Washington Blade - December 16, 2005

NEW YORK - A rapid test that the Food & Drug Administration will consider approving for sale and use at home produces too many false-positive results, health officials in New York and San Francisco reported, according to the New York Times. The OraQuick Advance HIV test uses a mouth swab instead of a blood sample, making health leaders hopeful that more people will someday use such a test to determine their HIV status. Health leaders emphasized that the test should not be abandoned and is still a valuable tool to fight AIDS. Users should be made aware that a positive result from OraQuick should be confirmed by another, more reliable type of test. Dr. Susan Blank, an assistant health commissioner in New York, said city clinics performed up to 3,700 tests using the method, and initially had about five false positives each month, a rate officials expected. But that number rose to 30 in November, sparking concern. City labs have reviewed procedures to be sure they use the test kits correctly, she added. "I think we need to be careful that we don't throw out the baby with the bath water," Blank told the Times.

Condom use reduces herpes risk for men and women

PHILADELPHIA - Researchers found that the consistent use of condoms can reduce the risk of acquiring genital herpes both for men and women, AIDSMap.com reported. Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the study noted that herpes simplex virus type 2, which is the most common cause of genital herpes, is chronic and widespread. People infected with genital herpes are doubly at risk of becoming infected with HIV, according to previous studies. Gay men were at a higher risk of acquiring genital herpes than heterosexual men. Those who reported that they used condoms 75 percent of the time or more were least likely to acquire a STD.

Studies probe new meth program that targets users' cravings

LOS ANGELES - A new methamphetamine addiction treatment program that may counteract drug cravings by restoring the brain's function is the subject of one current clinical study and more upcoming research, according to media reports. At the University of California at Los Angeles, researchers are looking at the effects of the Prometa Protocol, a new treatment that follows others that all have failed in tests, Dr. Walter Ling, a neurologist and psychiatrist who leads the California study, told reporters. "Our objective is to examine this novel treatment approach in a rigorous controlled clinical trial in order to validate it scientifically," he said. The drugs in the treatment program purportedly help restore the brain's function to its condition before addiction. Meth use has been popular among gay men, and officials have noted an increase in the number seeking treatment to escape the drug's strong addiction.

Seattle health leaders increase care for transgender patients

SEATTLE - Making his transition from a woman to a man, Airen Lydick saw two doctors for several years, one example of the unique health challenges that transgender people face, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported. He has taken male hormones for almost three years, changed his driver's license to reflect his status as a man, but worries about being denied health coverage for female medical issues such as ovarian cancer once he is listed in medical records as male. Now, more and more health care providers are delving into the unique issues of transgender patients. "I think to a certain extent it's invisible to the field of medicine still," Dr. Teresa Murphy told the paper. The major concerns of many trans patients are about insurance, for potential illnesses and reconstructive surgery as they make the physical transition.

Psychiatrists explore whether extreme bias can be an illness

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As psychiatrists find increasingly extreme forms of bias against gays and other minority groups ingrained in some of their patients, some wonder whether pathological bias should be an official psychiatric diagnosis, the Washington Post reported. One 48-year-old man was fixated on hatred of gays, becoming socially isolated and unemployed for years. He said he refused a job because he feared a co-worker might be gay; he blamed most of his personal and professional problems on the gay rights movement. "He had a fixed delusion about the world," Sondra E. Solomon, a psychologist who treated the man for two years, told the Post. California psychologist Edward Dunbar has created proposed guidelines that describe people whose daily functioning is hindered by persistent fears and worries about other groups, the Post reported. "Everyone is inculcated with stereotypes and biases with cultural issues, but some individuals not only hold beliefs that are very rigid, but they are part of a psychological problem," Dunbar said.

051216
WB051215

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2005. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2005. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .