Washington Blade - April 18, 2003

NEW YORK -- A group called AIDS for AIDS takes HIV medications donated by patients in the United States and Canada and distributes them to people with HIV in the developing world, Reuters Health reported. The "recycled" drugs come from patients who died, changed their treatments or are temporarily stopping taking the drugs, under doctors' supervision, to give their bodies a reprieve from side effects. "If I can take half as much therapy, and give the other half of that therapy to someone in South America or Haiti, then for the same amount of money two lives are being saved instead of one," said Mike Barr, a participant in the program that serves 520 people in Africa, the Caribbean and Central and South America. Clients receive a medical assessment and HIV activists and educators "who are making a difference in their countries" get priority, according to Jesus Aguais, who founded the program in 1996.

Syphilis prevention outreach targets Calif. circuit party

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -- State STD prevention educators will target the White Party with a new campaign designed to curb the spread of syphilis, according to the Bay Area Reporter. Dan Wohlfeiler, a spokesperson for the state health agency, said patrons at the massive gay circuit party, set for April 17-21, will receive a simple message: "Get tested, get tested, get tested." The non-profit Desert AIDS Project plans to distribute 10,000 safer sex kits containing condoms and STD testing information at the event. Health officials are concerned about a rise in syphilis cases that may be fueled by men who have sex with men. Cases rose 63 percent among white men and 50 percent for Latino men, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, and continued increasing last year. "There's clearly a resumption of risk behavior," said Harold Jaffee, director of the CDC's National Center for HIV, STD & TB Prevention.

Half of AIDS deaths at Texas hospital weren't taking meds

DALLAS (AP) -- Nearly half of HIV-infected patients who died at Parkland Hospital from 1999 to 2000 were not taking antiviral medications, a finding that surprised researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Mamta Jain, lead author of the study published April 8 in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, said he was startled that so few patients were taking advantage of HIV therapy because they need not have insurance to receive HIV medications at Parkland. The study, which also compared the number of HIV-related deaths in 1995 to those in 1999 and 2000, showed a significant drop consistent with a nationwide decline that followed the release in 1996 of highly active antiretroviral therapy medications. Jain said many patients in the study were prescribed HIV therapy but chose not to take the medications. Others were diagnosed too late to be prescribed drugs. Most of the patients not taking medications were African-American or Hispanic.

Dispute may force AIDS patients out of Va. clinic

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) -- Hundreds of impoverished AIDS patients could have to find new doctors within the next week because of a contract dispute between the city and physicians at Eastern Virginia Medical School. The impending crisis stems from the way health care for uninsured patients is administered. Because of the high number of people infected, the region is eligible for money provided by the federal Ryan White Act, which pays for medical care for patients with no other insurance. Shirley Tyree, the city employee in charge of Ryan White funds, said EVMS uses a billing method that is not allowed by the federal government. Dr. Edward C. Oldfield III, director of the infectious disease division at EVMS, said he has billed the city the same way for three years. He contends there is nothing in federal law that prohibits from doing so. EVMS sent letters to its patients Monday notifying them care may no longer be available. EVMS treats about 1,200 AIDS patients, including 400 through the Ryan White program.

End of smoking settlement could hurt gay programs

WASHINGTON -- The probable end of payments under the massive settlement agreement signed by tobacco companies has some gay health advocates worried about cuts to programs aimed at preventing gays from smoking, according to the American Legacy Foundation. The foundation received its fifth and likely last payment from the Master Settlement Agreement's National Public Education Fund earlier this month. The foundation is so far the only national group to use the funds to target gays, who it says "have much higher smoking rates than the general population." Payments under other parts of the settlement will continue for five more years, but the NPEF accounted for 80 percent of Legacy Foundation's funding and most of the money for the gay programs. Cheryl Healton, American Legacy Foundation president and CEO, called on the tobacco companies to continue the funding "not because they're required to but because it's the just thing to do."

From staff and wire reports

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