reuters (10/04/96); Akihito Matsumura, former head of the Japanese Health Ministry s Biologics and Antibiotics Division, was arrested on Friday on charges of professional negligence that resulted in two deaths from HIV-contaminated blood products. Matsumura is the first government official to be arrested in the country s tainted blood s
Doctor's AIDS Infection Was Labor Accident: Xinhua News Agency (10/03/96); A French court decided on Thursday that the HIV infection of a doctor while he was conducting a surgery in 1983 should be described as a labor accident, a designation that had previously been reached by a committee of experts. The Tribunal of Social Security Affairs, under the Versaille Tribunal, said, The recogni
HMOs May Not Always Be Best for Long-Term Ills: Wall Street Journal (10/04/96) P. C1; Jeffrey, Nancy Ann; A new study from New England Medical Center professor John E. Ware Jr. and his associates highlights issues concerning how well elderly and poor people with chronic illnesses are served by health maintenance organizations (HMOs). The report suggests that HMOs may not be the best choice for senior citizens and others
Pataki Signs Bill on Managed Care for Poor: New York Times (10/04/96) P. B6; New York Gov. George E. Pataki signed a bill Thursday that will put over 2 million Medicaid recipients into managed care networks by early 1997. The exceptions will be those people who are in nursing homes and other institutions. The law will also allow the state to certify special needs managed care plans for rec
Merck to Sell AIDS Drug at Single European Price: Financial Times (10/04/96) P. 22; Green, Daniel; U.S. pharmaceutical firm Merck is planning to give its new AIDS drug Crixivan ( indinavir ) a single price across the European Union as part of an effort to stop the practice of traders purchasing
Adultery: A New Furor Over an Old Sin: Newsweek (09/30/96) Vol. 128, No. 14, P. 54; Adler, Jerry; Americans attitudes about adultery have changed over the last two decades, as have their views of marriage and fidelity. A 1974 survey found that, while a majority of every age group said that adultery was always wrong, the smallest percentage, 59 percent, was among those aged 18 to 29. Now in their 40s, 74 percen
Baltimore May Head AIDS Vaccine Panel: Science (09/20/96) Vol. 273, No. 5282, P. 1647; David Baltimore, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, may be named director of the new AIDS Vaccine Research Committee, an organization being set up to take over the U.S. government s AIDS vaccine research effort. The new group is being created at the suggestion of a panel of scientists who conducted a revie
Feature: Senegal--The Spectre of AIDS: PANA Wire Service (10/02/96); Ndiaye, Cheikh Tidiane; In the town of Ourossogui, Senegal , the number of HIV infections is increasing--a trend attributed to men who travel for long periods and bring the virus home with them. Among the cases recorded for 1996, two-thirds of the carriers were men. Prospective blood donors are often fou
Protein May Aid HIV Treatment Without Side-Effects: Reuters (10/02/96); Scientists at the University of Bern, Switzerland , announced Wednesday that they have found a protein that can help treat HIV. Marco Baggiolini and colleagues wrote in a letter to the journal Nature that they found that a modified form of a natural chemokine known as RANTES bl
Letter Writer Finally Gets White House Attention: Washington Times (10/03/96) P. A6; Stephanie Honore, a 17-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, threatened to blow up the White House after four letters she wrote to the president were not answered. The letters concerned AIDS, education, animal rights, and the environment. Her fifth letter, which also wished President Clinton dead and directed an obscenity at
California Law Chief Takes Drug Fight to 'Doonesbury': New York Times (10/03/96) P. A14; Golden, Tim; California Attorney General Dan Lungren, who was identified on Tuesday in a Doonesbury cartoon as the man who organized a raid of San Francisco s Cannabis Buyers Club, called a press conference on Wednesday to criticize the strip. The club claimed to provide marijuana only for medical relief, to people suffering
Across the USA: Minnesota: USA Today (10/03/96) P. 10A; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded a $2.8 million grant to five AIDS research programs conducted by the University of Minnesota and the state health department. The projects will study the effectiveness of CDC prevention programs at controlling the spread of AIDS.
Life After Death: New AIDS Drug Brings Hope to Provincetown, But Unexpected Woes: Wall Street Journal (10/03/96) P. A1; Carton, Barbara; Provincetown, Mass., a popular gay resort in the 1970s, has seen its steady rate of deaths attributed to AIDS slow due to the use of powerful new drugs. One of every 15 residents in the town now has AIDS, and 393 have died of the disease. The new protease inhibitors
African With HIV Is Granted Asylum: Washington Times (10/03/96) P. A1; Larson, Ruth; An African computer engineer was granted asylum by a New York immigration judge on the grounds that he is HIV-positive and fears that he would be alienated if he were forced to return home. Earlier this year, the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV-AIDS recommended the lifting of a 1993 ban on allowing people with co
HIV/AIDS Prevention for Teens-- Video Satellite Broadcast: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Massachusetts Corporation for Educational Telecommunications (MCET) (10/02/96); On December 12, 1996, from 3:00 to 4:30 pm EST, this life saving program for teachers of grades 6-12, health educators, community leaders, counselors, and administrators will be broadcast via video satellite. The program, coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Massachusetts Corpor
Sweet Charity: Movieline (09/96) Vol. 13, No. 1, P. 46; Campbell, Virginia; Actress Sharon Stone, the new spokesperson for the American Foundation for AIDS Research ( AmFAR ), says she is using the position to remind people of their commitment to ending AIDS. She was chosen as the organization s Chair of the Campaign for AIDS Research after delivering a speech
Ballot Propositions: Medical Marijuana: California Journal (09/96) Vol. 27, No. 9, P. 13; Bathen, Sigrid; Proposition 215, a ballot initiative that would provide seriously ill patients with access to marijuana, will be decided by California voters in November. Advocates say the drug benefits patients suffering from cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, and other illnesses. Patients would be able to
Perinatal HIV Transmission Declines: AIDS Alert (09/96) Vol. 11, No. 9, P. 108; Perinatal transmission of HIV has decreased in the past two years, but improvements in prenatal care may be necessary for further progress, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Research shows that such transmission dropped from 21 percent to 10 percent after the agency developed guidelines for
Glaxo Wellcome Foresees Twenty New Drug Launches: Reuters (09/30/96); As part of its strategy to offset declining sales of the anti- ulcer drug Zantac, Glaxo Wellcome plans to introduce 20 new drugs onto the market by the end of the century, reports Glaxo CEO Richard Sykes. He added that the six main areas where the company aimed to strength
Lafepe Produces Anti-AIDS Drug: SABI Wire Service (10/01/96); Lafepe has initiated production of ganciclovir, a drug for the treatment of AIDS. The laboratory, which is owned by the government of Pernambuco state, is also a supplier of another anti-AIDS drug, AZT , to the Brazilian drugs agency Ceme. About $600,000 wa
HHV-6 a Possible Cofactor in AIDS Retinitis, Maybe in AIDS Itself: Reuters (10/01/96); Two new studies provide evidence that human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) plays a role in AIDS-associated retinitis, and may even be a cofactor with HIV in the pathogenesis of AIDS. Anne -Marie Fillet and her colleagues in Paris suspected the presence of an etiological link between HHV-6 and AIDS- associated retinitis bec
Animal Study Points to HIV Risk With Progesterone Contraceptives: Reuters (10/01/96); New research reported in the October issue of Nature Medicine indicates that progesterone treatment increased the risk of vaginal transmission of SIV in monkeys by thinning the vaginal epithelium. Progesterone treatment also increased the number of SIV DNA-positive cells in the vaginal lamina propria, the researche
Haitian Radio Program Claims AIDS Doesn't Exist: Richmond Times-Dispatch (10/02/96) P. A2; At least four Haitian AIDS patients have reportedly stopped seeing their doctors after a popular Miami-based Haitian radio talk show panel told listeners that AIDS does not exist. Psychologist Henri-Claude Saint-Fleur; Haitian physician Francelot Moise, who is not licensed to practice in Florida; and talk show host Cl
High Court to Say If the Dying Have a Right to Suicide: New York Times (10/02/96) P. A1; Greenhouse, Linda; The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to rule on whether the Constitution allows terminally ill patients the right to doctor-assisted suicide. The case was brought through appeals by the states of New York and Washington, which both recently decided that mentally competent people who were terminally ill had a constitution
Japan's New Growth Industry: Schoolgirl Prostitution: Wall Street Journal (10/02/96) P. A14; Reitman, Valerie; A growing number of schoolgirls in Japan are turning to prostitution so they can afford such expensive designer items as a $500 Prada purse or $350 Louis Vuitton wallet. This materialistic reason forms a sharp contrast to a similar rise in countries such as
Less Cash From French AIDS Event: Nature (09/19/96) Vol. 383, No. 6597, P. 210; An annual fund-raising event held in Paris to benefit AIDS services and research raised only 65 million French francs ($13 million) this year, compared to 300 million French francs in 1994. One reason for the decline is that the televised event, which involves all national television channels, was disrupted this year
TB Deaths Reach All-Time High: Journal of the American Medical Association (09/25/96) Vol. 276, No. 12, P. 936; A record number of people died from tuberculosis (TB) in 1995, according to a new report from the World Health Organization . The number of cases in the United States dropped for the third year in a row, however. Worldwide, nearly 3 million people d
Algeria Sets up Border Task-Force Against Diseases: Reuters (09/30/96); In an effort to prevent the spread of diseases like AIDS and meningitis into Algeria from African countries to the south, the government is setting up border task forces. Health Minister Yahia Guidoum announced Monday that a committee had been charged with setting up the border p
HHS Announces Awards for Community AIDS Programs: Reuters (09/28/96); The Department of Health and Human Services will provide $7.1 million in awards to 19 innovative community-based AIDS service programs, HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala announced. The awards are funded through the Special Projects of National Significance Program, a part of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Ac
D.C. Enlists Tenants to Keep an Eye on Neighbors' Health: Washington Post (10/01/96) P. B1; Goldstein, Amy; Residents of Washington, D.C., public housing developments are being trained to help their neighbors decrease their health risks. City health administrators are teaching 25 men and women about giving blood pressure tests, nutritional advice, and reassurance to neighbors who do not trust doctors. The workers will be
Inmates Are Vulnerable to Food-Borne Illnesses: Washington Post--Health (10/01/96) P. 5; Boodman, Sandra G.; Food poisoning is a serious problem in jails and prisons, largely because it occurs in confined populations that include inmates with comprised immunity weakened by HIV, federal researchers report. Paul R. Cieslak and colleagues from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed data from 88 outbreaks inclu
Day-Care Center Must Struggle in Controversy Over AIDS Funds: Houston Chronicle (09/30/96) P. 14A; Zuniga, Jo Ann; Loving Arms Day Care Center, one of the few facilities in Houston that accepts children with HIV, was cut off from federal funding by the Ryan White Planning Council this summer. The center had been awarded about $184,000 from the council, nearly half of its annual operating budget, but did not receive funding July 3
Congress Finishes Major Legislation: The Budget: Washington Post (10/01/96) P. A1; Pianin, Eric; President Clinton signed the budget bill Monday night after it was approved by the Senate, avoiding another government shutdown. The measure included many concessions from the Republican-controlled Congress, but met the midnight deadline, allowing members to adjourn and campaign back home. The House ended its sessio
Nationline: AIDS Controversy: USA Today (10/01/96) P. 3A; Health officials in South Florida are warning residents to discount reports broadcast on a local radio station claiming that AIDS is a myth. Medical professionals and radio hosts on a WLQY-AM radio talk show popular among the area s Haitian population have been telling listeners to stop taking their medication and re
Hormone May Raise HIV Risk in Women: Washington Times (10/01/96) P. A9; Price, Joyce; Progesterone, a hormone commonly used in oral contraceptives, has been found to increase vaginal transmission of an AIDS- like virus in monkeys and boost concentrations of the virus in their blood. Preston A. Marx of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center and colleagues report their findings in today s issue of the j
A New Serine-Protease Fold Revealed by the Crystal Structure of Human Cytomegalovirus Protease: Nature (09/19/96) Vol. 383, No. 6597, P. 272; Tong, Liang; Qian, Chungeng; Massariot, Marie-Josee; et al.; The herpesvirus known as human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) can cause morbidity and mortality in patients with compromised immunity and in congenitally infected newborns. It infects up to 70 percent of the general U.S. population. The virus protease enzyme is necessary for viral repli
Antiretroviral Drugs for AIDS: Lancet (09/21/96) Vol. 348, No. 9030, P. 800; Lipsky, James J.; While the development of new HIV drugs is encouraging, questions about how to best use these new tools accompany the advances. In the British medical journal The Lancet, the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation s James J. Lipsky reviews the current knowledge and strategies for using the new drug therapies. He notes that,
Some 330 Iranians Affected by AIDS Virus: Xinhua News Agency (09/29/96); Iran s Anti-AIDS Council reports that 330 Iranians have HIV and that 130 have progressed to active AIDS. The council said that 80 percent of the cases were caused by blood transfusions, while the rest were attributed to sexual transmission. According to the council, a strict policy has been implemented to protect th
Nigerian Governor Orders Arrest of AIDS Patients: Reuters (09/28/96); A Nigerian navy captain has ordered that all AIDS patients in his state be arrested and confined to curb the spread of the disease. Captain Joe Kalu-Igboamah of the northern Adamawa state made the order Friday when he was visiting a hospital for AIDS patients in the capital Yola. More than 5,000 people in Nigeria hav
White House, GOP Leaders Strike Immigration Deal: United Press International (09/30/96); An immigration reform measure was approved by both Congressional Republicans and the White House after the GOP accepted several controversial provisions pushed by the Clinton Administration. In one of their most difficult concessions, the GOP agreed to retain government-funded medical care for illegal immigrants infec
HIV Ravages Drug-Torn Town in Belarus: Los Angeles Times (09/29/96) P. A1; Bourdeaux, Richard; The town of Svetlahorsk, Belarus , which saw a drug invasion in the early 1990s, is now experiencing an increasing HIV epidemic as a result. At least 514 people in the town of 72,000 have tested positive for HIV. However, health workers suspect that up to half of the estimated 7,
HUD Grants $1.2 Million for Homeless in Houston: Houston Chronicle (09/29/96) P. 32A; Housing and services for homeless people with HIV or AIDS will be provided through more than $7 million in grants from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department, agency secretary Henry Cisneros announced Thursday.. In Houston, $1.2 million will be allocated to the Houston Regional HIV/AIDS Resource Group and
Marching on AIDS: Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (09/30/96) P. B3; Emmons, Steve; Slater, Eric; A record $3.4 million was raised by participants in the 12th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles, held Sunday. About 28,000 walkers took part in the 10-kilometer walk, which started at Paramount Studios. Thirty-six city department heads were among the walkers, in response to Mayor Richard Riordan s promise to donate $1,000
Fairfax Man With AIDS Charged in Biting at Clinic: Richmond Times-Dispatch (09/30/96) P. B4; A Virginia man with AIDS was charged with malicious wounding on Friday for biting a worker at a clinic. A spokesman from the clinic said that David Murray, of Fairfax, had a personal business relationship with the worker.
The Test of the Times: Washington Post (09/30/96) P. C1; Span, Paula; The two new HIV home tests, being advertised on both radio and television, are gradually appearing in Washington, D.C., stores. The Confide test, offered by Johnson and Johnson, will be in 90 percent of U.S. drugstores, and at Wall-Marts, Kmarts and supermarkets within a month. The Home Access test kit is being dist
Contraceptive Method and Condom Use Among Women at Risk for HIV Infection and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases-- Selected U.S. Sites, 1993-1994: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (09/27/96); Stark, M.; Tesselaar, H.; Fleming, D.; et al.; Many women at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) use contraceptive methods that offer no protection from the diseases, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. In the CDC study, women at risk for STDs were recruited in eight cities across the country. Of the 555 women who re
AIDS in Position to Ravage India: Nature Medicine (09/96) Vol. 2, No. 9, P. 951; Jayaraman, K.S.; AIDS is on the rise in India , where the number of HIV-infected adults surpasses that of any other country in the world. By 2005, the number of HIV cases in India is expected to exceed the number of cases in all of Africa. India s 10-year-old campaign against AIDS has not proven ef
New York Inmates' HIV Risk Behaviors: the Implications for Prevention Policy and Programs: American Journal of Public Health (09/96) Vol. 86, No. 9, P. 1211; Mahon, Nancy; The number of AIDS cases among inmates in U.S. prisons is seven times higher than the rate in the general population, and more than 22 million people move in and out of prisons and jails each year. Nancy Mahon, of the Center on Crime, Communities, and Culture, part of the Open Societies Institute, recently surveyed 2
Sri Lanka-Health: Condom Sales Surge: IPS Wire (09/25/96); Condom sales have increased in Sri Lanka , due to increased AIDS awareness and availability. A record 8 million condoms were bought last year, a half-million more than the previous year, the Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka
Unprotected Sex During Pregnancy Increases Perinatal Transmission of HIV-1: Reuters (09/26/96); HIV is more likely to be transmitted to babies born to mothers who frequently engage in unprotected sex during pregnancy, researchers claim in the journal AIDS. Dr. Pamela B. Matheson of the New York City Department of Health and colleagues found that, of 175 HIV-positive pregnant women, the rate of perinatal transmi
UPI Science News: [Birth Control Pills Without Condoms Put Women at Higher Risk for HIV Infection]: United Press International (09/26/96); Bovsun, Mara; Many women who use birth control pills, Norplant, and surgical sterilization wrongly believe that these contraception methods provide some protection against HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, federal researchers reported. A study conducted by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fo
Teen Behavior Termed Risky: Washington Times (09/27/96) P. A6; A survey to asses risk behaviors among teenagers found that many were having sex and not using condoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s survey of 10,904 high school students also found that nearly 9 percent of the students had attempted suicide, 25 percent had smoked marijuana, and 50 percent had dru
Mandatory AIDS Tests Proposed: Toronto Globe and Mail (09/26/96) P. A6; Downey, Donn; A lawyer representing a woman who was raped has proposed to Canada s federal Justice Minister Allan Rock that mandatory HIV tests be given to people accused of sex crimes. At the present time, the Criminal Code is silent on the issue, noted attorney Robert Tighe. Tighe recently asked for a court- ordered HIV test
Trenton Outlines Plan to Aids 'Boarder Babies': New York Times (09/27/96) P. B4; Preston, Jennifer; A new plan has been formulated in New Jersey to care for newborns who are ready to leave the hospital but stay for weeks or months because their families are unwilling or unable to care for them. On average, 54 infants remain in New Jersey hospitals after they have been medically discharged each month. Most have bee
AIDS Funding Gets a Surprisingly Big Boost From the GOP Congress: Wall Street Journal (09/27/96) P. A1; The budget for the Ryan White program will increase to $996 million next fiscal year, up $239 million from this year. Much of the new funding will be allocated to state programs that provide AIDS drugs to poor patients. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) urged Congress to approve the increase, arguing that the drugs would
Mutant Gene Can Slow AIDS Virus: Washington Post (09/27/96) P. A1; Weiss, Rick; A new study shows that a harmless defective gene common in white Americans hinders HIV and, in some cases, can protect an individual from infection with the virus. The new information could be used to develop new drugs or vaccines that replicate the gene s effects, researchers say. Stephen J. O Brien, Michael Dean,
Condom Marketer Targets the World: Advertising Age (09/16/96) Vol. 67, No. 38, P. 40; Wentz, Laurel; The Internet presence of London International Group (LIG), the world s largest condom marketer, will be handled by AKQA, a London new media agency and Web developer. LIG s marketing efforts focus mostly on establishing a global market for Durex condoms. By the end of the year, AKQA will establish one site for Durex
Funding Renewed for Rural AIDS Center: American Medical News (09/16/96) Vol. 39, No. 35, P. 18; The AIDS rate in rural areas of the United States rose 80 percent between 1991 and 1995, compared to increases of 47 percent in metropolitan areas and 64 percent in small metro areas. According to William Yarber, of Indiana University s Rural Center for the Study and Promotion of HIV/S
Science & Health Bulletin: Zimbabwe-AIDS Babies: PANA Wire Service (09/25/96); A Zimbabwean physiotherapist reported Tuesday that more information is needed about the growth and development problems of children born to HIV-positive mothers to allow doctors to provide better treatment. Speaking at a meeting of physical therapists, Lorna Maurer of the University of Zimbabwe said that children bor
Nearly 9,000 Argentineans Infected With AIDS: Xinhua News Agency (09/25/96); The number of registered AIDS patients in Argentina has reached 8,678, and an estimated 11,500 others are infected with HIV, the National Program to Combat AIDS reported. The province of Buenos Aires has the most AIDS cases, with 3,340. Most young patients contracted the virus
Italian Dies of Drugs Overdose in AIDS Unit: Reuters (09/25/96); One Italian patient died and two others required emergency medical treatment on Wednesday after overdosing on heroin in the AIDS unit of a hospital in Naples. Another patient in the unit had set fire to bedding in a protest on Tuesday to draw attention to what he alleged was open access to patients for drug pushers.
Schering Buyback Plan Approved by Board; Drug Rights Acquired: Wall Street Journal (09/26/96) P. C16; Drug company Schering-Plough will buyback as much as $500 million of its common stock. The repurchase program could comprise just over 2 percent of the company s common stock, and the shares will be used for corporate intentions such as employee benefit plans, Schering said.
Malvern Firm Starts Testing Humans for a Herpes Vaccine: Philadelphia Inquirer (09/26/96) P. D1; Shaw, Donna; Apollon Inc., the biotechnology company that became the first earlier this year to test a DNA-based AIDS vaccine in healthy people, announced on Wednesday that it has initiated clinical trials for a herpes vaccine being developed in collaboration with Wyeth-Ayerst, a subsidiary of American Home Products. According to
HIV Home Set Afire: Houston Chronicle (09/25/96) P. 15A; A home for people with HIV in rural Paicol, Columbia was set on fire by arsonists Monday night as a father and son slept inside. They were unhurt. The house is operated by a Roman Catholic group that provides shelter to poor people with HIV in
Load to Get Heavier for Moveable Feast: Baltimore Sun (09/26/96) P. 1B; Imhoff, Ernest F.; Moveable Feast, a service organization in Baltimore that prepares and delivers meals to homebound people with AIDS, expects to see its number of clients grow by 100 to 150 next year. Last year it served 137,000 free meals to 550 people, and this year it has 700 clients. James H. Williams, executive director of Movea
Persistent Doctor Alters AIDS Therapy: Wall Street Journal (09/26/96) P. B1; Tanouye, Elyse; John W. Mellors, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Pittsburgh, is leading studies to prove that the amount of HIV in the blood directly impacts an AIDS patient s health. The viral load test, which allows doctors to measure the amount of virus in the blood, is central to new combination therapies t
Canada's Red Cross Demands HCV-Screening Funds: Lancet (09/14/96) Vol. 348, No. 9029, P. 746; Kondro, Wayne; Although the Canadian Red Cross (CRC) is asking the provinces for $30 million to test 1.5 million stored blood samples for hepatitis C, the provincial Health Ministers have been reluctant to foot the bill. The CRC, which did not start screening for hepatitis C until 1990, wants to test the samples so that infected do
Rising Hopes, Rising Costs: American Medical News (09/16/96) Vol. 39, No. 35, P. 13; Shelton, Deborah L.; Federal and state programs are having difficulty meeting the rising demand for AIDS drugs, especially that for the costly, new protease inhibitors . Medicaid s current annual outlay of $9,000 per person for antiretrovirals is expected to increase by about $5,500 as
Drugs Surge as Campaign Issue, but All the Talk Clarifies Little: New York Times (09/17/96) P. A1; Wren, Christopher S.; The issue of illegal drug use--and what the government should do about it--has become a central point of debate in the Presidential campaign. Drug policy experts, however, say they do not know how much influence a President can have, especially on a problem that increasingly involves teenagers. Despite the growing dr
Experts Are at Odds on How Best to Tackle Rise in Teen-Agers' Drug Use: New York Times (09/18/96) P. A17; Kolata, Gina; As the evidence mounts that drug use among teens is increasing, a widely used anti-drug program known as DARE, for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, is being criticized by some experts. Although new studies have reported that drug use among teens is on the rise, levels are still far below what they were at the height o
Silent Killer, Hepatitis C, Stalking Thousands Here: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (09/24/96) P. 1A; Schieszer, John; People who had blood transfusions before 1990 are at risk for hepatitis C, a potentially deadly virus that may be carried by more than 4 million Americans. Half of those with the virus never develop any serious problems, but the other half are at risk for serious liver disease. The government estimates that about 30
Bernardo Must Take AIDS Test, Judge Says: Toronto Globe and Mail (09/24/96) P. A2; Downey, Donn; Paul Bernardo, who is serving a life sentence for first-degree murder and who has admitted to several rapes, will take a court-ordered HIV test at the request of his rape victims. Bernardo was also known to have sexual contact with prostitutes. His wife, who is serving a 12-year sentence for manslaughter, has tested n
Across the USA: New Jersey: USA Today (09/25/96) P. 6A; New Jersey Medicine magazine reported that a poll of state residents found that 30 percent wrongly believe that HIV can be spread by coughing or sharing utensils.
Advertising: The Man Who Cloaked the Famous in Mink Now Enlists Them for an AIDS Crisis Campaign: New York Times (09/25/96) P. D5; Elliott, Stuart; Peter Rogers and other advertising pros are creating pro bono anti-AIDS campaigns to appear this fall. Rogers has enlisted celebrities to appear in magazine ads for the Gay Men s Health Crisis in New York that will appear in donated space. A television and print campaign in New York, created pro bono by Kirshenbaum
GOP Is Restoring Money Previously Cut From Education and Other Programs: Wall Street Journal (09/25/96) P. A4; Rogers, David; Republicans in Congress are restoring many of the funds for education and human-service programs that were cut last year. While spending for the Departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services was cut from $70 billion two years ago to $63.3 billion in the current fiscal year, current proposals would put
Nationline: AIDS List: USA Today (09/25/96) P. 3A; Bacon, John; An AIDS patient who is among those listed on a computer disk that was sent to two newspapers last week has filed a breach- of-privacy lawsuit against the Florida Health Department and Pinellas County. The disk was sent to the papers, which did not publish the names, along with an anonymous letter saying a health work
Law Student Hangs Jury: National Law Journal (09/16/96) Vol. 19, No. 3, P. A6; Donovan, Karen; A $350 million class action lawsuit brought by investors who alleged that a pharmaceutical company made false claims about the efficacy of an AIDS drug ended in a hung jury earlier this summer, and a lawyer for the plaintiffs wants a new trial. Daniel I. Berger was among the lawyers representing investors who alleged
Two Candidates for a Live AIDS Vaccine Emerge: Lancet (09/14/96) Vol. 348, No. 9029, P. 742; Rowe, Paul M.; Two potential AIDS vaccines, both using attenuated and inactivatable strains of HIV-1, have been developed by two separate research groups. Both groups used the thymidine kinase (tk) gene from herpes simplex virus to replace HIV-1 s nef gene. The first report was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy o
Geneva Conference to Provide Human Rights Guidelines on HIV/AIDS: Reuters (09/23/96); Government leaders and representatives from academic and research organizations are meeting in Geneva to develop guidelines on the human rights of people with HIV and AIDS. The guidelines, to be developed for state lawmakers and government policy makers, will address areas of law and administrative policy and practice
South Asia to Work Out Strategy Against AIDS: Xinhua News Agency (09/24/96); Doctors from South Asian countries convened in Kathmandu to discuss the spread of AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) in the region and to develop a strategy to fight the diseases. The World Health Organization estimates that 1.5 million people in South Asia are infected with HIV and that
HIV Positives Up Among Colombian Heterosexuals: Xinhua News Agency (09/23/96); Colombia s Ministry of Health reports that 16,331 Colombians were infected with HIV by August. Among them, 9,331 had no symptoms, and 6,981 had progressed to AIDS. In addition, HIV was found to spread more among heterosexuals, while the number of infections had decreased among homosexuals and bisexuals. The largest
AIDS Cases in Heterosexuals Equal to Homosexuals in Rhode Island: Reuters (09/23/96); The number of cases of AIDS among Rhode Island heterosexuals is now equal to the number of AIDS cases in homosexuals living in the state, according to Sex Weekly Plus. The Rhode Island Department of Health reports that half of the 1,385 AIDS cases diagnosed in Rhode Island in 1995 were among heterosexuals, and 38 per
Sex on Daytime Soaps: Less Talk, More Action: Washington Post--Health (09/24/96) P. 5; Verdon, Lexie; A study of the sexual content of 10 daytime soap operas found that more sexual situations are depicted than talked about by characters. Katherine E. Heintz-Knowles, a researcher at the University of Washington, led the study, which compared how sex was shown on shows today with a similar study conducted two years ago
He Fights AIDS on Two Fronts: Los Angeles Time--Washington Edition (09/24/96) P. A1; Fiore, Faye; Dr. R. Scott Hitt, a leading AIDS doctor in Los Angeles and chairman of President Clinton s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, is being criticized by activists who say he has not done enough to improve the administration s AIDS policies. Members of the advisory council say that while unimposing, Hitt is committed to his w
Clean-Needle Effort Wins Praise; Bid-Loser Appeals: Washington Times (09/24/96) P. C4; Mercurio, John; Although AIDS activists in Washington, D.C., are applauding the city s decision to create a needle-exchange program, one leading supporter is appealing the city s move. A group led by KOBA Associates, a non-profit drug-treatment organization, was awarded the project two years after the city council voted to fund the
India Enlists Barbers in the War on AIDS: Wall Street Journal (09/24/96) P. A18; Jordan, Miriam; In India s state of Tamil Nadu, barbers are being trained to discuss HIV prevention with their customers and to provide free condoms. Indian men are often too embarrassed to buy condoms or to talk about sex with health counselors and family members. However, HIV is rapidly spreading in India, and
Ritonavir Plus Saquinavir: Two Trials With Different Results: AIDS Treatment News (09/06/96) No. 254, P. 5; Mascolini, Mark; Two trials testing the combination of the protease inhibitors ritonavir and saquinavir recently came to different conclusions, possibly explained by differences in trial size, drug dosage, and disease sta
City Schools Still Screen Illegally for AIDS: Crain's Chicago Business (09/09/96) Vol. 19, No. 37, P. 3; Hinz, Greg; The Chicago Public School system continues to require individuals applying for teaching positions to reveal whether or not they have HIV, despite promising to delete the question from medical forms six months ago. The school system is also asking other potentially illegal, highly personal questions as part of its med
Catholic U. Ejects 'Angels': Washington Post (09/21/96) P. C1; Swisher, Kara; A production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Angels in America, about AIDS and homophobia, is under attack by Catholic University administration. The play was approved earlier this year by the university s drama department, but the administration has banned advertising for the play and ordered that it move to an
Little Room for Recovery: Washington Post (09/23/96) P. A1; Goldstein, Amy; Publicly funded treatment programs for drug addicts and alcoholics in Washington, D.C., and neighboring Prince George s County, Md., are having to turn people seeking help away because of reduced local funding. In Washington, D.C., local spending on treatment is almost one-third lower than 1992 levels. In Prince Geo
Scabies Reported at Johns Hopkins: Washington Times (09/23/96) P. C6; Outbreaks of scabies at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore prompted officials to shut down an AIDS outpatient clinic over the weekend and attempt to locate and check 150 patients who visited the HIV ward in the past three months. The skin infection, caused by a burrowing mite, was contracted by at least two dozen ho
AIDS Healthcare Foundation to Close its Oldest Hospice: Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (09/23/96) P. B4; Financial difficulties and changes in AIDS care are forcing the AIDS Healthcare Foundation of Los Angeles to close its oldest hospice. The Chris Brownlie House, which opened in 1988, will shut its doors this week. Foundation President Michael Weinstein said the demand for hospice care has decreased due to advances i
Denial and Taboo Blind India to the Horror of its AIDS Scourge: New York Times (09/22/96) P. 1; Burns, John F.; The threat of AIDS is especially strong in India , where prostitution and unprotected sex are common and prevention programs are mostly ineffective. United Nations AIDS agencies have estimated that one million Indians will have AIDS by 1999, and as many as 10 million will be infecte
Dental Worker With AIDS Virus Is Sent Home: USA Today (09/23/96) P. 8A; Komarow, Steven; A U.S. Army dental technician who has treated 1,100 soldiers and family members, including 300 in Bosnia , was sent back to the United States after he tested positive for HIV. An Army representative said sterilization procedures make the risk of inf
FDA Guidelines Aimed at Minimizing Risks in Animal-to-Human Transplants: Wall Street Journal (09/23/96) P. B10H; McGinley, Laurie; The Food and Drug Administration announced on Friday guidelines for animal-to-human transplants, but scientists are still daunted by the medical problems involved in such procedures. The guidelines are intended to minimize the risks to public health while encouraging more research on the transplants. One well-known e
D.C. to Use Needles in AIDS Fight: Washington Post (09/23/96) P. B1; Goldstein, Amy; The first large-scale needle exchange program in the Washington, D.C. area will begin next month, city officials announced Friday. Under the plan, the KOBA Institute--a nonprofit consortium that includes the Whitman-Walker Clinic-- will distribute more than 100,000 sterile syringes over the next year in Washington co
HIV Patient Denied Hospital Admission: American Medical News (09/09/96) Vol. 39, No. 34, P. 30; A federal trial court ruled that an Ohio hospital violated the Americans with Disabilities Act when it refused to admit an HIV-positive patient. The patient was taken to the emergency room after having an adverse reaction to a new medication. The attending physician determined that the patient had to be admitted, but
Duration of the Survival Benefit of Zidovudine Therapy in HIV Infection: Journal of the American Medical Association (09/11/96) Vol. 276, No. 10, P. 762; Moore, Richard D.; While zidovudine is known to provide a survival benefit for advanced AIDS patients, the length of time of this benefit is not known. However, researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine now report in the Archives of Internal Medicine that the survival advantage lasts between one and two years. The
Occupational Risks Associated With Tuberculosis Listed: Reuters (09/19/96); Inhalation therapists, lower-paid health care workers, and funeral directors are at increased risk for tuberculosis (TB) than the general population, federal researchers report. Matthew T. McKenna and colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that people with the most intensive interaction with
Disease Threat Arriving via Foreign Ships: USA Today (09/19/96) P. 3A; Tyson, Rae; Foreign ships coming to the United States are carrying bacteria that cause cholera and other deadly diseases thought to have been eradicated here. More than 21 billion gallons of ballast water, carrying cholera, E. coli, botulism, salmonella, cryptosporidium, and hepatitis A, are dump
The Trades of the Tricks: Washington Post (09/19/96) P. C1; Bowles, Scott; Police say that escort services have become popular among white-collar johns in the Washington, D.C., area. Using cellular phones, voice mail systems, and computers to process credit-card payments, call girls in the region often operate as professionals through agencies that often escape prosecution. However, these
Rare, Deadly Germs Discovered Globally: USA Today (09/20/96) P. 12D; Manning, Anita; New germs, some deadly, are emerging all over the world, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Among the new microbes discussed at a meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, was hepatitis G, a new form of the virus. that appears to be transmitted in the blood but has not bee
Morrison Plans One More Fight Despite H.I.V.-Positive Status: New York Times (09/20/96) P. B8; Roberts, Selena; Although boxer Tommy Morrison announced in February, after learning that he is infected with HIV, that he would absolutely not box again, he said Thursday that he wants to fight one last time. Morrison was suspended from the sport in Nevada because he tested positive for the virus that causes AIDS, but some state
Health Officials Are Urging a Focus on AIDS in Prisons: Philadelphia Inquirer (09/20/96) P. A25; Vedantam, Shankar; The rate of AIDS in U.S. prisons is six times greater than the national average, federal researchers report, adding that about 22 million Americans enter and leave jails and prisons each year. Unsafe sex practices and needle sharing put inmates at high risk, and increase the chance that they will carry the virus with
Confidential AIDS Data Given to Paper: Washington Post (09/20/96) P. A7; The Tampa Tribune was anonymously sent a copy of a confidential computer disk containing the names of 4,000 AIDS patients. The disk was mailed to the newspaper with a letter which said the disk was dropped outside a bar by a drunken public health worker who had showed the list to friends on a laptop computer. The wr
The Return of an Ancient Killer: Maclean's (09/09/96) Vol. 109, No. 36, P. 45; Chidley, Joe; Although tuberculosis (TB) was thought to have been nearly wiped out at least 15 years ago, it is currently the most deadly infectious disease in the world. While curable, TB killed almost 3 million people last year, and the World Health Organization estimates that one-third of th
Discarded Needles Spur Call for Reviewing Exchange Program: American Medical News (09/09/96) Vol. 39, No. 34, P. 31; Concerns have been raised about the needle exchange program in Willimantic, Conn., following the collection of more than 350 discarded needles from city streets, lots, and alleys. The city s police chief and Windham County state s attorney have called upon the state to investigate the program. An examination of the
Condom Day to Be Observed in East Nepal: Xinhua News Agency (09/18/96); A condom day program is being planned by the local Red Cross society in an eastern Nepali district, hoping to raise public awareness about preventing sexually transmitted diseases. During the event, information on the use of condoms for contraception and disease prevention will be distributed.
AIDS Seminar to Be Held in Nicaragua: Xinhua News Agency (09/18/96); Nicaragua will host health ministers from central American countries between Sept. 30 and Oct. 4 for a seminar to assess the HIV prevention efforts in the region. Representatives from the World Health Organization , the Panamerican Health Org
Three Drug Firm Executives Held in Japan AIDS Case: Reuters (09/19/96); In the latest repercussions of Japan s tainted blood scandal, the current president and two former presidents of the Japanese pharmaceutical company Green Cross were arrested today on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death. Takehiko Kawano, and his predecessors Renzo Matsushita and Takakazu Suyama, ar
Researchers Develop Cream to Prevent Herpes: Reuters (09/18/96); A cream to prevent genital herpes , and possibly other sexually transmitted diseases, has been developed from human bile acid, researchers at Cincinnati s Children s Hospital Medical Center reported. The finding is part of a $2 million search for new creams or gels to protect pe
No-Consent Tests Near on Humans: Chicago Tribune (09/18/96) P. 1-1; Schreuder, Cindy; Hutchcraft, Chuck; Chicago s Cook County Hospital is preparing to test an experimental blood substitute that would be given to trauma patients unable to give their consent. The substitute offers the critical time-saving advantage of not having to be matched to a patient s blood type. The testing in Chicago is part of a national study
Ontario to Promote Hepatitis B Shots: Toronto Globe and Mail (09/18/96) P. A7; Immen, Wallace; High school students in Ontario would be vaccinated for hepatitis B under a voluntary program to be announced this week. The virus, which is spread through blood or sexual contact, can cause liver damage. The risk for high school students has increased due to the trend of body piercing and tattooing. Hepatitis B is a
Boxer Morrison Plans Comeback: USA Today (09/19/96) P. 1C; Saraceno, Jon; Tommy Morrison, the heavyweight fighter who retired from the sport eight months ago after learning that he was infected with HIV, is planning to announce that he will return to the ring. Although the leading boxing-rich states require fighters to test negative for HIV, Morrison could potentially fight in about six sta
Virus Chase: Five Teams Pursue Herpes Drug: Wall Street Journal (09/19/96) P. B6; Bishop, Jerry E.; The discovery of a weakness in a herpes virus called cytomegalovirus ( CMV ), which causes blindness in AIDS patients, has resulted in a race to develop drugs against CMV and other herpes viruses. Research teams at SmithKline
No End of Plagues: Economist--Sub-Saharan Africa Survey (09/07/96) Vol. 340, No. 7982, P. 15; Africa faces several disease threats, but the most serious is that of AIDS. The disease was initially thought to affect only the white homosexual community, and even as it spread to the general population, it was not considered a serious problem. Now, however, the threat is recognized and complacency is gone. The
Flirting With Suicide: New York Times Magazine (09/15/96) P. 39; Green, Jesse; Since 1981, HIV prevention campaigns targeted at the gay community have contained the same message--that a condom every time is the only way to be protected. Although the average number of unsafe sex contacts for gay men in New York City declined from more than 11 per year in 1980 to one per year in 1991, many gay
6,800 Sri Lankans Suspected to be AIDS Carriers: Xinhua News Agency (09/18/96); Health officials in Sri Lanka say that an estimated 6,800 people in the country have AIDS. The first AIDS case in Sri Lanka was identified in 1986 in a man who became infected in London. By 2005, more than 80,000 Sri Lankans are e
AIDS Cases Seen Decreasing in France: Reuters (09/17/96); The number of full-blown AIDS cases in France decreased in the first half of 1996, leading officials to expect a continuing annual decline. The health ministry reported Tuesday that 2,507 new AIDS cases were reported between January and June, which would amount to 5,014 cases for
New Needs of Society Bring Back a Medical Dinosaur: House Calls: New York Times (09/18/96) P. C11; Gilbert, Susan; The demand for doctors to make house calls is rising, due to a growing number of people--including the elderly, AIDS patients, and those disabled by violence--who want to stay home for care. At an American Medical Association symposium last week, it was reported that the number o
Brudnoy, Feeling Healthier, Launches AIDS Research Drive: Boston Globe (09/17/96) P. B8; Knox, Richard A.; Boston radio talk show host David Brudnoy, who nearly died of AIDS two years ago, is feeling healthier lately due to a new combination of drugs. He launched a campaign for AIDS research Tuesday, aiming to raise $10 million for research at Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women s hospitals. The funds would boost
Denver Extends Health Coverage to Partners of Gay City Employees: New York Times (09/18/97) P. A17; Brooke, James; Gay partners of workers employed by the city of Denver will receive health insurance coverage under an ordinance to be signed today. The decision is part of a trend in companies and local governments to offer health benefits to gay partners of employees. Lantz Trantham, a businessman who opposed the ordinance, calle
Researcher Cites Genetic Factor in HIV Resistance: Boston Globe (09/17/96) P. A5; Genetic protection from HIV infection is more common in Caucasians than in people of African descent, a researcher reported at the annual meeting of the Institute of Human Virology last week. Steven O Brien of the National Cancer Institute studied more than 1,900 American men and women who have been exposed to HIV re
Three TV Stations to Run Condom Ads: Washington Times (09/18/96) P. A11; Three NBC affiliate television stations, in Houston, Seattle, and Chico, Calif., will run paid advertising for condoms, marking the first time that such commercials have been accepted by a major network station. The 60-second ad has been run by MTV and Comedy Central for a year, but was rejected by the major networks
More Germs Elude Drugs: USA Today (09/18/96) P. 1D; Manning, Anita; The rise of drug-resistant microbes is making common infections more difficult to treat, scientists said at a recent meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. For example, the increasing use of antifungal drugs, especially for patients with AIDS or those receiving chemotherapy, has led to resistance. Developm
All-Natural AIDS Protection?: Technology Review (08/96-09/96) Vol. 99, No. 6, P. 18; Vaginal foams and creams to protect against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, may be developed using natural substances from animals. Magainin Pharmaceuticals, with aid from the National Institutes of Health, is studying the safety and efficacy of two animal- derived compounds for such purpo
HIV-Related Skin Diseases: Lancet (09/07/96) Vol. 348, No. 9028, P. 659; Tschachler, Erwin; Bergstresser, Paul R.; Stingl, Georg; In many HIV-infected individuals, diseases of the skin or mucous membranes are the first signs of disease progression. More than 90 percent of HIV-positive patients develop such conditions--which can include Kaposi s sarcoma, viral and bacterial infections, and other disorders--at some point during their disease. In
Uncircumcised Men at Greater AIDS Risk: United Press International (09/16/96); Susman, Ed; A study of immigrants to Israel has found that uncircumcised men may have a greater risk of contracting HIV because an intact foreskin helps bacteria, including the agents of sexually transmitted diseases, survive. Michael Dan of E. Wolfson Hospital in Israel and colleagues compar
Zimbabwean Women Petition for Cheaper Condoms: Reuters (09/16/96); Zimbabwean women are asking the government to make female condoms more accessible and affordable to help curb the spread of HIV. The Zimbabwe Women and AIDS Support Network has initiated a petition, signed by at least 20,000 people. The female condoms cost about $2, a price too high for many women in the country. Ma
Combining Two Similar Drugs Reduces HIV Level in Blood: Reuters (09/16/96); Combining two protease inhibitors has been shown to reduce the level of HIV in the blood by 99.9 percent, researchers state. Calvin J. Cohen, of Community Research Initiative of New England, reported that, in the second six weeks of tests, patients taking
Drug Boosts Immune System in AIDS Cases--Study: Reuters (09/16/96); Kenen, Joanne; A cancer drug, interleukin-2 ( IL-2 ), has been used in low doses to improve immunity in HIV-infected individuals without any apparent side effects. Kendall Smith and colleagues at the New York-Cornell Medical Center report their initial results from a six-month study o
HIV Drug May Combat Chagas' Disease: Chicago Tribune (09/16/96) P. 1-7; Goering, Laurie; An anti-fungal drug developed to control candidosis in AIDS patients has been shown to have potential for the treatment of Chagas disease, a deadly parasitic infection. Researchers at the Venezuela Research Institute recently reported in the journal Science that D0870, or bist
The Long Road Back to Fitness: Washington Post--Health (09/17/96) P. 8; Newman, Lisa; For former journalist Lisa Newman, the June 21 Philadelphia-to -Washington, D.C. AIDS Ride offered the opportunity to be part of a large AIDS fundraiser while regaining physical fitness. Newman began training for the 300-mile, 3-day ride in April. In nine weeks, she gained eight pounds of muscle and reduced her size f
Making Lives Better: Miami Herald (09/16/96) P. 1B; Lantigua, John; A second housing facility for low-income AIDS patients in Miami s South Beach will be dedicated this week and will soon provide housing, assistance, and referral services for people with the disease. The building will have 24 units, bringing the total number of such units in Dade County to 337. The Department of Hou
AIDS Drug From Glaxo Shows Promise: Wall Street Journal (09/17/96) P. B5; Waldholz, Michael; Results of a preliminary human trial of a new protease inhibitor being developed by Glaxo Wellcome suggest that it may have the same potential as other drugs in the same class. Information from 40 of the 60 subjects who are testing the drug, known as 141W94, was reported b
Drug Therapy: Ganciclovir: New England Journal of Medicine (09/05/96) Vol. 335, No. 10, P. 721; Crumpacker, Clyde S.; In the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Clyde S. Crumpacker, of Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, Mass., discusses ganciclovir, the first antiviral drug effective against cytomegalovirus ( CMV ) disease. CMV retinitis is a c
Frequent Infection of Peripheral Blood CD8-Positive T- Lymphocytes With HIV-1: Lancet (09/07/96) Vol. 348, No. 9028, P. 649; Livingstone, W.J.; Moore, M.; Innes, D.; et al.; Patients infected with HIV-1 suffer the loss of CD4 T-cells, which are critical to the body s immune system. However, while CD4 cells have been identified as the main target for HIV-1, the extent of infection of other immune cell types remains unknown. Scottish researchers, along with the Edinburgh Heterosexual Trans
Botswana Faces Serious Threat of AIDS: Xinhua News Agency (09/13/96); Botswana s growing AIDS rate has prompted the government to urge people to change their sexual attitudes and habits. Last year, an estimated 12 percent of the country s 2 million people were thought to have AIDS. Doctors are struggling to handle the increase in demand from the disease; some 40 percent of the hospita
White House Releases Clinton Health Information: Reuters (09/13/96); In response to challenges from Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole, the White House released on Friday President Clinton s medical records. The documents included a report that Clinton, as part of an insurance physical, tested negative for HIV in 1990. The medical summary also said Clinton has no history of
AIDS Claims Five Each Day in Northern Thailand: Xinhua News Agency (09/15/96); In northern Thailand , five AIDS patients die each day, and 100,000 people in the country contract HIV each year, the Population and Community Development Association reports. The two provinces hardest hit by the disease are Chiang Mai, with 6,370 patients, and Chiang Rai, with 4
AIDS Patients Slipping Through Safety Net: New York Times (09/15/96) P. 24; Kolata, Gina; Due to increased demand for new AIDS drugs, and the high cost of the treatments, government programs designed to provide the drugs free to needy patients are failing. The AIDS Drug Assistance Program was established by Congress to give states money to provide the drugs to uninsured or underinsured people. Recently, h
Drug War Isn't About Marijuana as Medicine: New York Times (09/16/96) P. A14; Szasz, Thomas; Financier George Soros support for the medical use of marijuana appears inconsistent with his efforts to support the war on drugs, claims Dr. Thomas Szasz, a psychiatrist at the State University of New York. In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, Szasz says that legalizing marijuana for medical use would s
In Changing Face of Illness, an Optimistic Prognosis Emerges: Washington Post (09/16/96) P. A3; Brown, David; Deaths from infectious diseases will continue to decline between now and 2020, while deaths from noncommunicable diseases and accidents will rise, according to a new report from the World Health Organization . Although the rate of AIDS has not yet peaked in some countries, the frac
HIV Home Test Kit Picks up on Market: USA Today (09/16/96) P. 4B; Wells, Melanie; While Johnson & Johnson s home HIV test kit, Confide, is now becoming available at stores outside of Texas, its introduction has not been widely advertised due to a conflict in the company. J&J has been ordered to relinquish its rights to the test to its creator, Elliott Millenson, who was fired by the company
Agouron Pharmaceuticals to Give Away Experimental AIDS Drug to Some People: Wall Street Journal (09/16/96) P. B6; Rundle, Rhonda L.; Patients in the advanced stages of AIDS will be eligible to receive the experimental protease inhibitor Viracept (nelfinavir) free of charge under an expanded-access program to be announced today. Agouron Pharmaceutical
Drug Therapy: Ganciclovir: New England Journal of Medicine (09/05/96) Vol. 335, No. 10, P. 721; Crumpacker, Clyde S.; In the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Clyde S. Crumpacker, of Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, Mass., discusses ganciclovir, the first antiviral drug effective against cytomegalovirus ( CMV ) disease. CMV retinitis is a c
Frequent Infection of Peripheral Blood CD8-Positive T- Lymphocytes With HIV-1: Lancet (09/07/96) Vol. 348, No. 9028, P. 649; Livingstone, W.J.; Moore, M.; Innes, D.; et al.; Patients infected with HIV-1 suffer the loss of CD4 T-cells, which are critical to the body s immune system. However, while CD4 cells have been identified as the main target for HIV-1, the extent of infection of other immune cell types remains unknown. Scottish researchers, along with the Edinburgh Heterosexual Trans
Botswana Faces Serious Threat of AIDS: Xinhua News Agency (09/13/96); Botswana s growing AIDS rate has prompted the government to urge people to change their sexual attitudes and habits. Last year, an estimated 12 percent of the country s 2 million people were thought to have AIDS. Doctors are struggling to handle the increase in demand from the disease; some 40 percent of the hospita
White House Releases Clinton Health Information: Reuters (09/13/96); In response to challenges from Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole, the White House released on Friday President Clinton s medical records. The documents included a report that Clinton, as part of an insurance physical, tested negative for HIV in 1990. The medical summary also said Clinton has no history of
AIDS Claims Five Each Day in Northern Thailand: Xinhua News Agency (09/15/96); In northern Thailand , five AIDS patients die each day, and 100,000 people in the country contract HIV each year, the Population and Community Development Association reports. The two provinces hardest hit by the disease are Chiang Mai, with 6,370 patients, and Chiang Rai, with 4
AIDS Patients Slipping Through Safety Net: New York Times (09/15/96) P. 24; Kolata, Gina; Due to increased demand for new AIDS drugs, and the high cost of the treatments, government programs designed to provide the drugs free to needy patients are failing. The AIDS Drug Assistance Program was established by Congress to give states money to provide the drugs to uninsured or underinsured people. Recently, h
Drug War Isn't About Marijuana as Medicine: New York Times (09/16/96) P. A14; Szasz, Thomas; Financier George Soros support for the medical use of marijuana appears inconsistent with his efforts to support the war on drugs, claims Dr. Thomas Szasz, a psychiatrist at the State University of New York. In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, Szasz says that legalizing marijuana for medical use would s
In Changing Face of Illness, an Optimistic Prognosis Emerges: Washington Post (09/16/96) P. A3; Brown, David; Deaths from infectious diseases will continue to decline between now and 2020, while deaths from noncommunicable diseases and accidents will rise, according to a new report from the World Health Organization . Although the rate of AIDS has not yet peaked in some countries, the frac
HIV Home Test Kit Picks up on Market: USA Today (09/16/96) P. 4B; Wells, Melanie; While Johnson & Johnson s home HIV test kit, Confide, is now becoming available at stores outside of Texas, its introduction has not been widely advertised due to a conflict in the company. J&J has been ordered to relinquish its rights to the test to its creator, Elliott Millenson, who was fired by the company
Agouron Pharmaceuticals to Give Away Experimental AIDS Drug to Some People: Wall Street Journal (09/16/96) P. B6; Rundle, Rhonda L.; Patients in the advanced stages of AIDS will be eligible to receive the experimental protease inhibitor Viracept (nelfinavir) free of charge under an expanded-access program to be announced today. Agouron Pharmaceutical
Canada Notes: Maclean's (09/02/96) Vol. 109, No. 36, P. 19; Monique Begin, former Canadian health minister, complained in a letter to the panel investigating Canada s tainted blood scandal that it was wrong for bureaucrats to be blamed in the investigation while political leaders were not. More than 13,000 Canadians were infected with HIV through contaminated blood products i
Blood and Money: Vibe (08/96) Vol. 4, No. 6, P. 98; Timmons, Stuart; While large AIDS service organizations have become multi- million dollar institutions, smaller community-based groups-- created for minority communities--receive a smaller cut of the federal AIDS funding pie. Competition between the two types of groups has created tension in the AIDS community, despite efforts to giv
Is it the Time...?: American Medical News (09/02/96) Vol. 39, No. 33, P. 13; Shelton, Deborah L.; The issue of mandatory HIV testing for pregnant women and their infants has become increasingly controversial as the rate of HIV infection among females continues to rise. Women now account for 19 percent of all AIDS cases, up from 7 percent in 1985. Moreover, an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 HIV- positive women gave bir
Appropriations Subcommittee OKs Labor-HHS Spending Bill: Reuters (09/12/96); The Senate Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee approved a $65.7 billion spending bill for fiscal 1997 on Sept. 10. The Senate funding for Health and Human Services is $212 million less than that approved by the House due to a disparity in funding for the National Institutes of Health. Under th
Glasgow Clinic Successful in Preventing HIV in Prostitutes: Reuters (09/12/96); The rate of HIV infection among prostitutes in Glasgow, Scotland, has declined following the opening of a health center providing HIV prevention services. The center opened in 1988 in Glasgow s red light district with the purpose of advocating HIV prevention among the city s prostitutes, most of whom are injection
Vertical Transmission of HIV-1 Occurs Late in Pregnancy: Reuters (09/12/96); French researchers report that transmission of HIV-1 from mother to fetus usually occurs late in pregnancy. Dr. Laurent Mandelbrot and colleagues studied fetal blood in 28 HIV- positive women prior to pregnancy termination. They report in the current issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology that al
Clinton's Medical File Will Stay Shut: Washington Times (09/13/96) P. A1; Bedard, Paul; In response to questions about why President Clinton s health records are not being released, White House Press Secretary Michael McCurry told reporters that Clinton does not have HIV and has not been treated for any other sexually transmitted disease. Despite Bob Dole s challenge to the White House to release the re
Making AIDS Drugs Available to Patients: Wall Street Journal (09/13/96) P. A11; Stratton, James W.; Although many states are struggling to provide AIDS drugs to patients, California Gov. Pete Wilson has made this a priority, notes Dr. James W. Stratton, of the California Department of Health Services, in a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal. Stratton refers to a recent Journal article that explained th
IRS Freezes Assets of AIDS Clinic Affiliated With Nation of Islam: Washington Post (09/13/96) P. B1; Goldstein, Amy; The assets of a Washington, D.C., AIDS clinic have been frozen by the Internal Revenue Service, which is alleging that the clinic failed to pay payroll taxes. The Abundant Life Clinic, which is associated with the Nation of Islam, has become the main source of a controversial AIDS therapy for the city s poor, black r
HR News: Employer Liable for Firing Worker Whose Partner Had AIDS: Human Resource Executive (08/96) Vol. 10, No. 9, P. 16; Baran, Frank; The owner of an Oklahoma restaurant has been ordered to pay damages to an employee he fired because the employee s domestic partner had AIDS. In the first ruling of its kind, Terry Turner was ordered, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, to pay Paul Saladin $6,548 in back pay and compensatory damages. Evidence
1996 National Farmworker Health Conference: Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (08/96) Vol. 2, No. 8, P. 12; Dougherty, Shawn; Health care providers who serve farmworkers are challenged by the geographical distribution of their clients, language differences, and opposition from Congress. At the 1996 National Farmworker Health Conference, clinicians and researchers considered how to deal with these challenges. The number of U.S. migrant and
Science & Health Bulletin: Kenya-HIV Over 1 [Million Infected]: PANA Wire Service (09/11/96); During an AIDS folk media festival in Eldoret, Kenya , Dr. Isaiah Tanui urged his fellow citizens to avoid casual sex to help curb the spread of HIV in the area. He said that one in 10 people in the town of Eldoret were infected with the virus, compared to one in 20 outside the urba
Extent of HIV Transmission via Breast Milk in Ugandan Women Limited: Reuters (09/11/96); A study of Ugandan women infected with HIV found that breast feeding does not increase the risk of mothers transmitting the virus to their infants. Dr. Laura A. Guay at University Hospital of Cleveland reported in the journal Pediatrics this month that there was no link between the detection of HIV-1 in breast milk o
Bluebells, Daffodils Could Hold Key to AIDS Drug: Reuters (09/11/96); Fox, Maggie; British researchers reported this week that a protein called lectin, isolated from the roots of bluebells and daffodils, could be used in an AIDS drugs. Pierre Rizkallah of the Daresbury Laboratory and colleagues reported at the annual festival of the British Association for the Advancement of Science that lectin cou
Science & Health Bulletin: Uganda-AIDS Workshop: PANA Wire Service (09/11/96); An HIV vaccine will be tested in Ugandans at the Joint Clinical Research Center in the capital of Uganda, an international workshop has decided. The safety of the ALVAC- HIV vaccine has already been confirmed by scientists. During the initial phase of the trial, 50 volunteers will receive four injections of the vacc
Obituary: Mark Wayne Gregory, Subject of AIDS Settlement: Washington Post (09/12/96) P. B4; Mark Wayne Gregory, an HIV-positive Justice Department employee whose firing sparked a congressional hearing in 1988, died of AIDS-related complications on Friday. Gregory was fired several weeks after a new government-wide AIDS policy was implemented to protect HIV-positive workers jobs. He had taken time off from
Rendell, Street Will Open Calcutta House AIDS Home: Philadelphia Inquirer (09/12/96) P. B2; Calcutta House, a hospice for persons living with AIDS (PLWAs) in Philadelphia, will officially open today in a ceremony led by Mayor Rendell and City Council President John F. Street. The house, a project of the Sisters of Mercy, contains 12 rooms. Four one-bedroom apartments for PLWAs who can live independently have
Seeking Health From the Roots Up: Washington Post (09/12/96) P. A1; Duke, Lynne; In many South African communities, traditional health care, using roots, herbs, prophecy, and ancestor worship, is a regular practice. An estimated 60 to 80 percent of all black South Africans consult traditional healers. In Orange Farm, a poor city 25 miles south of Johannesburg, local public health nurses work wit
Canada Reduces Red Cross' Authority: Washington Post (09/12/96) P. A23; Schneider, Howard; Canada s Red Cross will no longer have control of the nation s blood supply, Canadian health officials decided this week. The move is an attempt to restore public confidence in the organization, which has been severely criticized for its role in the infection of thousands of transfusion recipients. As a result of tai
Cel-Sci Raises $5 Million: Washington Business Journal (08/23/96-08/29/96) Vol. 15, No. 15, P. 45; Cel-Sci s recent U.S. private placement generated $5 million in revenue that will be used to further research and development on the biotechnology firm s cancer and HIV products. Cel-Sci officials expect the $10 million now possessed by the concern to be adequate to support the company s operations for about two year
Crystallographers Pinpoint What Goes Where: Science (08/30/96) Vol. 273, No. 5279, P. 1174; Service, Robert F.; AZT may not be as effective against HIV as it could be because its molecular structure may not fit well with the cellular enzyme needed for its activation, say researchers from Germany s Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology. AZT is designed to pre
Foscarnet, Ganciclovir Protect Against AIDS-Related Kaposi's Sarcoma: Reuters (09/10/96); The anti-herpesvirus drugs foscarnet and ganciclovir have been shown to protect against the development of Kaposi s sarcoma in patients with HIV. British researchers studied the use of the drugs and the occurrence of Kaposi s sarcoma, after a new herpesvirus was associated with the disease. Dr. Amanda Mocroft of the
Britons Wary of New AIDS Drug, Expert Says: Reuters (09/10/96); British doctors are more cautious than American physicians about prescribing the new protease inhibitors for AIDS patients, an expert said Tuesday. Dr. Ian Weller of University College London said that talk of curing AIDS with drug combinations including protease i
Quebec to Set Up Own Blood System: Toronto Globe and Mail (09/10/96) P. A1; Coutts, Jane; At a meeting of Canadian health officials called to reform the nation s blood system, Quebec s health minister announced that the province will set up its own system, which may run cooperatively with the new national system being planned. Jean Rochon announced the plan Monday, saying details of Quebec s plan will be a
Report Warned of AIDS Risk, Trial Told: Toronto Globe and Mail (09/10/96) P. A7; Downey, Donn; In a trial charging the Canadian Red Cross (CRC) with negligence that led to the deaths of two individuals from AIDS, a Canadian doctor testified that the medical community suspected at the time that HIV was spread via blood transfusions. The estates of the plaintiffs claim the CRC was negligent in failing to screen
Drug Chief Says No to Pot Plan: Washington Post (09/11/96) P. A2; Gen. Barry McCaffrey, the national drug control policy director, said he opposes the proposed legalization of marijuana for medical use in California. He called the idea dangerous and wrong, saying that Proposition 215 on California s November ballot poses a serious threat to the effectiveness of drug enforcement
States Are in a Crunch Over New AIDS Drugs: Philadelphia Inquirer (09/11/96) P. A9; Vedantam, Shankar; Many states are running out of money to pay for expensive new AIDS drugs and thus failing to meet the rising demand from patients. Protease inhibitors, taken in combination with older AIDS drugs, have proven effective in extending the lives of many people with AIDS. About 70,000 people now receive the drugs through
Green Cross of Japan Settles AIDS Lawsuits: New York Times (09/11/96) P. D3; Green Cross, Japan s largest maker of blood plasma products, said Tuesday that it would pay $11 million, or 1.3 billion yen, in 109 lawsuits settled over HIV-tainted blood products. The company said it hoped to settle 52 additional lawsuits by paying 700 million yen and that it expects to pay a total of 5.8 billion ye
Drug Companies Probed on Knowledge of Risk in Blood-Related AIDS Deaths: Nikkei Weekly (08/26/96) Vol. 34, No. 1737; P. 2; Recent raids at Green Cross, Japan s leading manufacturer of blood products, marked the start of an investigation that could lead to criminal charges of professional negligence. Former Green Cross executives are suspected of allowing the distribution of nonheated blood products, knowing of the risk of HIV involved. Th
Cel-Sci Fights Back Over News Report: Washington Business Journal (08/16/96-08/22/96) Vol. 15, No. 14; P. 2; Harreld, Heather; A Washington Post story about Cel-Sci and its development of an AIDS vaccine caused controversy after it was picked up by the Dow Jones News Wire. The article, written by Kathleen Day, quotes two analysts who question Cel-Sci s ability to take its experimental vaccine, known as HGP-30, to market. Cel-Sci officials is
Russia Okays Saliva Diagnostic's Fast HIV Test: Business Wire (09/09/96); An HIV test that uses a drop of blood and that can be performed outside a laboratory setting has been approved by the Russian Ministry of Health. Sensitivity and specificity results for the Hema Strip HIV-1/2, developed by Saliva Diagnostic Systems, were 100 percent in separate trials conducted by researchers at the
HIV-1 Phenotype Correlates With Disease Stage in Vertically Infected Children: Reuters (09/09/96); In children who are infected with HIV-1 at birth, virus phenotype correlates with the stage of infection, Italian researchers report. Dr. Claudia Balotta and colleagues at the University of Milan found that, among viral isolates from 39 children vertically infected with HIV-1, the biological properties of the virus a
Blood System Eclipses Medicare on Agenda: Toronto Globe and Mail (09/09/96) P. A6; Coutts, Jane; At this week s annual meeting of Canada s federal, provincial, and territorial health ministers, the future of the country s blood system has become the leading issue. In response to the tainted blood scandal, the leaders are under pressure to significantly change the way blood is collected and distributed. The minis
Across the USA: Nebraska: USA Today (09/10/96) P. 4A; The AIDS walk held in Omaha, Neb., had 725 participants-- almost twice as many as last year. The event is expected to raise $55,000 for AIDS education and assistance.
AIDS Virus Finds an Ally in Tuberculosis: Houston Chronicle (09/09/96) P. 6D; SoRelle, Ruth; The spread of HIV has contributed to the resurgence of tuberculosis (TB) around the world, even though TB is a curable disease. The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the world s population--or 1.9 billion people--is infected with TB. While only 5 percent to 10
15 Years Into Pandemic, and Still no AIDS Vaccine in Sight: Houston Chronicle (09/09/96) P. 6D; SoRelle, Ruth; Although many AIDS experts agree that a vaccine is the best solution to the AIDS pandemic, little research is focusing on this goal. More than 20 HIV vaccines have undergone preliminary human trials, but few have moved forward. Furthermore, a vaccine being developed against the strain of HIV prevalent in the
Triple Play on HIV: Houston Chronicle (09/09/96) P. 1A; SoRelle, Ruth; People with HIV are living longer, healthier lives thanks to a combination of drugs, including the new protease inhibitors . Dr. Peter Piot, director of the United Nations Joint Project on AIDS, has said that new research suggests that AIDS is not an inevitably fata
Vaccine for HIV Works on Monkeys: Washington Times (09/10/96) P. A11; Fox, Maggie; British researchers have reported that a vaccine was able to protect a group of monkeys from HIV infection, but they add that it could be years before it could be tested on humans. Thomas Lehner, of Guy s Hospital in London, said the vaccine was a genetically engineered version of the virus. Four of the seven HIV-inf
Health Ministry to Set up Medical-Safety Unit: Nikkei Weekly (08/26/96) Vol. 34, No. 1737, P. 2; To help restore the public s trust in Japan s Ministry of Health and Welfare, the agency is planning to replace its Pharmaceutical Affairs Bureau with a bureau to be solely concerned with the safety of medicines and drugs. To raise the level of drug testing, the number of official inspectors would be increased from a
Ebola Bar Creates Monkey Shortage: Nature (08/29/96) Vol. 382, No. 6594, P. 744; Nathan, Richard; Japanese research on HIV vaccines and gene therapy is suffering due to a shortage of lab monkeys, scientists claim. Researchers say the shortage is due to a 1990 decision by Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways to stop importing certain species of monkeys, fearing they could carry Ebola. The ban on importing rhesus,
Greek AIDS Patients Receive New Treatment: Xinhua News Agency (09/08/96); A combination of AIDS drugs is being used to successfully treat more than 100 patients in Greece . The drugs have lowered the level of HIV in the patients blood to undetectable levels. The combination therapies being used include o
Terminally Ill Rights in Dispute: United Press International (09/06/96); Legislation being considered by the Michigan state senate-- seeking to clarify the rights of terminally ill patients--has been criticized as a way to ban assisted suicide. The bill would require doctors to inform patients with less than six months to live about their rights to treatment, including pain management. It
Worldwise: Wish You Were Here: Washington Post (09/08/96) P. E3; Sottili, Carol; At the Whitman-Walker Clinic s Austin Center for Health and Living in Washington, D.C., patients with HIV and AIDS are learning about the world through postcards sent by travelers. About 70 cards have been received since the project got underway last month. The cards are read aloud each morning and the locations are
AIDS on Rise in Americans Over 50, Officials Warn: Miami Herald (09/06/96) P. 3B; Rafinski, Karen; The rate of AIDS among U.S. residents aged 50 and over increased 11 percent from 1993 to 1994, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Among people aged 20 and younger, the increase was 2 percent. In Florida s Broward County, the number of AIDS patients over 50 has more than doubled in the last two year
Ingenuity Applied to Condom Package: New York Times (09/09/96) P. D2; A New York man has received a patent for a condom package that is designed to be worn on the skin, preparing owners for safe sex at any time. The package has an adhesive on one side. The glue can be either applied directly to the wrapper or applied to both sides of a foam layer that is pressed to the package.
Cyclists' Destination: AIDS-Free World: USA Today (09/09/96) P. 1A; Eisler, Peter; More than 3,000 people participated in the 300-mile Boston-to- New York AIDS from Thursday to Sunday, raising a total of $6.2 million to help people with AIDS. Many people take part in memory of a loved one who died of AIDS, while other riders are HIV-positive themselves. Each rider must raise a minimum of $1,500 to
Embassy Row: AIDS in Nepal: Washington Times (09/09/96) P. A2; Morrison, James; The United States is providing Nepal with $30 million to help curb the spread of AIDS. The money will be used to improve maternal and child health care facilities and to provide condoms and family p
Across the USA: Washington: USA Today (09/09/96) P. 13A; Washington state s Gov. Lowry will meet today with Donna Shalala, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, to discuss ways to fund the state s program for treating people with HIV and AIDS. The program is expected to face a $5 million shortfall.
School-Based HIV-Prevention Education--United States, 1994: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (09/06/96) Vol. 45, No. 35, P. 1; To assess the level of HIV education in U.S. schools, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed data on health education that was collected as part of the agency s 1994 School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS). In 1994, 78.7 percent of the states required HIV prevention education. HIV preventi
Fill/Flush/Seal: Cups Protect Contraceptives: Packaging Digest (08/96) Vol. 33, No. 11, P. 54; The debut of Axcan Pharma s Protectaid female contraceptive sponges in November 1995 was moved up from February 1996 to fill the void left by the Today sponge, for which sales were halted in May 1995. The Canadian company is now increasing production of the sponges with an automated machine that fills preformed alumi
Candidate AIDS Vaccine Inspires Hope: Lancet (08/31/96) Vol. 348, No. 9027, P. 603; Rowe, Paul M.; Researchers have determined, in a trial involving 49 low-risk volunteers not infected with HIV-1, that a recombinant HIV vaccine containing an HIV-1 envelope protein is safe and immunogenic. The scientists report in the Annals of Internal Medicine that most of the participants developed type-specific neutralizing ant
Ebola Is Just A Dumb Macho Virus, Expert Says: Reuters (09/05/96); Lauwers, Bert; Wile Ebola s impact is far less than HIV s, media attention on the virus has generated global cooperation to fight infectious disease, an expert said Thursday. Guido van der Groen, of the Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine, told Reuters at the colloquium on Ebola virus research that Ebola is a lot less smart tha
Serono Planning Direct-to-Consumer Advertising for AIDS Product: Reuters (09/05/96); Serono is planning an advertising campaign for its injectable growth hormone product Serostim, a treatment for AIDS wasting and cachexia. Ads for the product will appear in consumer magazines, and medical journals will also carry the traditional product promotions. The price of Serostim will be limited to $36,000 pe
Thousands Biking to NYC for AIDS Funds: United Press International (09/05/96); The Boston-to-New York AIDS Ride began Thursday, as 3,600 bicyclists left Boston on the 300-mile, 4-day trip to raise funds for AIDS service organizations. About 50 of the riders are HIV-positive. The goal for the second annual event is to raise $6 million for Boston s Fenway Community Health Center, and New York s
U.S. Grant for Population Control to Nepal: Xinhua News Agency (09/06/96); A $30 million grant will be provided to Nepal by the U.S. government for reducing population and improving maternal and child health. The goal of the program is to increase the use of family planning services and reduce the spread
U.S. Study Says Most Schools Teach About AIDS: Reuters (09/05/96); Cooper, Mike; HIV prevention education is prevalent in U.S. schools, but few teachers explain how to use a condom correctly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday. More than 80 percent of U.S. schools teach HIV prevention to middle and high school students. Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbi
AIDS Attacks More Cells Than Thought, Study Finds: Reuters (09/06/96); Fox, Maggie; English researchers have found evidence that HIV infects CD8 cells, which doctors had previously thought were immune to the virus. In the journal Lancet, Peter Simmonds and colleagues at the University of Edinburgh medical school report the infection with HIV of CD8 cells taken from blood samples of 16 HIV-positive v
Pfizer's English Site Is Research Boon: Wall Street Journal (09/06/96) P. B5A; Moore, Stephen D.; Researchers developing new drugs for the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer at the company s Sandwich, England, facility are responsible for medicines that accounted for at least 40 percent of Pfizer s total prescription drug sales in 1995. Sales of Diflucan--the world s most pop
Across the USA: Georgia: USA Today (09/06/96) P. 8A; Georgia s school superintendent, Lina Schrenko, is being criticized by conservatives for hiring an official who has been accused of improperly helping students get birth control pills, condoms, and HIV tests without parental permission.
CMV Retinitis Monoclonal Antibody Trial Halted: Lancet (08/31/96) Vol. 348, No. 9027, P. 603; McCarthy, Michael; A monoclonal antibody has been found to be ineffective against cytomegalovirus ( CMV ) in a U.S. trial in AIDS patients. A safety monitoring board halted the trial of MSL 109 after determining that the antibody failed to slow d
Saving Children From Sex: Economist (08/31/96) Vol. 340, No. 7981, P. 17; The first World Congress Against the Commercial Exploitation of Children, held in Stockholm recently, focused the world s attention on the widespread prostitution of children. Reports from the meeting revealed that more than 1 million children are forced into the global sex trade annually and that one- third of child
China Attacks AIDS Explosion: United Press International (09/04/96); Chinese health officials promised on Wednesday to increase funding for HIV prevention to help slow the rapid spread of the virus. The number of HIV cases in China has tripled each year since 1994. The Ministry of Health will upgrade laboratory testing techniques and carry out ext
Attenuated AIDS Vaccine Candidate Reported: Reuters (09/04/96); A potentially safe and effective AIDS vaccine candidate is described in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. H.W. Kestler and colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation report that results of animal studies suggest that a live vaccine of HIV, attenuated in the nef protein,
Zambian Sex Workers Reform: Africa News Service (09/05/96); A group of prostitutes in Zambia have turned from the sex trade to more productive roles through a project established by an AIDS expert. The women receive counseling and training in various skills, including tailoring. Dr. Nkandu Luo, the only Zambian female professor, explains
The Ride of Their Lives: Boston Globe (09/04/96) P. B1; Jacobs, Sally; Of the more than 4,000 bicycle riders participating in the second annual 300-mile Boston-to-New York AIDS Ride, about 50 have HIV or AIDS. The riders, known as Positive Pedalers, are taking part in the ride for personal reasons and in an attempt to help change attitudes about people who have AIDS or HIV. I want to s
Red Cross Lax in Screening, Court Told: Toronto Globe and Mail (09/04/96) P. A3; Downey, Donn; The Canadian Red Cross (CRC) is being sued for failing to properly screen two blood donors who had sexual histories that should have made them ineligible to donate blood according to common precautions. The estates of Alma Walker and Ronald Osborne, who received blood donated by the two men in 1983 and 1985, respecti
2 More Groups to Forgo Next 'AIDS Ride': Philadelphia Inquirer (09/05/96) P. B1; Collins, Huntly; Two of the three Philadelphia AIDS service organizations that shared money raised by the recent Philadelphia-to-Washington, D.C. bicycle ride announced Wednesday that they will not participate in the ride planned for next year. Paul Scoles, director of the board for Philadelphia Community Health Alternatives, said the
The New 'Miracle' AIDS Drugs: A Dose of Hope and Hard Reality: Washington Post (09/05/96) P. A1; Kastor, Elizabeth; While protease inhibitors--the new AIDS drugs being touted as a near-miracle cure--are restoring strength to many patients, they are expensive and difficult to take, and they do not work for everyone. The level of optimism in the AIDS community is the highest it has ever been, however, due to studies that show the dr
New HIV Drugs Cast in Supporting Roles: Journal of the American Medical Association (08/28/96) Vol. 276, No. 8, P. 585; Voelker, Rebecca; AIDS researchers are predicting that non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors may have various uses, ranging from combination therapy to preventing HIV infection after exposure. Like nucleoside analogs, the drugs change the function of the HIV replication enzyme reverse transcriptase. Nevirapine, the first of t
The Politics of Drugs: Back to War: Newsweek (08/26/96) Vol. 128, No. 9, P. 57; Klaidman, Daniel; Barry, John; Rosenstiel, Thomas; et al.; President Clinton has not made the war on drugs a priority during his administration, a fact which Bob Dole and the Republican party will repeatedly remind voters about as the election nears, according to Daniel Klaidman in Newsweek. A federal survey recently revealed that drug use by 12- to 17- year-olds has increas
Female Condoms: An Alternative AIDS Prevention Strategy: Reuters (09/03/96); A study in Zambia of inner-city patients who sought treatment for sexually transmitted diseases indicates that the female condom should be added to HIV/AIDS prevention programs for women and heterosexual couples. Nabila El-Bassel and colleagues from Columbia University reported th
Vietnam Launches Anti-AIDS Campaign: Xinhua News Agency (09/03/96); Vietnam has launched a number of AIDS awareness campaigns and community projects to deal with its growing AIDS epidemic, the local press reported Tuesday. The country has more than 4,200 reported HIV cases, including 353 people with AIDS and 184 deaths from AIDS. In Ho Chi Minh
HIV Patient to Plead Guilty to Rapes: United Press International (09/03/96); A Texas man who said he used a condom when he raped two teenage girls because he is HIV-positive agreed to plead guilty Friday. David Ballard, 36, consented to a plea agreement for two counts each of aggravated sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping. He admitted to police on Aug. 18 that he had sex with the girls,
A Local Group Pulls Out of Next Year's AIDS Ride: Philadelphia Inquirer (09/04/96) P. B2; A Philadelphia-based non-profit group that operates one of the city s largest HIV testing sites will announce today that it will not participate in next year s Philadelphia-to- Washington, D.C., AIDS bicycle ride fundraiser. The group, the Philadelphia Community Health Alternatives, was one of the three original grou
The Morality of Testing: Washington Times (09/04/96) P. A2; Koch, Ed; In the July 19 edition of Newsday, quoted today by the Washington Times, former New York Mayor Ed Koch wrote in support of HIV testing for pregnant women. He cited reports that giving AZT to pregnant women with HIV could reduce transmission of the virus by
Biotech Research Praised at Groundbreaking for SUNY Lab: New York Times (09/04/96) P. B2; McQuiston, John T.; At a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday, New York Gov. George E. Pataki heralded the future biotechnology center at New York s State University at Stony Brook as the place where the battle against the health threats of cancer, AIDS, Lyme disease and other diseases will be fought and won. The $40 million Center for Mol
Revolutionizing Contraception: Journal of Commerce (09/04/96) P. 7A; Rosenfield, Allan; Harrison, Polly; New methods of contraception should be developed to prevent unwanted pregnancies and curb the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, urge two members of the National Research Council s Committee on Contraceptive Research and Development in a Journal of Commerce commentary. Allan Rosenfield, who chaired the committe
N.J. Will Offer 3 New AIDS Drugs Free to Uninsured Patients: Philadelphia Inquirer (09/04/96) P. B3; Collins, Huntly; AIDS patients in New Jersey who are uninsured or underinsured will have free access to three new anti-AIDS drugs beginning Oct. 1, state health officials said Tuesday. The drugs will be made available to AIDS patients who earn less than $30,000 a year. If demand for the costly new drugs is too great, however, the st
A Resurgence for Condoms?: Supermarket Business (08/96) Vol. 52, No. 8, P. 73; Renewed interest in condoms, which is attributed to increased vendor support, improved products, and studies that promote condom use to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, should thus lead to increased sales of the contraceptives in supermarkets. Hisayuki Naito, of Okamoto U.S.A., says supermarket co
The Seroepidemiology of Human Herpesvirus 8 (Kaposi's Sarcoma- Associated Herpesvirus): Distribution of Infection in KS Risk Groups and Evidence for Sexual Transmission: Nature Medicine (08/96) Vol. 2, No. 8, P. 918; Kedes, Dean H.; Operskalski, Eva; Busch, Michael; et al.; Kaposi s sarcoma (KS) is the most common neoplasm among AIDS patients and is 20,000 times more common in this group than in the general population. Incidence of KS varies widely among those infected with HIV, however, and is also found in some HIV-negative groups, suggesting the disease is not caused only by HIV. A
HIV on the Rise Among Greek Women: Xinhua News Agency (09/01/96); The total number of Greeks infected with HIV is reported at 1,386, including 37 cases reported between April and June this year. Homosexual transmission accounts for 56 percent of the known cases, while 15 percent of cases--the majority of which are in women--are attributed to heterosexual sex.
Passing HIV to Babies Through Breastfeeding: Xinhua News Agency (09/01/96); The risk of HIV transmission through breastfeeding may be higher than originally thought, South African researchers have found. The South African Press Association reports that Dr. Glenda Gray determined that breastfeeding increases the risk of transmission from mother to child by 28 percent. Previously, studies have
More Women Have Tests for AIDS: New York Times (08/31/96) P. 10; From 1991 to 1993, the percentage of women between the ages of 18 and 44 who were tested for HIV rose 60 percent, federal health officials reported Thursday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 31.8 percent of 6,267 women surveyed in 1993 said they had been tested for HIV. In 1991, only 18.8 pe
Millionaire Wages War on Pimps: Toronto Globe and Mail (08/31/96) P. A8; Stackhouse, John; Bombay s sex industry is declining, due in part to the increased threat of AIDS, fewer blue-collar jobs, and fewer prostitutes. Dr. I.S. Gilada, who operates an AIDS awareness and prevention program for prostitutes and their clients, says the threat of AIDS is the greatest reason for the decrease in the city s sex tr
Across the USA: Utah: USA Today (09/03/96) P. 8A; Utah health officials attribute an increase in tuberculosis (TB) cases to improved screening for the disease. The state has seen 41 TB cases so far this year, compared to 24 during the same period of 1995.
Teen Drug Use: Issue of Epidemic?: Investor's Business Daily (09/03/96) P. A1; Robinson, Matthew; Pointing to an increase in teen drug use, the Dole campaign has criticized the Clinton administration for not making the war against drugs a priority. Government studies have found that the use of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, and other drugs by teens has increased 78 percent since 1992, and 33 percent i
Kit Offers Home Blood Test for HIV: Richmond Times-Dispatch (09/03/96) P. A1; Kelly, Deborah; A home HIV test kit became available in Virginia stores last week, offering customers a convenient and anonymous way to find out if they are infected with HIV. Test users send a dried blood sample to a laboratory and receive their results by calling a toll-free number. An estimated 15,000 Virginians are infected wit
For AIDS Doctors, a Needed Tonic: New York Times (09/03/96) P. D9; Dunlap, David W.; Doctors who specialize in treating people with AIDS say promising new drugs have given them renewed hope for their patients. Dr. Howard A. Grossman of New York says he now has hopes of treating his patients into old age. However, although many doctors are witnessing dramatic improvements in some patients due to the
Blood Safety Issues Working Group Convened: Lancet (08/24/96) Vol. 348, No. 9026, P. 540; Bayer, Ronald; A meeting held in Italy in July launched a two-year inquiry into the tainted-blood tragedies in several countries that resulted in people becoming infected with HIV through contaminated blood products. Doctors, social scientists, and blood safety experts attended the meeting, spons
Pneumocystis Pneumonia--Los Angeles: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (08/30/96) Vol. 45, No. 34, P. 1; Gottlieb, M.S.; Schanker, H.M.; Fan, P.T.; et al.; The first published report of what later became known as AIDS was published by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on June 4, 1981, and reprinted today. Dr. M.S. Gottlieb and colleagues reported that between October 1980 and May 1981, five homosexua
HIV Testing Among Women Aged 18-44 Years--United States, 1991 and 1993: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (08/30/96) Vol. 45, No. 34, P. 6; HIV testing and counseling is important for women so they can seek early treatment for themselves and reduce the risk of transmission to others, including their children. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides information about HIV testing in women aged 18-44 based on interviews in 1991
Testing for TB: Financial Times (08/30/96) P. 16; Graham, Jill; A new tuberculosis (TB) test, developed by the British company Biotec Laboratories, could have important implications for diagnosing the disease. The World Health Organization has declared TB a global emergency, and accurate diagnosis is especially critical to treating the disea
Risks and Rewards of One-Product Stocks: Investor's Business Daily (08/30/96) P. A1; Gessel, Chris; Dignity Partners, a San Francisco company that bought life insurance policies from people with HIV, was the first viatical settlement company to go public. Its stock peaked at 14.5 just after its IPO in February. After the approval of protease inhibitors , however,
AIDS Fears Prompt Brothel Raids: Toronto Globe and Mail (08/29/96) P. A12; Stackhouse, John; In the capital of Nepal , and seven other Indian cities, 456 prostitutes including more than 100 children have been held in poor conditions for six months and have been subjected to HIV tests. The women and girls were taken from Bom
'Hope Is Back in America': Washington Post (08/30/96) P. A36; In President Clinton s acceptance speech Thursday night to the Democratic National Convention, he pointed to progress made in various areas of American society during his administration. Among them, he mentioned that more rapid development of drugs to deal with HIV and AIDS and moving them to the market quicker have
Baxter Sets Aside $68M for Immuno's HIV Costs: Financial Times (08/30/96) P. 1; Green, Daniel; To cover the potential costs of lawsuits brought by hemophiliacs against Immuno International, a company being acquired by Baxter International, the new parent is setting aside $68.5 million. Immuno makes blood products in Europe, as Baxter does in the United States . Both companies h
Widow Asks Full Court to Review AIDS Case: Journal of Commerce (08/30/96) P. 8A; The widow of a man who died of AIDS in 1991 is asking a federal appeals court to reconsider the lawsuit she filed against a life insurance company that did not tell her husband he had HIV. A federal judge and a three-judge panel of an appeals court has already ruled in favor of the insurer, Jackson National Insurance
Japan Arrests Doctor in Case of Bad Blood: New York Times (08/30/96) P. A9; Pollack, Andrew; A Japanese doctor and hemophilia expert was arrested Thursday on charges that he prescribed blood products to a patient knowing they carried the risk of HIV infection. Dr. Takeshi Abe, the head of a government panel on AIDS in the 1980s, has been accused with other officials of delaying the approval of heat-treated b
AIDS Claims Remain Flat: Study: Business Insurance (08/19/96) Vol. 30, No. 34, P. 35; A new survey by the Health Insurance Association of American and the American Council of Life Insurance has determined that group health and life insurers paid slightly more than $1 billion in AIDS-related claims--about the same amount as the previous year. Group life insurers paid 1995 AIDS-related claims of $571.4
Resistance to HIV-1 Infection in Caucasian Individuals Bearing Mutant Alleles of the CCR-5 Chemokine Receptor Gene: Nature (08/22/96) Vol. 382, No. 6593, P. 722; Samson, Michel; Libert, Frederick; Doranz, Benjamin J.; et al.; The chemokine receptor CCR-5 was recently found to be a co- receptor essential for HIV-1 to infect target cells. CCR-5 has been identified as the major co-receptor for the primary macrophage-tropic HIV-1 strains, which predominate during the asymptomatic phase of the infection and are thought to cause HIV-1 transmiss
Fast HIV-Positive Infection in Svetlogorsk Region: Itar Wire Service (08/27/96); The rapid spread of HIV in the Svetlogorsk and Gomel regions of Byelorussia is causing panic among residents, according to health officials. The first three HIV cases in the area were reported in June. Now some 360 people, most of them drug addicts, are known to be infected with HIV. Another 2,000 cases may be iden
Science & Health Bulletin: Zimbabwe--AIDS: PANA Wire Service (08/28/96); Since its first AIDS cases were reported, Zimbabwe has been a leader in releasing statistics on the disease s spread. Estimates now show that 10 percent of the country s 10.5 million people are HIV-positive, and at least 200,000 people have developed AIDS. The high rate of infec
HIV-Positive Patients With TB: Dramatic Increase Reported: Reuters (08/28/96); The number of HIV-positive patients with tuberculosis (TB) who were hospitalized in New York between 1987 and 1992 increased by 270 percent, researchers report in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and Human Retrovirology. Bruce D. Agins of the New York State Department of Health and colleagues based
Inmate Charged With Spreading AIDS: United Press International (08/27/96); An HIV-positive inmate in a federal prison in Milan, Mich. was indicted Tuesday for attempted murder linked to allegations that he raped two fellow inmates. Prosecutors say that Jerry L. Morrison, currently serving a 144-month sentence for felony possession of firearms, knew he was HIV-positive when he forced the inm
Chemical May Stimulate AIDS Virus, Researchers Say: Reuters (08/28/96); Fox, Maggie; A certain immune system protein thought to be a potential treatment for HIV infection may actually worsen the infection, researchers say. Michael Bukrinsky, of the Picower Institute for Medical Research, and colleagues report in the journal Nature that the proteins, called beta-chemokines, seem to help HIV infect one
Japan's Top AIDS Expert Arrested in Blood Scandal: Reuters (08/29/96); Chang, Yvonne; Japan s leading expert on hemophilia and AIDS was arrested Wednesday on charges based on accusations that he knowingly prescribed blood products in 1984 that could have been tainted with HIV. Takeshi Abe has also been the target of legal claims filed by the family of a hemophiliac who died of AIDS years after receivi
Abbott Labs Keeps on Top With New Products and Uses: Investor's Business Daily (08/29/96) P. B14; Hui, Esther; To remain competitive, Abbott Laboratories knows it needs to not only develop new products, but discover new applications for current ones. Abbott s newest drugs include Norvir (
Swedish Conference Takes Aim at Child Sex Trade: USA Today (08/29/96) P. 12A; To avoid the risk of HIV infection, some men are turning to children for sex instead of women, a United Nations official told a conference on child sex abuse in Sweden . More than 1 million children worldwide are forced into prostitution and child pornography, the agency reported.
The Fear of Heroin Is Shooting Up: Newsweek (08/26/96) Vol. 128, No. 9, P. 55; Leland, John; Katel, Peter; Hager, Mary; Heroin use is on the rise in the United States since changes in the drug industry have resulted in a more powerful, cheaper, and safer product. In the 1980s, the average $10 bag of heroin was only 2 percent to 8 percent pure. In 1994, however, average purity was 63 percent, pure enou
HIV Test Cos. Shun Lists: DM News (08/19/96) Vol. 18, No. 31, P. 1; Drimmer, Barbara; Individuals who use Home Access Health s mail-in HIV testing kit are given a customer code number to keep results anonymous. Likewise, names of customers are not compiled into lists and shipping information is destroyed. The tests, which can be ordered by calling 1-800-HIV-TEST or by visiting the company s World Wide
Disease Severity Markers Identified in HIV-Infected Pediatric Slow Progressors: Reuters (08/27/96); Certain immunologic characteristics are associated with disease progression in HIV-infected children, researchers at the University of Miami report. Roberto Patarca and colleagues found that, in a group of 35 children who acquired HIV perinatally, those who were more severely symptomatic had significantly lower propo
CDC Reports Increased Incidence of Tuberculosis in Children: Reuters (08/27/96); Between 1985 and 1994, tuberculosis (TB) cases in children increased 33 percent, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. A review of disease surveillance data published in the August issue of Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal also shows that, from 1988 to 1992, TB cases among childr
Tax Report: Waiting Until 1997 to Rain an IRA for Big Medical Bills Could Pay Off: Wall Street Journal (08/28/96) P. A1; The health insurance law signed last week permits special health-related exceptions to the penalty that now exists for early withdrawal from an individual retirement account (IRA). Currently, people who withdraw their IRAs before the age of 59.5 are charged a 10 percent penalty. The new provision allows savers to cas
Safe Bottled Water: New York Times (08/28/96) P. C4; Gormley, Fred; In response to a New York Times article about the popularity of bottled water in the United States , Fred Gormley points out that HIV-infected individuals often drink bottled water because it is screened for contaminants. He states in a letter to the editor of the Times that he drinks
Roche Profits Rose 16 Percent in Year's First Half: New York Times (08/28/96) P. D3; Roche Holding announced Tuesday that its profits increased 16 percent in the first six months of the year, earning 2.2 billion Swiss francs ($1.8 billion) in the period. The company s pharmaceuticals division demonstrated strong growth, aided in part by the U.S. approval of the AIDS drug
FBI Nabs Prominent AIDS Researcher: Miami Herald (08/27/96) P. 1B; Lyons, David; Lionel Resnick, a well-known AIDS researcher accused of money laundering and fraud, surrendered to the FBI Monday in Miami. Resnick allegedly charged Mount Sinai Hospital for over $500,000 dollars in fraudulent invoices by diverting payments from the hospital s clients to himself through a company he controlled. Thes
Across the USA: Indiana: USA Today (08/28/96) P. 14A; An Indiana AIDS Fund survey reveals that adolescents in some state schools are not being educated about protection from HIV. Shortages of housing, transportation, and other services for HIV-infected residents were also reported.
Taking a Hit: Advocate (08/20/96) Vol. 713, No. 714, P. 91; McFarlane, Rodger; Many Hollywood celebrities, moved by personal losses from AIDS, have become leaders in speaking out about the disease and in urging compassion for AIDS patients. Actors with HIV and AIDS, however, have criticized the industry for shunning them from the business. In a job market where competition is intense, physical
Neurological Complications of HIV Infection: Lancet (08/17/96) Vol. 348, No. 9025, P. 445; Price, Richard W.; Damage to the nervous system is often associated with HIV infection, and various neurological disorders can result. These disorders, which are linked to high morbidity and mortality, include the more common opportunistic diseases affecting the brain, as well as AIDS dementia comple
UPI Science News: Slowing AIDS in Haiti: United Press International (08/27/96); A program in Haiti which combined counseling and free condoms for couples which include one partner who is infected with HIV was found to be helpful in slowing the spread of the virus, Cornell University researchers say. Among the couples who were sexually active for at least six m
Female Condom Back in Spotlight: Knight-Ridder (08/27/96); Hutchcraft, Chuck; The female condom, manufactured by Female Health, a small Chicago company, is attracting much attention, in part because of studies that found the product filled the need for HIV prevention methods that women can control. The condom is effective against sexually transmitted diseases and is gaining acceptance among wo
Medical Records: Privacy Ensured: Washington Post (08/27/96) P. A10; Clarke, Richard L.; Personal medical information will be protected and health care information will be more standardized under the health insurance reform bill, claims Richard L. Clarke, president and CEO of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, in a letter to the editor of the Washington Post. Clarke takes issue with a Post
U.N. Targets Child Pornography: Washington Times (08/27/96) P. A15; Pisik, Betsy; The U.N. Children s Fund reports today that more than 1 million children around the world are forced into prostitution or pornography each year. A four-day conference with representatives from more than 120 countries is opening today in Stockholm to examine the problem. The exploitation of young girls is worst in cu
Law Will Free the Sick From Insurance Trap: Washington Times (08/27/96) P. B9; Gallagher, Jim; Under the new health insurance reform bill taking effect next July, workers who get sick will be able to switch jobs without losing coverage for an existing illness. If a worker is fired, however, he can still be denied coverage. When a worker is laid off, he is allowed to keep his health insurance group rates for 1
Venture-Backed Firms Defy Market With IPOs: Wall Street Journal (08/27/96) P. B2; Selz, Michael; In the face of widespread investor nervousness, 18 new venture -backed companies went public last month, raising a total of $638 million, according to the Venture Capital Journal. Some companies, such as Caltype Biomedical--which is developing a urine test for the HIV--said that although they had to lower their initi
HIV Often Overlooked in Spite of Screening: Washington Post--Health (08/27/96) P. 5; Murphy, Caryle; Individuals infected with HIV may not be identified, even when they are regularly screened for the virus, researchers at the University of Washington report. Timothy Schacker and colleagues also found that unprotected oral-genital contact can transmit HIV and that it takes about two weeks for symptoms of HIV infectioo
Serono Wins Approval for AIDS Drug: Wall Street Journal (08/27/96) P. B4; Johannes, Laura; The Food and Drug Administration gave accelerated approval to Serostim, a drug made by Serono to treat AIDS-related wasting, following the company s meeting with AIDS activists. Members of ACT-UP Golden Gate, a San Francisco group, urged the approval after Serono agreed to sell the drug at half the current market prico
America's Best Hospitals: AIDS: U.S. News & World Report (08/12/96) Vol. 121, No. 6, P. 67; U.S. News & World Report ranked America s hospitals in terms of AIDS care and concluded that San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center is the best. The hospital rated 100 points out of 100 on the U.S. News Index. In the No. 2 position is Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, with a 71.8 index. The list of the to
Baltimore Tries Needle Drop Box: American Medical News (08/12/96) Vol. 39, No. 30m, P. 32; New mailboxes in Baltimore designated as syringe depositories have proven beneficial to keeping used needles off the city s streets, officials report. The mailboxes appeared on four Baltimore street corners in July as an experimental way to deal with the problem of children and others getting stuck by discarded needl
Resistance-Related HIV Mutations Seen With Long-Term Ritonavir: Reuters (08/23/96); Genetic mutations of HIV-1 that are linked to drug resistance appear to develop after a year of ritonavir therapy, researchers at the Rega Institute for Medical Research in Leuven, Belgium report. Jean-Claude Schmit an
UPI Science News: [Serostim Wins Approval]: United Press International (08/23/96); Serono Laboratories Serostim (somatotropin), a human-growth hormone for the treatment of AIDS-wasting, was approved by the FDA on Friday. In clinical testing, the hormone bulked up patients by an average of 3.5 pounds. Nevertheless, under the terms of the accelerated approval, Sero
Cure for AIDS and Cancer Hunted for in [Central American Jungle]: Reuters (08/26/96); Majendie, Paul; Herbologist Rosita Arvigo spent nine years in a Central American jungle hunting for plants that might provide a cure for AIDS and cancer. Supported by funding from the National Cancer Institute, Arvigo collected 3,000 plants, which are now being analyzed by U.S. scientists in Washington. About 1,000 have been teste
Let's Give Animals Respect They Deserve: New York Times (08/26/96) P. A14; Rowe, Martin; MacDonald, Mia; Animals should be treated with the same respect that we treat other humans, contend Martin Rowe and Mia MacDonald in a letter to the editor of the New York Times. In response to an Aug. 22 Op-ed piece that suggested that animals can suffer, think, plan, deceive, and cherish, the authors say that humans should conside
Health Journal: Wall Street Journal (08/26/96) P. B1; Chase, Marilyn; The resurgence of heroin use among executives, stockbrokers, and doctors is not startling to David E. Smith, founder of the Haight-Asbury Free Medical Clinic. He says the trend is to be expected following the popular use of cocaine in the 1980s. Experts warn that although a myth persists that heroin is not as harmful
HUD Gives 9 States Housing Grants for AIDS Patients: Washington Post (08/24/96) P. C1; Evans, Judith; The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced Friday that it will award grants totaling $7.84 million to agencies in nine states that offer housing aid to low-income people with AIDS. The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will receive $976,800 under the Housing Opportunities for Peopl
Prostituted Children: New York Times (08/26/96) P. A14; The world s first international conference on the sexual exploitation of children, opening Tuesday in Stockholm, will help to raise awareness and to protect children, according to a New York Times editorial. Child prostitution continues to grow, in part due to the spread of HIV. Younger, healthier children are in hi
Morrison's Cavalier Attitude Worries Doctors: USA Today (08/26/96) P. 16C; While former heavyweight fighter Tommy Morrison s positive attitude about living with HIV may be reassuring, HIV experts are concerned that he may be promoting carelessness. In an interview with the Kansas City Star, Morrison said he was not taking his prescribed medications and said the infection doesn t seem like
Active Tuberculosis Boosts HIV Replication: Lancet (08/10/96) Vol. 348, No. 9024, P. 393; McCarthy, Michael; Active Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in HIV-positive individuals can increase plasma HIV levels by as much as 160 times, researchers report in the August issue of the Journal of Immunology. Studies of seven HIV-infected patients with active M. tuberculosis (TB) infection revealed that the plasma HIV load rose
Annotation: Needle Exchange Programs and the Law--Time for a Change: American Journal of Public Health (08/96) Vol. 86, No. 8, P. 1077; Glanz, Leonard H.; Mariner, Wendy K.; Current objections to providing clean needles to injection drug users are similar to those held in World War I against distributing condoms to U.S. soldiers, and are just as harmful to public health, claim Leonard H. Glanz of Boston University and Wendy K. Mortimer, a contributing editor to the Journal of Public Healt
The Legal Strategies Used in Operating Syringe Exchange Programs in the United States: American Journal of Public Health (08/96) Vol. 86, No. 8; P. 1161; Burris, Scott; Finucane, David; Gallagher, Heather; et al.; Needle exchange programs have been stymied by laws that prohibit the distribution of drug injection equipment or require a prescription for the sale of needles. Such laws, on the books in 46 states and the District of Columbia, can deter government agencies and other sources of support from funding syringe exchanges,
A Strong T Cell Response May Predict Faster Disease Progression in AIDS Patients: Reuters (08/22/96); A higher proliferation of T cells in response to HIV and opportunistic pathogens is associated with more rapid disease progression, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, report in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Rachel D. Schrier and colleagues found that, although increased T cell generation
Foundation Funds Research on PET Imaging of HIV-Positive Patients: Reuters (08/22/96); A four-year research project on Positron Emission Tomography imaging in HIV-positive patients at the University of California at Los Angeles will be supported by a $160,000 grant from the McCarthy Family Foundation. Researchers will study HIV and its mechanisms, focusing on the establishment of major sites of infecti
Green Cross Investigation Escalates: Reuters (08/22/96); Former and incumbent Green Cross executives have been questioned to determine the company s knowledge of the risk involved in using non-heat-treated blood products. One of the former executives questioned, Renzo Matsushita, was also a former official in the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Matsushita has been accused
Drug Firm Consolidates Operations: Toronto Globe and Mail (08/21/96) P. B9; Lem, Gail; Pharmacia & Upjohn , which is consolidating its Canadian operations, has announced that it will construct a new $14 million Canadian headquarters in Mississauga and commit $17 million annually to the research and development of new drugs. According to Rich Little, president of the
UPI Science News--[Alternative Therapy May Cause Rare Infection]: United Press International (08/22/96); Pezzella, Mike; A rare bacterial infection in 47 people in Denver and five people in Wyoming may be caused by an alternative therapy used by patients who are infected with HIV or who are obese to improve their well-being. A Denver doctor reported that 47 of 69 patients treated with adrenal cortex injection developed bacterial absc
Reeve's Role Is to Teach: Washington Post (08/23/96) P. C1; Britt, Donna; Christopher Reeve s planned appearance at the Democratic National Convention next week can be compared to the appearance of AIDS activists and patients Mary Fisher and Hydeia Broadbent at the Republican National Convention, claims Washington Post columnist Donna Britt. She says both are attempts by the parties to pre
AIDS Bike Ride Misses Its Goal: Philadelphia Inquirer (08/23/96) P. B1; Collins, Huntly; Less than one-quarter of the $1.6 million raised by Philadelphia-area participants in the Philadelphia-to- Washington, D.C. AIDS Ride will go to local groups, organizers reported Thursday. The majority of the funds will be used to cover the $1.3 million in expenses, including administrative staff and production fees.
Device Detects AIDS Virus Quickly: Nikkei Weekly (08/05/96) Vol. 34, No. 1734; P. 10; A new HIV testing device, developed by Nippon Roche KK, Olympus Optical, and Tosoh Corp., can detect the virus that causes AIDS more quickly than traditional antibody tests. The new test detects HIV s genetic material, rather than the antibodies produced in response to the infection which can take six to eight weeks
A Randomized Trial of Clarithromycin as Prophylaxis Against Disseminated Mycobacterium Avium Complex Infection in Patients With Advanced Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: New England Journal of Medicine (08/08/96) Vol. 335, No. 6, P. 384; Pierce, Mark; Crampton, Sheri; Henry, David; et al.; Infection with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), the most common opportunistic infection in advanced AIDS patients, causes night sweats, fever, weight loss, and diarrhea, and can shorten survival. The only drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating the infection is clarithromycin, a macrolide ant
Employee Can Sue Hospital for Disclosing He Had an AIDS Test: Reuters (08/21/96); An Illinois hospital employee has won the right to sue his employer for disclosing the fact that he took an HIV test after possible on-the-job exposure to the virus. A state Appellate Court ruled that, because the hospital decided to treat the employee after he was exposed to contaminated blood, the employee should h
Am. Issues-Glance: Marijuana Use Debated: United Press International (08/21/96); Following the recent closing of a San Francisco club that provided marijuana for medicinal purposes to AIDS patients and others, the debate of legalization for such uses has resurged. In California, a ballot initiative to allow doctors to prescribe marijuana will be voted on in November, but law enforcement agencies a
Neal Dickerson Dies at 38; AIDS Activist, TV Producer: Washington Post (08/22/96) P. B4; Neal Dickerson, an AIDS activist and former television news producer who had AIDS, died Aug. 19 of complications related to cancer treatment. Dickerson served as editor of the AIDS Policy Newsletter and had also written a manual, Pushing Public Policy, now used by the National Association of People with AIDS and ot
Clinton Signs Bill to Give Portability in Insurance: New York Times (08/22/96) P. B12; Purdum, Todd S.; President Clinton signed the health insurance reform bill Wednesday, calling the legislation a long step toward the kind of health care reform our nation needs. The bill allows workers to keep their health care coverage if they change or lose their jobs and prohibits health insurance companies from denying coverage
AIDS-Tainted Blood Probe in Japan: Washington Post (08/22/96) P. A28; The Japanese drug firm Green Cross has been raided by prosecutors, increasing the likelihood that the company s former president will face criminal charges over the sale of HIV-tainted blood products. Renzo Matsushita is charged with allowing tainted products to be sold even after U.S. researchers warned that unheate
Across the USA: Louisiana: USA Today (08/22/96) P. 8A; Most HIV services provided by Louisiana charity hospitals would be eliminated, along with emergency rooms in two hospitals and a cancer treatment center in another, under a plan to cut $31 million from the state s charity hospital budgets.
Blame Me for Blood Scandal, Begin Says: Toronto Globe and Mail (08/21/96) P. A1; Picard, Andre; Former Canadian health minister Monique Begin says her willingness to take the blame for the country s tainted-blood scandal is a matter of personal morality and integrity as well as a demonstration of ministerial responsibility. Begin, who served as the minister of health and welfare from 1976 to 1984, accepted t
States Move to Ration Promising AIDS Drugs: Wall Street Journal (08/22/96) P. B1; McGinley, Laurie; In response to the increased demand for protease inhibitors , state programs that provide AIDS drugs are being forced to limit the drugs they can provide, or reject new patients, to avoid running out of funds. The programs provide drugs at no charge to lower-income
J&J's Confide Faces Legal Battle, New Rival: Advertising Age (08/05/96) Vol. 67, No. 32, P. 3; Wilke, Michael; Johnson & Johnson , facing competition from Home Access Health in the home HIV test kit market, has decided to begin national direct mail sales of its test, called Confide, immediately and to increase national retail availability in September. The company will begin national
How to Fight AIDS: Newsweek (08/05/96) Vol. 128, No. 6, P. 18; Merson, Michael H.; Although political and financial support for HIV prevention programs is decreasing, Michael H. Merson, dean of public health at Yale University, says that this support should be maintained, especially in light of new studies that show such strategies are successful. In a Newsweek magazine commentary, Merson argues th
Tangled Lifeline: Washington Post Magazine (08/18/96) P. 10; Cohen, Susan; Umbilical cord blood is being touted as a potential lifesaving treatment for various blood and immune system diseases, and companies are urging expectant parents to have their child s cord blood collected and stored as a form of insurance. Cord blood may be used in place of bone marrow transplants to treat diseases w
HIV-Infected Infants Respond to Haemophilus Influenzae Type B Conjugate Vaccine: Reuters (08/20/96); In a study of infants exposed to or infected with HIV, Haemophilus influenzae type B conjugate vaccine elicited a positive immune response, researchers from the Children s Hospital of Philadelphia report. Richard M. Rutsein and colleagues found that 46 percent of the HIV-infected infants and 79 percent of the HIV-exp
Report Card on Clinton's '92 Campaign Promises Published: Reuters (08/20/96); President Clinton kept several of his 1992 AIDS-related campaign promises, according to the August 19 issue of the American Health Line, which features an Arkansas Democrat- Gazette report on the president s fulfilled and unfilled promises. Included in the promises Clinton kept were: the appointment of a federal AIDS
Japan Police Raid Firm at Center of AIDS Scandal: Reuters (08/21/96); Eckert, Paul; The offices of Green Cross, a Japanese drug company implicated in the country s tainted blood scandal, was raided by public prosecutors Wednesday. The raid was the first police action against the companies that distributed HIV-infected blood products to hemophiliacs in the mid-1980s, leaving about 2,000 hemophiliacs
Children Facing AIDS to Attend Special Camp: Boston Globe (08/20/96) P. B3; As part of the Safe Haven Project, a camp based in Martha s Vineyard, Mass., will host more than 100 children with HIV and AIDS over the next two weeks. The campers are mostly from the Northeast, and range in age from age six to 18. They will visit several New Hampshire attractions, including the Christa McAuliffe P
District's Drinking Water Tests High for Bacteria for Third Month: Washington Post (08/21/96) P. C3; Cohn, D'Vera; For the third month in a row, tests have shown that high bacteria levels in Washington D.C. s tap water violate federal standards, officials from the Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday. The officials repeated the recommendations they made in June and July, advising people with weak immune systems--including
Lifesaving Medical History Coming in a Flash: New York Times (08/21/96) P. C9; Gilbert, Susan; While electronic medical identification cards may provide life -saving information for patients who need emergency care, critics caution that the system could allow personal information to be disclosed. Certain medical data--like whether a person has HIV, a history of mental illness, or a genetic predisposition to a
Across the USA: Connecticut: USA Today (08/21/96) P. 11A; Needle exchange programs in Willimantic, Conn., should be reviewed, say law enforcement officials. More than 350 discarded needles were found on city streets one week, and a 2 -year-old girl was pricked by one.
Free Hepatitis B Vaccine Popular in Schools: American Medical News (08/05/96) Vol. 39, No. 29, P. 23; The Massachusetts Department of Public Health was surprised at the positive response from schools and parents to the offer of free hepatitis B vaccines for sixth graders. Officials expected the vaccine to be controversial because the virus is spread by body piercing, tattooing, and sexual contact. So far, enough vac
Blood Center Was Not Negligent: National Law Journal (08/05/96) Vol. 18, No. 49, P. B8; A Kentucky blood center was found not to be negligent in a case in which the son of a woman who contracted HIV from contaminated blood charged that the center failed to comply with Food and Drug Administration blood screening rules. Gary Kipp s mother received the tainted blood, supplied by the Camp Memorial Blood Ce
U.S. Specialists Object to AMA's Call for Mandatory HIV Testing: Lancet (08/03/96) Vol. 348, No. 9023, P. 330; Two medical organizations have raised objections to the American Medical Association s decision in June to endorse mandatory HIV testing of pregnant women and newborns. The American College of Obstetricians and the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a joint statement in opposition to the policy. They argue that ma
Home Access Secures $7 Million Line of Credit--Financing to Establish HIV Home Test Market: HealthWire (08/19/96); Home Access Health has secured a $7 million line of credit to establish market share for its home HIV tests. Home Access Express is available by calling 1-800-HIV-TEST, while Home Access will be sold in stores this fall. The new funding will be used for the company s nationwide advertising campaign for the tests and
Health: Breast Is Best, but What if the Mother Is [HIV- Positive?]: IPS Wire (08/16/96); A new, controversial study by South African researchers suggests that HIV-positive women who breast feed may be more likely to transmit the virus to their children than was previously thought. Breast feeding is generally thought to be important to good infant health in poor countries, where children fed formula are m
HTLV-II Coinfection Does Not Appear to Accelerate HIV Disease: Reuters (08/19/96); Individuals who are infected with both HIV and the human T- lymphotropic virus type II (HTLV-II) do not progress to AIDS more quickly because of the coinfection, researchers report. Ronald C. Hershow of the University of Illinois and colleagues report in the Journal of Infectious Diseases that HTLV-II coinfection was
Welfare Bill: Legislating Morality?: New York Times (08/19/96) P. B1; Purnick, Joyce; The provision of $250 million for abstinence education included in the welfare reform bill concerns social workers and administrators because it suggests that Congress can legislate morality and sexual behavior. Gloria Feldt, president of Planned Parenthood, said an abstinence-only education program would be ineffect
Malaysia: Students to Undergo HIV Tests: United Press International (08/19/96); Malaysian students identified as drug addicts will be required to take confidential HIV tests for health and safety reasons, the Education Ministry said Monday. Random tests for others are not planned, however. The new $3.5 million program by and for young people was developed because more than half of all AIDS case
Indian Government Increases Allocated Funds for AIDS Research: Reuters (08/19/96); The Indian government has allocated $40 million for AIDS research and prevention in its 1996-1997 budget, doubling its current spending level. The AIDS funding represents more than 40 percent of the government s total budget for medical research.
In Curbing Health Costs, Few Agree on Meaning of 'Value,' Report Says: Washington Post (08/20/96) P. A15; Rich, Spencer; The cost-effectiveness of different medical treatments is often disputed by the pharmaceutical industry, managed care organizations, and society in general, a new study says. A Public Health Service panel reported that companies who make new technology may conduct cost-effectiveness studies that support marketing cl
Editorial: Time to End the Death Trials: AIDS Treatment News (08/02/96) No. 252; P. 1; James, John S.; In an editorial, John S. James, editor of AIDS Treatment News, argues that the Food and Drug Administration s standards for clinical trials to test new antiretroviral drugs should be changed in light of the greater credibility of viral load tests. James says that the clinical trial system does not give physicians usef
Montreal Needle-Exchange Surprise: Lancet (08/03/96) Vol. 348, No. 9023; P. 324; A study of nearly 1,600 injection drug users in Montreal found that those who participated in the city s needle exchange program had a greater chance of becoming infected with HIV than those who did not participate. According to researchers at McGill and Montreal universities, the drug users who took part in the need
Youths at High Risk for HIV Report Consistent Condom Use: Reuters (08/16/96); A survey of African-Americans aged 12 to 21 found that a sizable proportion reported consistent condom use for at least a six-month period, and many for a one year period. Ralph J. DiClemente, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues concluded that youths who perceived peer norms as supporting cond
Life Expectancy Shortened in Uganda: Xinhua News Agency (08/18/96); AIDS has caused the life expectancy in Uganda to decrease from 45 years in 1993 to 37 years now, Popcare s Sam Ruteikara reports. The increase in HIV infections, he said, caused the average age at death to be 27 for women and 30 for men, he said. In his report, titled AIDS: A Cha
Patients in Britain Face AIDS Risk: Xinhua News Agency (08/18/96); Thousands of British patients are at risk of contracting HIV and hepatitis from tainted blood products, the government s Medicines Control Agency reported following a spot-check of the country s blood centers. The agency said that equipment for screening blood for the viruses is not being properly maintained, blood i
A Step Toward 'Classism and Sexism': Washington Post (08/17/96) P. A24; Lin, David; In a letter to the editor of the Washington Post, David Lin argues that the mandatory HIV testing of newborns can lead to classism, sexism, and discrimination against mothers found to have HIV and AIDS. He claims that the women who can afford to be denied health insurance and employment because they are found to have
D.C.'s Spreading Tuberculosis Problem: Washington Post (08/18/96) P. C8; Schiraldi, Vincent; May, Mary Elizabeth; The conditions of Washington, D.C. s prisons are conducive to the spread of tuberculosis (TB) and pose a public health threat, claims Vincent Schiraldi, executive director of the District s Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, in a Washington Post letter to the editor. Schiraldi argues that the negative impact of
AIDS Agency's Message Questioned Over Drug Use at Fire I. Fund -Raiser: New York Times (08/17/96) P. 22; Dunlap, David W.; The Morning Party, an annual gay dance held at Fire Island Pines on the Atlantic s edge, is a popular fundraising event which raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Gay Men s Health Crisis (GMHC). Critics say the group, an important private AIDS service organization, should not be involved in the event becau
Understanding the Kassebaum-Kennedy Health Coverage Bill: Washington Post (08/19/96) P. A13; Skidmore, Dave; In a question and answer format, the Washington Post details provisions of the health insurance bill recently passed by Congress. Among them is a change in policy for people who are chronically or terminally ill. The new bill would allow such patients tax deductions for the cost of long-term care, at home or in a nu
Across the USA: Indiana: USA Today (08/19/96) P. 8A; More women have HIV or AIDS in northwestern Indiana than in any other part of the state, the state Department of Health announced. Lake County has the highest incidence, with 128 cases, or 51.7 cases per 100,000 women.
Reports Bolster Viral Cause of KS: Science (08/02/96) Vol. 273, No. 5275, P. 573; Cohen, Jon; Although new research lends further credence to the theory that Kaposi s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) causes Kaposi s sarcoma, some AIDS researchers are still skeptical. Two new studies found that antibodies to KSHV proteins are common only among those who have KS and those who later develop the disease. The
Delta: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial Comparing Combinations of Zidovudine Plus Didanosine or Zalcitabine With Zidovudine Alone in HIV-Infected Individuals: Lancet (08/03/96) Vol. 348, No. 9023, P. 283; Aber, V.; Aboulker, J.P.; Babiker, A.G.; et al.; Zidovudine ( AZT ) is known to benefit HIV-infected patients but is only able to delay disease progression for a short time. A trial was designed to determine if combinations of AZT with either didanosine (ddI) or zalcitabine (
Kenya to Start Pilot Project on Male Involvement: Xinhua News Agency (08/15/96); A five-year pilot project in Kenya will aim to increase male involvement in family planning and subsequently improve the use of contraceptives with hopes of reducing fertility and controlling the spread of HIV. The Family Planning Association of Kenya will spend $8 million on the p
Saratov Leads Other Russian Regions in AIDS Carriers: Itar Wire Service (08/15/96); Russia s Saratov region on the Volga River has more HIV- infected individuals than any other area in the country, health officials reported Thursday. Of the 173 people who have tested positive for HIV in Russia so far this year, 42 were registered in the Saratov region. Health officials have traced the outbreak to a
Canada Approves Use of New Anti-HIV Drug: Xinhua News Agency (08/15/96); Norvir , an anti-HIV drug made by Abbott Laboratories , has been approved by the Canadian government. The protease inhibitor, also known as ritonavir , was cle
One Third of Inner-City Women at Risk for HIV; Syphilis Linked to Acquiring HIV: Reuters (08/15/96); Two new studies published in the American Journal of Public Health suggest that more HIV prevention programs are needed for women living in inner cities. According to one study, about one-third of women in this population are at high risk for HIV because of the risk behavior of their sexual partners. Kathleen J. Sikk
Vaccination Gap Puts Thousands at Risk, CDC Says: Washington Post (08/16/96) P. A6; A vaccination gap among 10- to 12-year olds has left thousands of American adolescents susceptible to chickenpox, measles, and hepatitis B, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday. Each year, more than 30,000 teenagers contract hepatitis B, a liver disease that is preventable with a vaccine.
Judge OKs Pact to Pay Hemophiliac AIDS Victims: Chicago Tribune (08/15/96) P. 1-2; Hutchcraft, Chuck; A federal District Court Judge in Chicago gave tentative approval to a settlement between hemophiliacs who were infected with HIV and the pharmaceutical companies that supplied the tainted blood products. If, however, the plaintiffs are forced to reimburse Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurers for costs already pai
Mayor Drops Plan to Allow Use of Marijuana as Medicine: Washington Times (08/16/96) P. A4; Walsh, Diana; San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown has decided against declaring a citywide state of emergency to allow marijuana use for medicinal purposes, saying the move could jeopardize the city s needle exchange program. Brown had supported the emergency plan last week but said he changed his mind after talking to members of the
AIDS-Related Drug Test Is Halted and Stock Dives: Wall Street Journal (08/16/96) P. B4; The National Eye Institute s announcement Wednesday that a drug made by Protein Design Labs was dropped from its trial for lack of results caused the company s stock to fall 33 percent on Thursday. Protein Design s stock fell $7.625 to $15.50. Protovir was being tested to treat a potentially blinding eye condition co
Blind in Rangoon: Far Eastern Economic Review (08/01/96) Vol. 159, No. 31; P. 21; Noung, Bertil; Noung, Hseng; In northern Burma , where the estimated number of HIV infections is between 350,000 and 400,000, many of the infected individuals are drug addicts and prostitutes returning from Thailand . The disease is widespread in Burma s prisons, where he
Changes in Sexual Behavior and a Decline in HIV Infection Among Young Men in Thailand: New England Journal of Medicine (08/01/96) Vol. 335, No. 5; P. 297; Nelson, Kenrad E.; Celentano, David D.; Eiumtrakol, Sakol; et al.; To combat the spread of HIV in Thailand , where the virus has spread rapidly since it was first reported in 1988, the Ministry of Public Health implemented a program to promote condom use among sex workers in 1990 and 1991. Dr. Kenrad E. Nelson, of Johns Hopkins University, and c
HIV Trends Reported for China: Reuters (08/14/96); HIV is spreading from the rural areas of the Yunnan Province to urban cities, researchers report. Elena S. H. Yu of San Diego State University and colleagues found that, from 1985 to 1994, intravenous drug use was the main route of HIV transmission in China . The opium link between
India--AIDS: Women Are Captive Partners: IPS Wire (08/14/96); In India , where HIV is spreading rapidly, an increasing number of women are infected by their husbands and passing the virus on to their children. A 1995 government study at J.J. Hospital found that 3.5 percent of pregnant women under the age of 20 were HIV positive, while 2.5 perc
UPI Science News: [Oral Sex Not Safe Sex, Researchers Warn]: United Press International (08/14/96); Smith, Michael; Even people who practice relatively safe sex are contracting HIV, researchers reported Wednesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Timothy Schacker of the University of Washington, and colleagues found that in a study of 46 people, almost half said they had sexual contact with only one partner in the month before t
Tax Change Could Make Life Easier for Chronically Ill: Wall Street Journal (08/15/96) P. C1; Asinof, Lynn; Pending legislation could make it easier for people with chronic or terminal illnesses to use payments from the sale of their life insurance policies to meet their health care needs. The policy change would exempt from federal income tax both the acceleration of death benefits and the money received from the sale of t
Across the USA: Kentucky: USA Today (08/15/96) P. 15A; In Kentucky, a program to be launched in September will provide promising but costly new AIDS drugs to approximately 30 indigent AIDS patients. The drug combinations cost up to $15,000 per year for each patient.
Plan to Move Medicaid Recipients Into Managed Care Gains: New York Times (08/15/96) P. B1; Rosenthal, Elisabeth; A plan by New York State to move most of its 3.5 million Medicaid recipients into managed care plans could be implemented by the end of the year, officials said Wednesday. The move was advanced by an announcement from the federal government of the terms under which it would approve the plan. Under the new plan, all Me
New Treatments Put AIDS Programs in a Dilemma: Washington Post (08/15/96) P. A1; Goldstein, Amy; AIDS patients in Washington, D.C., are being told they can no longer apply to receive drugs from the city s AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) due to the high demand for promising new treatments. The problem is similar in states across the country, as funding for the federal program is being depleted. ADAP provided
Payments to Hemophiliacs With AIDS Are Cleared: Wall Street Journal (08/15/96) P. B5; American hemophiliacs who were infected with HIV through tainted blood products between 1978 and 1985 would receive $100,000 each under a settlement with four pharmaceutical companies. Federal District Judge John F. Grady tentatively approved the settlement between the patients and Bayer, Baxter International, Rhone-P
Serostatus and Counseling: Focus (07/96) Vol. 11, No. 8; P. 1; Ball, Steven; Just as gay psychotherapists have used self-disclosure as a tool to help clients feel understood, the disclosure of serostatus by social service providers could be beneficial. By serving as role models, counselors can help uninfected gay men stay uninfected and help men with AIDS take care of themselves, while aiding
Extensive Polymorphisms Observed in HIV-1 Clade B Protease Gene Using High-Density Oligonucleotide Arrays: Nature Medicine (07/96) Vol. 2, No. 7; P. 753; Kozal, Michael J.; Shah, Nila; Shen, Naiping; et al.; HIV-1 is able to mutate and develop resistance to protease inhibitors , but little is known about such mutations. Thomas R. Gingeras, of Affymetrix in Santa Clara, Calif., and other researchers, used high-density oligonucleotide array sequencing to determine the seq
750 Cases of AIDS Reported in Lebanon Since 1989: Xinhua News Agency (08/14/96); Since 1989, 750 AIDS cases have been reported in Lebanon , and the average age of patients is under 31. A health specialist noted that 75 percent of the cases involved transmission through sexual contact, while 15 children had been
Thailand Places HIV/AIDS Information in Internet: Xinhua News Agency (08/14/96); Information about HIV prevention, treatment, diagnosis, and other issues is now offered on the World Wide Web by Thailand s Public Health Ministry. Data about the rights of people with AIDS is also included, and officials say a more in -depth version will be created for medical students and people interested in scien
Epidemic of HIV Infection in Odessa Called 'Explosive': Reuters (08/13/96); The number of HIV infections in the Odessa region of the Ukraine had reached 3,715 by August 1, 39 more than had been reported in the entire country as of March 1. Since the beginning of 1996, 2,863 new HIV infections, 917 among women, have been diagnosed in the region. Of the
When Savings Run Out, Some Shun Lifesaving: New York Times (08/14/96) P. C9; Gilbert, Susan; A new study suggests that seriously ill patients are more likely to forgo life-prolonging care if they are also suffering economic hardship. Kenneth E. Covinsky, of Case Western Reserve University, and colleagues report that the likelihood of such patients deciding to seek comfort care rather than continued treatment
Across the USA: Michigan: USA Today (08/14/96) P. 12A; Michigan s Housing Opportunity for People With AIDS has granted the Lighthouse of Oakland County $37,800 to provide emergency housing aid.
Genes That Protect Against AIDS: New York Times (08/14/96) P. A20; Genetic mutations are not necessarily bad, as evidenced by the recently discovered mutation that protects some people from HIV infection, notes a New York Times editorial. Researchers at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center in New York City announced last week that they had found a genetic mutation in two homosexua
Tax Report: Many Patients With Severe Illnesses Win Tax Relief: Wall Street Journal (08/14/96) P. A1; The health insurance bill recently approved by Congress includes a significant tax break for people with chronic or terminal illnesses. The bill allows these people to exclude accelerated death benefits or payments they receive from selling their life insurance policies to qualified viatical settlement providers fr
Circuit Court Backs Insurer on HIV Test Nondisclosure: Washington Post (08/14/96) P. A3; Schwartz, John; A federal appeals court has ruled that a Mississippi life insurance company was not obligated to tell a policyholder that he had tested positive for HIV. Following the death of her husband, Jody Deramus sued Jackson National Life Insurance (JNL) in 1992 for not revealing why the company refused her husband additional
HIV Mutations Block Interactions Between Protease and Inhibitors: Chemical & Engineering News (07/29/96) Vol. 74, No. 31, P. 44; By changing enough to prevent a drug from binding to it, HIV protease can become drug-resistant after a patient has been taking it for only a few weeks. Researchers are studying ways to make drugs less vulnerable to HIV s changes; however, they first need to understand how the virus affects drug binding. Paul Ala and
Study Urges Easing of Syringe Laws: AIDS Alert (07/96) Vol. 11, No. 7; P. 83; Most states still enforce laws written 30 years ago to make the sale, distribution, and possession of syringes illegal without a prescription, Georgetown law professor Lawrence Gostin recently reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gostin told the agency, which does not endorse needle exchan
Gay Men Show Moderate Interest in Participating in HIV Vaccine Trials: Reuters (08/12/96); About half of the homosexual or bisexual men living in the greater Boston area said they would be somewhat interested in participating in clinical trials of HIV vaccines, researchers say. Michael Gross of Abt Associates and colleagues surveyed 630 men in two age groups and found that 34 percent were not at all in
Burma Headed for Health Crisis--UK Rights Group: Reuters (08/13/96); Political isolation, ethnic conflict, and censorship in Burma has led to a health crisis and increased the spread of HIV, the London-based International Center Against Censorship reports. The group said accurate statistics concerning public health in the country are rare or non-ex
Lifetime Costs of HIV Infection: Lower in U.S. Versus Australia: Reuters (08/12/96); The lifetime costs of treating patients with HIV seem to be higher in Australia than in the United States , researchers at the University of Melbourne reported. Susan F. Hurley and colleagues found that the average lifetime cost to a HIV- infecte
Patients to Test Drug in Effort to Stop AIDS: Richmond Times-Dispatch (08/12/96) P. B4; A total of 2,500 patients at 50 clinical trial sites nationwide will receive a new treatment for HIV infection, aimed at preventing the progression to AIDS. Remune, developed by the late Dr. Jonas Salk, is designed to boost the immune system to control HIV. The treatment is made from HIV that has been inactivated wi
Husbands Can Spread Cervical Cancer: Washington Post--Health (08/13/96) P. 7; Auerbach, Stuart; Husbands who have extramarital sex can infect their wives with a human papillomavirus, which has been linked to cervical cancer, researchers reported last week. F. Xavier Bosch of Barcelona and Nubia Munoz of the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France , led the
Business World: What Else Is Lost in Dr. Kessler's Fog?: Wall Street Journal (08/13/96) P. A13; Jenkins Jr., Holman W.; In a commentary on the relationships between drug companies and the Food and Drug Administration, Holman W. Jenkins Jr. points to the events surrounding the approval of Johnson & Johnson s home HIV test. The test, developed by Elliott Millenson and his wife Wendy Strongin, was bought by J&J after the
The Reliable Source: A Sobering Interlude: Washington Post (08/13/96) P. B3; Groer, Annie; Gerhart, Ann; At the Republican National Convention Monday night, HIV- positive AIDS activist Mary Fisher repeated the call for AIDS compassion that she made at the 1992 convention in Houston. She was joined by 12-year-old Hydeia Broadbent of Las Vegas, who was born to an infected drug user and adopted by Patricia Broadbent when sh
Chilean Politician Says Prison Medics Infected Inmates With H.I.V.: New York Times (08/13/96) P. A4; An opposition political leader has accused paramedics in a prison in Santiago, Chile , of infecting inmates with HIV by using contaminated needles to draw blood for tests. Thomas Hirsch, president of the Humanist Alliance party, a left-wing group, said the medical workers used the s
The Painful Political Truth About Medical Research: Business Week (07/29/96) No. 3486, P. 18; Becker, Gary S.; In a commentary in Business Week magazine Nobel laureate Gary S. Becker, a professor at the University of Chicago, takes issue with the way federal funds are distributed for medical research. He says funding is disproportionate due to the political influence exerted by well-organized advocacy groups for particular di
Think Fungus in HIV-Infection: Lancet (07/27/96) Vol. 348, No. 9022, P. 257; Pini, Pia; Roland Leung and colleagues at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong report the detection of what they are calling the first case of Penicillium marneffi in colonscopic biopsies from a Chinese AIDS patient. The researchers, the
'Burn-Out' of Lymphoid Compartment May be Possible in HIV- Infected Patients: Reuters (08/09/96); The storage of latently infected cells in HIV-positive patients may be limited and could eventually be depleted, French researchers suggest in a new study. Led by Alain Lafeuillade of Hospital Chalucet in Toulon, they report in the August issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases that, after treatment with a combin
HIV, AIDS Cases Increase in Malaysia: Xinhua News Agency (08/11/96); In Malaysia , 300 new HIV cases are detected each month, and a total of 448 AIDS cases and 16,349 HIV cases were reported by June 30 this year. The government has approved the spending of $48 million for AIDS care between 1993 and 1995, but says that additional funding is needed.
The Way to Fight TB: Washington Post (08/10/96) P. A18; Rabin, David L.; A recent article in the Washington Post did not accurately portray the tuberculosis (TB) problem in Washington, D.C., and neighboring areas, contends David L. Rabin, a professor at Georgetown University s Department of Family Medicine. In a letter to the editor of the Post, Rabin says that, while the article implied
A Mother's Misery: Washington Post (08/10/96) P. B1; Gilliam, Dorothy; Jackie Jackson, a Washington, D.C., resident and mother of three-year-old Theo, found out that both she and her son were HIV-positive when he was born. Since then, she has become depressed, her health has worsened, and she can no longer support herself. Theo, meanwhile, has been hospitalized almost continuously for
Gene Battles AIDS: Toronto Globe and Mail (08/09/96) P. A8; As many as one in 100 whites may carry a gene that protects them from HIV infection, new research shows. Nathan R. Landau, of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center in New York City, and colleagues report that people born with two copies of a mutant gene appear to be highly resistant to HIV infection. The researcher
Money Woes May Define Options for Dying People: USA Today (08/12/96) P. 6D; People who are seriously ill and creating economic hardship for their families are more likely to seek comfort care rather than expensive treatments, said a study released Sunday. Researchers at Case Western University reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine that patients whose families were suffering hardship w
Across the USA: Nevada: USA Today (08/12/96) P. 12A; The Nugget casino, located in Sparks, Nev., has been sued by the U.S. government for insurance discrimination against a casino worker who sought AIDS treatment. Lawyers for the casino, which is owned by John Ascuaga, were unavailable for comment.
Patents: Mixers for 'Cocktails' Used to Delay AIDS: New York Times (08/12/96) P. D2; Chartrand, Sabra; Emory University in Atlanta was recently granted a patent for 3TC , an anti-HIV drug which, like AZT , was designed to prevent HIV from infecting human cells. Other drugs used in combination with
Control Strategies for Tuberculosis Epidemics: New Models for Old Problems: Science (07/26/96) Vol. 273, No. 5274, P. 497; Blower, S.M.; Small, P.M.; Hopewell, P.C.; S.M. Blower, of the University of California at San Francisco, and colleagues, present a theoretical framework for designing effective tuberculosis (TB) control strategies and determining treatment levels to eradicate the disease. Using a mathematical model that estimates the disease s pathogenesis, and incorporating
HIV and the Pediatrician as the Child's Advocate: Lancet (07/27/96) Vol. 348, No. 9022, P. 247; Duke, Christopher; Kovar, Ilya Z.; In a review of the laws applying to HIV testing of pregnant women and their unborn children, Christopher Duke and Ilya Z. Kovar of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London cite the details of the law that may be used in doctors favor to protect infants from perinatal infection. Opponents of mandatory HIV testi
Glaxo's Epivir AIDS Drug Gets European License: Reuters (08/08/96); Glaxo Wellcome announced on Thursday that its Epivir , a drug for the treatment of HIV infection, has been approved by the European Commission for use in the 15 member states of the European Union. When used in
Nevirapine Now Available Commercially: Reuters (08/08/96); Viramune ( nevirapine ), a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor for the treatment of HIV infection, became commercially available on Wednesday. According to
Across the USA: Wisconsin: USA Today (08/09/96) P. 6A; Donald Hawks, an HIV-positive man who had unprotected sex with three women, has been issued a six-year prison sentence. Hawks pleaded no contest to reckless endangerment. None of the women have tested positive for HIV.
Task Force to Advise on Blood Supply: Toronto Globe and Mail (08/08/96) P. A4; Canada s health ministers will be advised by a federal- provincial task force this fall on how to keep the blood supply safe, despite concerns by Justice Horace Krever that the task force is a pre-emptive move against the findings of his inquiry. The task force, created in April, includes representatives from the fed
Free Test Shows Advancement of AIDS Virus: Miami Herald (08/08/96) P. 3B; Rafinski, Karen; Roche Molecular Systems is offering a free test to HIV- infected individuals to help them assess the amount of virus in their blood. The test, which helps doctors determine how far progressed the disease is, will be free until August 17. The Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor test, while not approved by the Food and Drug Adminis
Pharmacia & Upjohn in Marketing Pact with Gilead: New York Times (08/09/96) P. D3; Pharmacia & Upjohn has brokered a deal with Gilead Sciences in which it will pay Gilead $60 million for the overseas marketing rights to Gilead s Vistide, a drug for fighting blindness in AIDS patients. Pharmacia said it would pay Gilead $10 m
Nature Deals Blow to Viatical Insurers: Journal of Commerce (08/09/96) P. 8A; Macleod, Helen R.; Although companies that buy life insurance policies from the terminally ill were hurt by the news this month about advances in AIDS care, they were also encouraged about the passage of a health insurance bill that includes a provision making viatical settlements free from federal income tax. The new policy adds a sub
An Inborn Barrier to the AIDS Virus Is Found in Study: Wall Street Journal (08/09/96) P. B5; Waldholz, Michael; AIDS researchers report that some people have a rare gene that protects them from HIV infection. The Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center s Richard Koup and colleagues report in today s issue of the journal Cell that the gene makes a protein which does not allow HIV to enter cells. The protein, CKR-5, was identified i
Japanese AIDS Expert Files Law Suits for Damages: Nature (07/25/96) Vol. 382, No. 6589, P. 292; In lawsuits claiming damages for media reports blaming him for Japan s tainted blood scandal, the former head of a government AIDS study group is seeking a total of $720,000 from three different parties. Takeshi Abe has been severely criticized for his role in the spread of HIV among thousands of Japanese hemophiliac
Seroconversion to Antibodies Against Kaposi's Sarcoma- Associated Herpesvirus-Related Latent Nuclear Antigens Before the Development of Kaposi's Sarcoma: New England Journal of Medicine (07/25/96) Vol. 335, No. 4, P. 233; Gao, Shou-Jiang; Kingsley, Lawrence; Hoover, Donald R.; et Gao, Shou-Jiang; To determine whether Kaposi s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) causes Kaposi s sarcoma, researchers at Columbia University compared antibody tests for AIDS patients with and without Kaposi s sarcoma and other patients with and without HIV. Shou-Jiang Gao et al. report that, of 40 patients with Kaposi s sarcoma, 3
HIV-1 Prevalence Still Low in Slovakia: Reuters (08/07/96); Slovokia is still thought to have one of the lowest rates of HIV infection, researchers at the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava report in the journal AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses. V. Zachar and colleagues found that, along with low incidence, HIV-1 infections in the country appear to be limited to sub
4,000 Contract HIV in Ethiopian Region: Xinhua News Agency (08/07/96); In Ethiopia s southern region of Oromiya, 23 hospitals report that the number of HIV cases has increased by more than 4,000 over the past 12 months. The area has a total of 50,000 AIDS cases, and more than 100,000 people are infected with HIV. Experts estimate that there are 350,000 AIDS patients and 1.7 million HIV-
Tanzania: Government Announces New AIDS Policy: Africa Information Afrique (08/06/96); To combat the pervasive attitude in Tanzania that AIDS patients should be separated from the rest of society, the government has published a proposal to ban AIDS discrimination. The new policy prohibits the testing for or inquiring about anyone s HIV status for employment, insura
HIV in Cervicovaginal Secretions: No Correlation With Plasma HIV: Reuters (08/07/96); The amount of HIV-1 found in women s plasma is not related to the presence or absence of the virus in cervicovaginal secretions, according to researchers at the University of Southern California. In the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Suraiya Rasheed and colleagues report that they compared the virus
Congress Calls for Improved Standards for U.S. Blood Supply: Reuters (08/07/96); A congressional committee has issued a report calling for improved national standards to make the blood supply safer. The report, from the House of Representatives Government Reform and Oversight Subcommittee, recommends that the Department of Health and Human Services ensure that patients who received transfusions
Eyes on Your Files: Washington Post (08/08/96) P. A30; Medical privacy could be endangered by the Kennedy-Kassebaum health care bill, a Washington Post editorial warns. The legislation includes a provision to create a national network of patients medical information in a standardized form. The writers say that safeguards need to be added to protect the unauthorized rel
Across the USA: Montana: USA Today (08/08/96) P. 10A; A federal grant for $129,000 to provide AIDS drugs to residents of Montana will be depleted next month.
New Regimens Found for AIDS-Related Ailment: Washington Post (08/08/96) P. A32; Advances in treating Mycobacterium avium, a common bacterial infection in AIDS patients, appear in three separate reports in today s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The first study, conducted by researchers from the University of Alberta, found that a combination of three drugs--rifabutin, ethambutol, a
Agenda: Unprotected: Advocate (07/23/96) No. 712; P. 18; In Washington state, Dr. Federico Cruz-Uribe, director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, has suggested the incarceration of HIV-positive individuals who have unprotected sex. Cruz-Uribe would also halt services specifically for AIDS patients, including them in general medical care. AIDS activists note ma
Citation Analysis Reveals Leading Institutions, Scientists Researching AIDS: Scientist (07/22/96) Vol. 10, No. 15, P. 12; Based on a list of more than 34,000 AIDS research papers which were published between 1993 to 1995, the newsletter Science Watch ranked institutions and scientists studying AIDS by the total number of citations and the citations per paper. The institutions were grouped according to those that had more than 250 papers
Uganda, Britain Agree on AIDS Research: Xinhua News Agency (08/06/96); The first AIDS research center in southern Africa has been established through a cooperative effort between the governments of Uganda and Britain. The $2.85 million center will focus on the AIDS epidemic in Uganda.
Man's Sex Life and Cancer in Wife Linked: New York Times (08/07/96) P. A9; Women are at increased risk for cervical cancer if their husbands frequent prostitutes or have several sexual partners, researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine report. The cancer is linked to the human papilloma virus, which is spread by sexual intercourse. Keerti Shah led the study, which appears
Hepatitis A Vaccines to Be Free for Gay Men: Toronto Globe and Mail (08/06/96) P. A4; Picard, Andre; Due to a rapid increase in the number of cases of hepatitis A in gay men, Montreal public health officials are urging the population to receive the vaccine for the virus. The public health directorate reported a four-fold rise in the number of cases of hepatitis A in the past two years. The government will spend $75
Doctor May Pay High Price for Efforts: Toronto Globe and Mail (08/06/96) P. A1; McIlroy, Anne; Lawyers for the 17 people who may be held responsible in Canada s tainted blood tragedy are scheduled to begin explaining how they will respond to the allegations brought in the federal inquiry led by Justice Horace Krever. The 17 individuals include Norbert Gilmore, the unpaid chairman of the National Advisory Commi
HIV Home Tests Off to Slow Start in Texas: USA Today (08/07/96) P. 1D; Painter, Kim; Some Texas pharmacists, who have offered Johnson & Johnson s Confide home HIV test kit for sale for six weeks, say the product is not selling well. Experts, however, claim that it is too early to evaluate the demand for the home tests, which supporters hope will increase the number of people who get tested for the
Getting HIV Drugs to Those in Need: Wall Street Journal (08/07/96) P. A13; Sumaya, Ciro V.; Dr. Ciro V. Sumaya, of the Health Resources and Services Administration, responds in a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal to a July 3 article about the government s programs to provide protease inhibitors to poor AIDS patients. He notes that his agency
Drug Research Isn't Free: Journal of Commerce (08/07/96) P. 7A; Schwartz, Harry; In a commentary in the Journal of Commerce, Harry Schwartz, a medical writer and former New York Times editorial writer, warns that the new political and economic policy of forcing drug companies to make drugs affordable to everyone will stymie further drug advances. For example, Schwartz points to the demand for the
FDA Approves First Urine Test for Detection of the AIDS Virus: Washington Post (08/07/96) P. A8; The first test to detect HIV antibodies in urine samples was approved Monday by the Food and Drug Administration. The test, developed by Calypte Biomedical of Berkeley, Calif., is safer and easier than HIV blood tests because it does not require needles or special training to administer, and because urine poses no ri
Drugs Policy: Give Them the Needle: Economist (07/20/96) Vol. 340, No. 7975, P. 26; Almost half of all new HIV infections occur in intravenous drug users, and infections in their partners and children account for another 20 percent of new cases. Drug users often share needles or use discarded ones because laws against syringe sales in most states create a scarcity of clean needles. Needle exchange
HIV Prevention Helping, But Not Enough: American Medical News (07/22/96) Vol. 39, No. 17, P. 1; Shelton, Deborah L.; HIV prevention efforts that emphasize safer sexual and drug- related behaviors are helping to curb the spread of HIV, researchers announced at the 11th International Conference on AIDS. From 1990 to 1995, for example, several cities in Uganda reported a decrease in the number of p
Zimbabwean Army in Anti-AIDS Campaign: Xinhua News Agency (08/05/96); In Zimbabwe , where an estimated 10 percent of the population has HIV and 300 people die of AIDS-related causes per week, the National Army is launching an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign for its senior officials. The workshop is designed to educate high-ranking service people and th
Insurer Goes to Court to Defend Refusal to Tell Man He Had AIDS: Houston Chronicle (08/05/96) P. 10A; Schwartz, John; In 1988, Mississippi lawyer Frank Deramus was refused a request to transfer a policy from one life insurance company to another, but he was not told the reason was confidential medical information. Medical tests ordered by Jackson National Life Insurance showed that Deramus had HIV, but he did not learn of HIV-posi
Incidence of AIDS-Related Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia Down Significantly: Reuters (08/05/96); The number of AIDS-related Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia cases in the United States has declined 36 percent since 1991, researchers told meeting participants at the Care of the AIDS Patient summer seminar, sponsored by the University of California at San Francisco. The university s
High Risk of HIV Infection Among Homeless in Denver: Reuters (08/05/96); A survey of homeless people in Denver found a low rate of HIV infection, but a group of Colorado disease experts concluded that high risk behaviors are common among the population. Judith C. Shlay of the University of Colorado in Denver and colleagues found the overall HIV rate among people who attended a homeless cli
AG Seeks Court Order Against Pot Club: United Press International (08/05/96); California Attorney General Dan Lungren said Monday that he will seek a court order to stop the Cannabis Buyers Club from continuing to sell or distribute marijuana. Justice Department agents raided the club Sunday and seized more than 150 pounds of marijuana, more than $60,000 in cash, and more than 400 growing mar
Journal: Not If, But When: New York Times (08/03/96) P. 19; Rich, Frank; While powerful new AIDS drugs promise to improve the health of people infected with HIV, the cost of the drugs makes them inaccessible to many, notes Frank Rich in an Op-Ed piece in the New York Times. Rich cites Jerome Groopman, director of New York s Mapplethorpe Laboratory for AIDS Research, who says that AIDS cou
Stopping Bleeding With Biologic Glue: Washington Post--Health (08/06/96) P. 8; Murphy, Caryle; Fibrin sealant, a concentrated combination of blood-clotting agents, is used in surgery to form a seal that can stop bleeding and help wounds heal. The product is not commercially available in the United States but has been used for years in Europe and South America. Because the seal
Rising Health Costs Threaten Generous Benefits in Europe: New York Times (08/06/96) P. A1; Whitney, Craig R.; European countries, long known for their generous health care benefits, are now starting to scale back on care and drugs provided. Health care managers are turning to market-oriented cost-control measures, such as encouraging competition between hospitals and limiting the tests doctors can order. In
Difficulties and Strategies of HIV Diagnosis: Lancet (07/20/96) Vol. 348, No. 9021, P. 176; Gurtler, Lutz; In a review of current HIV testing methods, Lutz Gurtler, of the World Health Organization s Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on AIDS, describes the strengths and weaknesses of existing testing technologies. Antibodies to HIV are diagnosed initially by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and agg
Foreign HIV Surfaces in the Bronx: Science News (07/20/96) Vol. 150, No. 3, P. 40; Sternberg, Steve; In a surprising and disturbing find, AIDS researchers have identified rare strains of HIV in long-time Bronx, N.Y., residents. At Bronx- Lebanon Hospital Center, 828 people who visited the facility participated in voluntary HIV testi
AIDS Ride Fund-Raisers Shift Into High Gear in Third Year: Los Angeles Times (08/04/96) P. B1; Sancetta, Amy; Dan Pallotta, the creator and producer of the American AIDS Rides, says the five rides this year will raise $23 million. The rides, which will involve 11,000 riders and thousands of volunteers, will benefit 28 AIDS organizations across the country. Moreover, the riders bond on the challenging courses and share the co
TB Returns With A Vengeance: Washington Post (08/03/96) P. A18; Last year, almost 3 million people died of tuberculosis, a figure greater than that reported during the worst years of the epidemic around 1900, the World Health Organization said. Nearly 15 million people have the disease today, and 50 million are expected to be afflicted worldwid
Agents Crack Down on Marijuana Buying Club: New York Times (08/05/96) P. A8; Golden, Tim; California drug agents raided the largest above-board marijuana provider in the country Sunday, after tolerating the operation for more than two years. Activists say the Cannabis Buyers Club of San Francisco provides marijuana to thousands of people seeking relief from illnesses like AIDS and cancer. The operation w
In Search of A Cure--and A New Image: Washington Post--Washington Business (08/05/96) P. 5; Day, Kathleen; While early tests of an AIDS vaccine being developed by Cel- Sci, a small biotechnology company in Alexandria, Va., are promising, Wall Street analysts have raised doubts about the company. Jim McCamant, associate editor of Medical Technology Stock Letter, says Cel-Sci s promotion of the vaccine has been very positiv
Breakthrough for HIV-Positive Babies: Washington Post (08/05/96) P. A19; Hentoff, Nat; In a Washington Post commentary, Nat Hentoff applauds the New York law passed in June that requires the HIV testing of all newborns and the disclosure of the results to the mothers. Hentoff points out that while some mothers in New York complained for years that they should have been informed that their children were
States Run Low on AIDS Funds: Washington Times (08/05/96) P. A8; As states are already facing shortages in funds that provide AIDS drugs to their poor residents, many are cutting the share of drugs they can afford to offer each patient. Still more cuts are pending as more patients seek treatment because of promising new drugs. Washington has become the latest state to cut its AID
Progress on AIDS Intensifies the Battle to Make Insurers Reveal Medical Data: Wall Street Journal (08/05/96) P. A7A; Scism, Leslie; Some large life and health insurance companies do not reveal the results of tests to applicants, a practice that takes on special significance for HIV tests. Jody Deramus of Vienna, Va., has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Jackson National Life Insurance Co., a unit of Prudential, charging that the company f
Groups Unite on New AIDS Drug Therapies: Wall Street Journal (08/05/96) P. B3; Waldholz, Michael; A group of representatives from 40 organizations, including the White House, government health agencies, pharmaceutical companies, research centers, private and government health insurers, and patient-advocacy groups, have formed a coalition to organize research to help clear the confusion surrounding the use of new A
Will New AIDS Drugs Put More People at Risk?: Village Voice (07/23/96) Vol. 41, No. 30, P. 26; Schoofs, Mark; Although promising new drugs have been found to reduce the amount of HIV in the blood, researchers do not know if this lessens the risk that a patient will transmit the virus to others. Common sense suggests that someone with less virus in their blood would be less likely to transmit the virus, but studies have shown
Kenya Backs Life in Jail for HIV-Infected Rapists: Reuters (08/01/96); HIV-infected rapists and anyone found guilty of intentionally infecting others with HIV should receive life in prison, said parliamentarians in Kenya . In their unanimous show of support for the mandatory sentence, the lawmakers voiced their concerns about the rapid spread of HIV an
Court Orders HIV Test for Juvenile Sex Offender: Reuters (08/01/96); Testing juvenile sex offenders for HIV without their consent does not violate their Fourth Amendment rights, an Arizona court has ruled. The decision, which was reported by the BNA Health Care Daily on July 31, overturns a previous juvenile court decision that said involuntary HIV testing was unconstitutional. In th
New Hope, Care for People in Need: Center for Women With HIV to Open: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (07/31/96) P. 1B; Schieszer, John; The Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has opened a health care center for HIV-infected women, the group with the fastest-growing rate of HIV infection, according to Washington University professor Dr. Vicky Fraser. The new Helena Hatch Special Care Center combines the benefits of a large teaching
Deadly Variant of AIDS Virus Spreads to Britain: Reuters (08/01/96); New Scientist magazine, a British science journal, reported Thursday that a new, potentially more virulent strain of HIV that is found most often in Thailand has been diagnosed in Britain. Since May, 73 cases of HIV-subtype E infection have been detected in the country--12 in wom
Senate Votes Bill to Revamp Welfare Policy: Wall Street Journal (08/02/96) P. A2; Milbank, Dana; The U.S. Senate approved a welfare reform bill by a 78 to 21 margin on Thursday, clearing the way for President Bill Clinton to sign it. The legislation permits states to control their own welfare programs, imposes a five-year lifetime limit on benefits, and requires that those who receive welfare find work within tw
House Backs Bill Granting Workers Portable Benefit: New York Times (08/02/96) P. A1; Clymer, Adam; The U.S. House of Representatives passed a health insurance bill on Thursday that would curtail exclusions based on pre- existing conditions and permit workers to take their insurance coverage with them when they move from one job to another. A provision that would have required insurers to cover mental health on an
D.C. Shows a Jump in TB Cases: Washington Post (08/02/96) P. B1; Goldstein, Amy; The D.C. Medical Society and the American Lung Association have released a study showing a 50 percent jump in the number of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the nation s capital so far this year. The surge in TB cases has been attributed to shocking deficiencies in the District s efforts, including a lack of TB drugs, ina
Md.'s Top Court Says HIV Not Enough to Convict Rapist of Attempted Murder: Washington Post (08/02/96) P. A1; Argetsinger, Amy; The Maryland Court of Appeals has unanimously ruled that an HIV-positive man who raped three women cannot be tried for attempted murder even though he may have infected his victims with the virus. Although the decision overturns the 1994 attempted murder convictions of Dwight Ralph Smallwood, the man remains sentence
AIDS For Africa: Village Voice (07/16/96) Vol. 41, No. 29, P. 21; Schoofs, Mark; Delegates from African countries who attended the 11th International Conference on AIDS raised a complaint common among poor nations: that the most basic prevention and treatment measures are too expensive for them. Steve Tusubire, a district health official from Uganda , said his
Chemokines Share Center Stage With Drug Therapies: Science (07/19/96) Vol. 273, No. 5273, P. 302; Cohen, Jon; Chemokines, chemical factors that have been found to play a critical role in HIV infection, are increasingly attracting interest among AIDS researchers. A debate continues, however, on whether chemokine research will ever result in improved HIV treatments or vaccines. The study of long-term nonprogressors, people wh
Science & Health Bulletin: Angola--AIDS Training: PANA Wire Service (07/31/96); In Angola , more than 1,100 people will be trained in AIDS education and prevention and sent to 430 villages in the country s northern Uige province later this year. The Association for Combatting the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome will provide the training in two sessions, sta
Indonesia Gives 1.44 Million Condoms to Cambodia: Reuters (08/01/96); Cambodia s Health Ministry received a donation of 1.44 million condoms from Indonesia Thursday, with the hope that the gift would help the government reach its HIV prevention goals. In Cambodia, where HIV is thought to be spreading faster than in any other country, the governmen
Dance Notes: Doing Something About AIDS: New York Times (08/01/96) P. C14; Dunning, Jennifer; Dances From the Heart, a series of AIDS fund-raising events planned by the group Dancers Responding to AIDS, will begin this weekend and end in October with a performance at the John F. Kennedy Center of Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Works by ballet and modern-dance choreographers who died of AIDS will be perf
Pitcher Draws Criticism for Actions at AIDS Event: New York Times (08/01/96) P. B16; A pitcher for the San Francisco Giants who would not participate in a pre-game show of support with AIDS volunteers is being criticized by some gay leaders. In addition, player Mark Dewey, a fundamentalist Christian, also wore his red AIDS ribbon sideways during Until There s a Cure Day on Sunday, making the ribbon
Activists Split Over Kevorkian AIDS Ads: Washington Times (08/01/96) P. A8; Price, Joyce; The appearance of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the suicide doctor, in public service announcements about AIDS has upset some AIDS organizations. Steve Michael, a spokesman for the Washington, D.C., chapter of ACT UP, an advocacy group for people with HIV and AIDS, claims, Kevorkian s a death merchant, and we re trying to e
Across the USA: Washington: USA Today (08/01/96) P. 13A; In Washington, enrollment in a program that provides prescription drugs for poor people with HIV or AIDS has been partially reopened by Gov. Lowry.
Thailand Condom Campaign Found to Halve HIV Infections: Baltimore Sun (08/01/96) P. 14A; Doctors report that the rate of HIV infections in young men in Thailand has been reduced by half over the past five years, thanks to a condom campaign targeted at prostitutes. Dr. Kenrad E. Nelson and colleagues at Johns Hopkins University present the results in today s issue of
Surviving With AIDS: Now What?: New York Times (08/01/96) P. C1; Dunlap, David W.; As promising new AIDS drugs become available, people with the disease are facing the reality of longer life and having to adjust to the idea. While the news is good, it is also disturbing for those who had been preparing themselves for early death. Carol Sipporen, a 50-year-old AIDS patient who was diagnosed in 1990
HIV-1 Core Protein Has Unusual Structure: Chemical & Engineering News (07/15/96) Vol. 74, No. 29, P. 10; Dagani, Ron; Researchers at the University of Maryland Baltimore County and the University of Utah at Salt Lake City have described the three-dimensional structure of the capsid protein that makes up the core of HIV-1. Knowing the structure, which was surprising because it is unlike any known virus protein, may help in drug devel
New AIDS Cases Found in Hong Kong: Xinhua News Agency (07/30/96); In Hong Kong , 26 new AIDS cases were reported in the second quarter of this year, bringing the total to 214, the Department of Health announced Tuesday. During the same period, 38 people were found to have HIV, bringing the total n
New TB Vaccine Could Be Safer, More Effective: Reuters (07/30/96); Zabarenko, Deborah; A new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine that uses a gene from the TB organism, rather than a weakened strain, may be safer and more effective than the vaccine used now, researchers report in the August issue of Nature Medicine. The traditional TB vaccine uses an attenuated strain of the organism that infects cows. Scientists
'It's A Shame, It's A Lie,' Chant Veiled Protesters: Houston Chronicle (07/29/96) P. 6E; SoRelle, Ruth; At the 11th International Conference on AIDS in Vancouver, activists from the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, or ACT-UP, stopped a briefing by an American Medical Association official to protest the AMA s support for mandatory HIV testing for pregnant women. Member Dawn Acero s
AIDS Education Reversing Trends in Some Nations: Houston Chronicle (07/29/96) P. 6E; SoRelle, Ruth; HIV prevention programs, which come in different forms around the globe, are having a positive impact on the epidemic in some locations. In Uganda , the AIDS Service Organization emphasizes the ABC s of prevention--abstinence, being faithful, and consistent use of condoms. The rat
Glitzy Shops and Top Stars Do Her Bidding: Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (07/31/96) P. B1; Helfand, Duke; Maxine Harris, who has volunteered for AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) for 11 years, works like a professional fundraiser in her effort to obtain luxury items for the organization s annual silent auction. The 63-year-old has become very successful at persuading stores like Gucci, Neiman Marcus and Ralph Lauren to con
Inside the Beltway: Of Mike and Men: Washington Times (07/31/96) P. A10; McCaslin, John; Mike Petrelis and other homosexual AIDS activists are objecting to the recent announcement that the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are committing research to reducing the risk of heterosexual HIV transmission, while virtually ignoring homosexual transmission. HHS Se
Tainted Tattoos: Washington Times (07/31/96) P. A2; Castrone, Lisa; The appearance of homemade tattoos and self-pierced body parts in schools is raising concerns about the transmission of bloodborne diseases. Tattooing and body piercing can spread hepatitis, tuberculosis, and supposedly HIV, although no cases have been documented. Dr. Elaine Scholes, a pediatrician at Denver Health
Studies Link Herpes Virus to AIDS-Related Disease: Richmond Times-Dispatch (07/31/96) P. A2; New research establishes a closer link between Kaposi s sarcoma, a cancer commonly found in homosexual AIDS patients, and a herpes virus. Two studies published in the August issue of Nature Medicine suggest that the human herpes virus type 8 causes the cancer. The finding may lead to the development of a vaccine for
ACT-UP vs. PETA: Clash of the Titans: Weekly Standard (07/08/96-07/15/96) Vol. 1, No. 42, P. 28; Labash, Matt; Although animal rights activists are seldom challenged, this year s Animal Awareness Week in Washington in June was marked by protests from the biomedical research community and AIDS activists. The Foundation for Biomedical Research held press conferences to argue that animal research is necessary for medical advance
Behind the Statistics: Maclean's (07/15/96) Vol. 109, No. 29, P. 43; Goulding, Warren; Native Canadians claim that Health Canada s poor reporting of AIDS cases in their population reflects the larger problem of monitoring conditions in the isolated aboriginal communities. As of January this year, the national agency had documented only 176 AIDS cases among native Canadians. The figure accounts for less
No Country Immune to AIDS: Houston Chronicle (07/29/96) P. 6E; SoRelle, Ruth; Of the 7,500 adults and 1,000 children who are infected with HIV every day, 94 percent live in developing countries. Peter Piot, director of the Joint United Nations Program on AIDS, said that most of those infected are between the ages of 15 and 44 and that sexual exposure is the most common mode of transmission. Th
AIDS Cases on the Rise for African-Americans: Houston Chronicle (07/29/96) P. 1A; SoRelle, Ruth; Last year marked the first time more new AIDS cases were reported among African Americans in Harris County, TX, than among whites, health officials said. Targeted HIV education is therefore needed, noted local experts. In 1995, there were 416 new AIDS cases in whites and 460 in African Americans, according to the Ho
32 Women With HIV Virus Offered A Setting With Support, Stability: Houston Chronicle (07/29/96) P. 14A; Binette, Chad; Friendly Haven, a housing center for women with HIV, offers discounted rent, emotional support, substance abuse counseling, education, and job training for 32 Houston women and their children. The project, coordinated by AIDS Foundation Houston, may expand this year if the City Council allows Friendly Haven to use $1
For Gay Men, A Cultural Change?: New York Times (07/30/96) P. A16; Masters, Troy; In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, Troy Masters, publisher of LGNY, a newspaper for lesbians and gay men, objects to the suggestion in a previous Times article that gay men may not be capable of the cultural changes needed to reduce the spread of HIV. Masters points out that HIV education in the gay com
Across the USA: Rhode Island: USA Today (07/30/96) P. 8A; Citing privacy rights and confidentiality, AIDS researchers in Rhode Island urged Gov. Almond to veto a bill that would give state prison guards the names of HIV-positive inmates. Almond has not indicated whether he will sign the bill. Copyright (c) 1996 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is prov
Digest: Johnson & Johnson: Washington Post (07/30/96) P. C2; Johnson & Johnson has filed suit to challenge an arbitrator s order that the company must turn its home HIV testing business over to the executive who developed it. Elliot Millenson sold his Confide test to Johnson & Johnson in 1993 and was later fired by the company. Co
Protect the Innocent: New York Times (07/30/96) P. A17; Murphy, Patrick T.; Women who are infected with HIV and who become pregnant should be held responsible child abuse, claims Patrick T. Murphy, the Public Guardian of Cook County, Ill., in a New York Times commentary. Murphy says he has seen cases of women who repeatedly give birth to children with HIV or cocaine in their systems. He sug
Recalculating Death-Benefit Math: New York Times (07/30/96) P. D1; Dunlap, David W.; With the advent of promising new drugs that could extend the lives of AIDS patients, companies that buy these individuals life insurance policies and collect their death benefits are looking to other terminally ill patients. One such company, Dignity Partners, has stopped taking new applications from AIDS patients a
The Profits and Losses of AIDS: Economist (07/13/96) Vol. 340, No. 7974, P. 85; Although no viral epidemic has been halted by drug therapies, the powerful AIDS research engine has produced drugs that have the potential to make the disease more manageable. Copyright (c) 1996 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), N
Global Burden of the HIV Pandemic: Lancet (07/13/96) Vol. 348, No. 9020, P. 99; Quinn, Thomas C.; In the British medical journal The Lancet, Thomas C. Quinn, of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Johns Hopkins University, highlights some of the global HIV pandemic s epidemiological features. Quinn notes that the World Health Organization estimates th
Unimed Drug for Cryptosporidium Available on Limited Basis: Reuters (07/26/96); Unimed Pharmaceuticals is providing nitazoxanide, a promising treatment for cryptosporidium infection, through a compassionate access program in the United States . The company has been distributing nitazoxanide, which is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration, on a limit
Cambodia-Health: AIDS May Prove as Devastating As [the Reign of the Khmer Rouge]: IPS Wire (07/26/96); HIV has spread rapidly in Cambodia since it was first screened for in 1991, and experts say the epidemic could be one of the most serious in Asia. The World Health Organization estimates that there may now be between 100,000 and 150,000 HIV i
Uganda to Test AIDS Vaccine: Xinhua News Agency (07/26/96); Testing of an AIDS vaccine will begin soon in Uganda among three groups of HIV-negative volunteers. The tests will be sponsored by the Uganda government, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, the Joint Clinical Research Center of Uganda, Makerere University in Uganda, and
In Age of AIDS, Love and Hope Can Lead to Risk: New York Times (07/27/96) P. 7; Dunlap, David W.; Unprotected sex between gay men, especially those in romantic relationships, is continuing despite the risk of HIV infection. Forgoing protection is seen as an act of trust between two committed men, and one recent study suggested that unprotected sex between gay men increased from 1990 to 1991. The number of reporte
Across the USA: California, West Virginia: USA Today (07/29/96) P. 12A; Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan promised to donate $1,000 for each of the city s 32 department heads who participate in the city s AIDS Walk, to be held Sept. 29. In West Virginia, meanwhile, state epidemiologist Loretta Haddy said the government will emphasize abstinence and condom use and will call on residents t
Medical Workers Sue Latex-Glove Makers: Wall Street Journal (07/29/96) P. B2; Ceballos, Arnold; With the increased use of latex gloves by medical workers trying to protect themselves from HIV, the makers of the gloves are facing lawsuits by those who claim the companies should be held liable for allergic reactions. Some people have severe allergic reactions to proteins in latex products, and the Food and Drug A
Johnson & Johnson Ordered to Give Up HIV Test Business: Wall Street Journal (07/29/96) P. A3; McGinley, Laurie; Johnson & Johnson was ordered Friday to turn over its division that makes home HIV test kits to Elliott Millenson, the division head fired by the company. Arbitrator John J. Gibbons made the order based on an employment contract between the company and Millenson, who develop
Israel Gets New Guidelines on Ethiopian Blood Donations: Washington Post (07/29/96) P. A20; Israeli blood banks have been ordered to stop the practice of wholesale dumping of blood donated by Ethiopian Jews and were given new guidelines to screen all blood donors. A state commission proposed that blood banks reject donations from anyone who lived in areas where AIDS was endemic for at least six months of
Serum HIV-1 RNA Levels and Time to Development of AIDS in the Multicenter Hemophilia Cohort Study: Journal of the American Medical Association (07/10/96) Vol. 276, No. 2, P. 105; O'Brien, Thomas R.; Blattner, William A.; Waters, David; et al.; Research suggests that HIV-infected individuals with higher levels of viral RNA may develop AIDS more quickly than those with lower viral levels, but the time from infection to AIDS has not been quantified for various HIV-1 RNA levels. The link between the amount of HIV-1 RNA during early chronic HIV- 1 infection and
Venezuela Registers Nearly 3,500 Deaths of AIDS: Xinhua News Agency (07/25/96); Out of 5,796 AIDS cases in Venezuela , 3,496 people have died, a health official announced Thursday. Alejandro Villarroel, medical director of the International Foundation of Combat Against AIDS in Venezuela, urged the public to be aware of the threat of the disease. Copyrig
Tuberculosis on Rise in Kenya: Xinhua News Agency (07/25/96); In Kenya , tuberculosis cases increased to 4,000 in 1995, up from 400 10 years earlier, a government official said Thursday. The Kenyan Minister for Health attributed the rise to the spread of HIV. An estimated 1 million Kenyans have the virus, which is often associated with TB. Th
AIDS and Elderly: Age Is No Escape: Chicago Tribune (07/25/96) P. 1-1; Lade, Diane C.; In Florida, at least 3,991 people over age 50 have contracted HIV from unprotected sex and died of AIDS. Sexual contact is the most common way people over age 50 are infected with HIV, accounting for 60 percent of cases in Florida since 1981. Heterosexual sex is the most common mode of transmission among those 65 or
Report Blasts FDA's Blood Regulation: Philadelphia Inquirer (07/26/96) P. A3; Shaw, Donna; A new Congressional report criticizes the Food and Drug Administration for not regulating the blood-products industry effectively and not adequately protecting Americans from tainted blood. The report said that 15 years after AIDS was first identified, the agency still does not have an effective recall system for con
The FDA Can Work Better: Washington Post (07/26/96) P. A27; Mikulski, Barbara; Kassebaum, Nancy; In a commentary in the Washington Post, Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Nancy Kassebaum (R-Kan.) object to a July 17 Post editorial that criticized their year-long efforts to reform the Food and Drug Administration. They argue that the legislation developed by the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee has
Courts Tough on Those Who May Expose Others to AIDS, Study Says: Houston Chronicle (07/25/96) P. 21A; Epstein, Aaron; The courts of the 1990s are ruling against HIV-positive individuals who expose others to the virus, even if the risk is remote, a new legal study says. Lawrence Gostin, a Georgetown University law professor, based his findings on 310 AIDS cases since January 1991. Judges have not discriminated against people with AI
Poor TB Care Worse Than None: USA Today (07/26/96) P. 2D; Manning, Anita; Tuberculosis (TB) programs that are not managed well do more harm than good, researchers at the University of California San Francisco and Stanford University Medical Center report today in the journal Science. UCSF s Sally Blower and Philip C. Hopewell, and Stanford s Peter Small, evaluated the World Health Organiza
Pa. Program Offers 2 More AIDS Drugs for Working Poor: Philadelphia Inquirer (07/26/96) P. B2; Collins, Huntly; Two more powerful new protease inhibitors will be provided at no cost to low-income, uninsured AIDS patients in Pennsylvania, the state Welfare Department announced Thursday. Crixivan and
Double Push for New Vaccine Candidates: Nature (07/11/96) Vol. 382, No. 6587, P. 101; Macilwain, Colin; In an attempt to revive the nearly dead AIDS vaccine research effort, two new strategies were announced at the 11th International Conference on AIDS. William Paul, director of the Office of AIDS Research at the National Institutes of Health, pledged to increase resources for research on vaccines and to begin a res
Cost-Effectiveness of Short-Course Zidovudine to Prevent Perinatal HIV Type 1 Infection in a Sub-Saharan African Developing Country Setting: Journal of the American Medical Association (07/10/96) Vol. 276, No. 2, P. 139; Mansergh, Gordon; Haddix, Anne C.; Steketee, Mansergh, Gordon; Developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, have the highest rates of HIV infection in the world. Perinatal transmission is also especially high in these areas compared to developed countries. Zidovudine treatment of HIV-positive women and their infants, both during pregnancy and during the early postnat
Virus Linked to Kaposi's Sarcoma--U.S. Study: Reuters (07/24/96); A form of the herpes virus is often the cause of Kaposi s sarcoma (KS), the skin tumors common in AIDS patients, researchers report in today s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Shou-Jiang Gao and colleagues at Columbia University found that among 40 gay men who developed KS after being infected with HIV,
The Reliable Source: Now You Know: Washington Post (07/25/96) P. C3; Groer, Annie; Gerhart, Ann; Elizabeth Taylor, who criticized the government s AIDS policies Monday, will serve as grand marshal of the 1996 National AIDS Candlelight March in Washington in October, James Millner of the Whitman-Walker Clinic said. Other celebrities expected at the event include: Sharon Stone, Rosie O Donnell, Lily Tomlin, Judith
Aide Held in Theft at AIDS Facility: Miami Herald (07/24/96) P. 1B; Gehrke, Donna; A volunteer at a Miami-area center for HIV-infected heterosexuals says he was under the influence of drugs when he took the group s funds, stole the director s car, ransacked her home, and took a road trip to Orlando. Jose Rodriguez was thought to be a hard-working, dedicated volunteer who was trusted as Director She
Expansion of Home for Those With AIDS Virus Upheld: Baltimore Sun (07/25/96) P. 3B; Despite opposition by the Mount Royal (Md.) Improvement Association, an area rowhouse for people who have HIV and their families has been cleared for expansion. The Maryland Court of Special Appeals upheld a Baltimore zoning board decision to allow the expansion, requested by D.M. Inc. and AIDS Interfaith Residential
U.S. Patent to Be Received on Drugs to Treat HIV: Wall Street Journal (07/25/96) P. B14; A patent covering VX-478 and related protease inhibitors will be granted to Vertex Pharmaceuticals, the company reported. Vertex is developing the drug, which is in Phase I and II clinical trials in the U.S., Europe, and Japan , wi
Federal Study of Lubricant Blasted: Washington Times (07/25/96) P. A3; Price, Joyce; Despite criticism from conservative groups, a federally funded study is being launched that will determine if nonoxynol-9, a widely used sexual lubricant, is safe for anal sex among homosexuals or whether it could increase the risk of HIV transmission. The $300,000 study, under attack because it is limited to homosex
Doctor Is Accused of Injecting AIDS Virus: Wall Street Journal (07/25/96) P. A17; A Lafayette, La., doctor was indicted on a charge of attempted murder on Tuesday for allegedly trying to kill his girlfriend by injecting her with HIV. District Attorney Michael Harson said he would charge Richard J. Schmidt, a 48-year-old gastroenterologist, with murder if the woman dies of AIDS. The woman developedf
Second Home Test for H.I.V. Is Approved: New York Times (07/25/96) P. C9; A second home HIV test went on sale Wednesday after being approved by the Food and Drug Administration Monday. Like Johnson & Johnson s Confide, the Home Access Express test, sold by Home Access Health, is available via a toll-free number. Confide was introduced in Texas and Florida, and is now available in most of
Drug Resistance: The Next AIDS Crisis: Village Voice (07/09/96) Vol. 41, No. 28, P. 15; Schoofs, Mark; While new HIV therapies have the potential to suppress viral replication in patients, they also carry the threat of allowing drug-resistant viral strains to develop. If a strict regimen is not followed, an individual could develop resistance to their current medication as well as to other drugs. About 10 percent of
Prevalence of HIV Infection in the United States, 1984 to 1992: Journal of the American Medical Association (07/10/96) Vol. 276, No. 2, P. 126; Karon, John M.; Rosenberg, Philip S.; McQuillan, Geraldine; et al.; Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have developed new estimates of HIV prevalence in the United States , including estimates by gender, race, geographic region, and behavioral risk. The report, by John M. Karon and colleagues, is the first to combine numerica
Econews: AIDS-Development: AIDS Pandemic Retards [Human Development]: PANA Wire Service (07/23/96); HIV and AIDS took an average toll of 1.3 years of human development progress in 56 countries between 1980 and 1992, the United Nations Development Program reported. The impact was especially severe in developing countries, where 90 percent of the world s estimated daily 6,000 HIV infections occur. Researchers at Colu
AIDS Cases Increase Rapidly in India: Xinhua News Agency (07/23/96); The number of AIDS cases in India is increasing rapidly, the Indian government said Tuesday. The Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare said that as many as 1,458 AIDS patients are being treated in hospitals. So far 60 cases of AIDS in children have been reported to the N
Hospice Care Often Starts Too Late: New York Times (07/24/96) P. C8; People dying of terminal illnesses who enter hospices die a more comfortable and less expensive death, but patients often enroll too late to receive much benefit, a new study suggests. Nicholas Christakis of the University of Chicago Medical Center, and colleagues studied the cases of 6,451 hospice patients. They rep
AIDS Drug Trial Result Boosts Glaxo: Financial Times (07/24/96) P. 18; Green, Daniel; Due to the high success rate, a clinical trial of Glaxo Wellcome s AIDS drug Epivir has been halted so that all trial participants can be given the drug. Interim results of the trial, which was scheduled to end in March 1997, found that 54 percent fewer pat
Emory Gets Patent for AIDS Drug 3TC, but Glaxo, BioChem Question Validity: Wall Street Journal (07/24/96) P. B6; Chipello, Christopher J.; Glaxo Wellcome and BioChem Pharma say they will challenge