2009

Judge dismisses petition requiring the use of condoms in porn films: Los Angeles Times - December 23, 2009; Kimi Yoshino; -- An AIDS advocacy group argued that L.A. County has passively observed an ever-growing epidemic in the industry. The court ruled that the county has broad discretion in how it oversees health. A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking a court order to compel county public health o
In Kenya, reason for hope: Los Angeles Times - December 20, 2009; Amanda Jones; -- Slums and AIDS are found in abundance. But there are many ways to help alleviate the suffering. Rose is 17 months old. She weighs 15 pounds and looks the size of an American 5-month-old. She cannot sit up, walk or speak. She has the toothpick limbs and saucer eyes of the malnourished and the dull skin of dehydration
AIDS group makes new push for condom use during porn filming: Los Angeles Times - December 17, 2009; Shelby Grad; The AIDS Healthcare Foundation today will ask state regulators to require the use of condoms during filming of adult films, saying the porn industry is failing to comply with safety rules. The move is the latest by the group to pressure the industry and government regulators to do more to safeguard the health of perfor
Dr. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang dies at 69; South African health minister denied HIV causes AIDS: Los Angeles Times - December 17, 2009; Thomas H. Maugh II; -- The doctor did not believe in using antiretroviral drugs to treat the disease and is blamed for more than 300,000 unnecessary deaths in her country. Dr. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, the former South African health minister whose AIDS denial and failure to provide treatment is blamed for more than 300,000 unnecessary de
STD screening should start early: Los Angeles Times - December 7, 2009; Shari Roan; Young women should be screened for sexually transmitted diseases within a year of first intercourse and should be retested every three to four months if an infection is found, according to a study published today in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Researchers at Indiana University followed 386 urban
OBITUARY: Marc Christian MacGinnis dies at 56; Rock Hudson's ex-lover: Los Angeles Times - December 5, 2009; Elaine Woo; He won a multimillion-dollar settlement in 1991 from the actor s estate after convincing a jury that Hudson had knowingly exposed him to AIDS. Marc Christian MacGinnis, who won a multimillion-dollar settlement in 1991 from the estate of his ex-lover, actor Rock Hudson, after convincing a jury Hudson had knowingly expos
WHO recommends earlier treatment for HIV and a halt in use of Zerit: Los Angeles Times - November 30, 2009; Thomas H. Maugh II; In a sweeping revision of its guidelines for treating HIV infections, the World Health Organization said today that countries should begin drug treatment sooner, phase out the use of the antiviral drug stavudine and begin treating breastfeeding women. The guidelines are designed to delay progression of the infecti
Project Angel Food's Divine Design sale turns 17: Los Angeles Times - November 29, 2009; Max Padilla; If you prefer to buy gifts that also give back, you may want to purchase an admission ticket to shop Project Angel Food s Divine Design sale. The annual event, now in its 17th year, features mini-boutiques of luxury fashion (Marc Jacobs, Elizabeth & James, Diane von Furstenberg, Seven for All Mankind) at sample sal
Study links Latino immigrants' HIV testing to level of adaptation to U.S. culture: Los Angeles Times - November 25, 2009; Alexandra Zavis; Latino immigrants considered at risk for HIV are less likely to be tested or to have access to healthcare services if they are in the country illegally and have not fully adapted to U.S. culture, according to a new study. The findings underscore the need for more targeted education and prevention programs within the di
On HIV and AIDS: Six assessments about where we go from here: Los Angeles Times - November 25, 2009; Tami Dennis; The number of new HIV infections may be declining, but the battle is far from over. In assessing how this country, and the world, should proceed, the journal Health Affairs offers up six HIV/AIDS policy briefs, part of an in-depth look at the issue: HIV and AIDS: Past Successes, Future Opportunities The Short-Term Cost
Ban lifted for green-card applicants with HIV: Los Angeles Times - November 25, 2009; Anna Gorman; A two-decade-old rule kept those with the virus out of the U.S. Now such immigrants will be able to visit the country and apply for legal status. A stamp in Heidemarie Kremer s passport reveals her health status as HIV-positive. Because of the disease, Kremer -- a native of Germany -- has been barred from becoming
New HIV infections in decline: Los Angeles Times - November 25, 2009; Thomas H. Maugh II; There were about 17% fewer new infections worldwide in 2008, compared with 2001, but fewer than half of those infected began treatment, a World Health Organization and UNAIDS report says. The estimated number of new HIV infections each year has declined about 17% since 2001, but for every five people infected, only two
Editorial: The AMA's reversal on marijuana: Los Angeles Times - November 21, 2009; -- The physicians group wants more research into the drug s medicinal uses, but it s being cautious in its approach. For all the debate over whether marijuana has medicinal value, arguments that the drug has significant palliative properties or that it has none suffer from the same flaw: There s little scientific proof
Cold virus may have caused 2007 AIDS vaccine trial failure: Los Angeles Times - November 18, 2009; Thomas H. Maugh II; One of the biggest disappointments in AIDS research was the failure of Merck & Co. s STEP trial of an experimental AIDS vaccine, which was terminated prematurely in 2007 when it became apparent that the vaccine seemed to increase the number of people who contracted HIV. Now, British scientists believe they have an
Marriage license granted to gay couple in Argentina: Los Angeles Times - November 16, 2009; Efrain Hernandez Jr.; A gay couple received a marriage license in Buenos Aires today, a victory in their legal battle to become man and man during World Aids Day on Dec. 1. A judge ruled last week that a ban on gay marriage violates Argentina s constitution and then granted the couple, Jose Maria Di Bello and Alex Freyre, permission to wed.
Gene therapy makes major stride in 'Lorenzo's Oil' disease - An experimental treatment stabilizes two boys with the rare, fatal degenerative disorder known as ALD. Researchers hail the findings, which come on the tail of other gene-therapy successes.: Los Angeles Times - November 6, 2009; Thomas H. Maugh II; In the third gene-therapy success of recent weeks, French researchers have arrested the progression of the rare and fatal degenerative disorder adrenoleukodystrophy, which was at the heart of the popular movie Lorenzo s Oil. The disease has stabilized in two boys who were 7 years old when the therapy was performed two
House passes cruise ship safety legislation: The bill would oblige cruise ships that serve U.S. ports to publicly report shipboard crimes, employ U.S. doctors and install peepholes in cabin doors, among other requirements: Los Angeles Times - October 24, 2009; Kimi Yoshino; An effort to boost federal oversight of the $40.2-billion cruise industry moved closer to becoming law Friday when the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill requiring cruise lines to improve their crime reporting and safety procedures. It s the first time such a bill has made it to a House vote despite repeated
Results of AIDS vaccine trial 'weak' in second analysis: Los Angeles Times - October 20, 2009; Thomas H. Maugh II; Another look at data from the Thai AIDS vaccine trial shows results are not statistically significant and could have come about merely by chance, a report in the New England Journal of Medicine says. A secondary analysis of data from the Thai AIDS vaccine trial -- announced last month to much acclaim -- suggests that t
AIDS Walk L.A. turns 25, and he hasn't missed a step: Over the years, Don Foley has seen the march grow in size, diversity and optimism.: Los Angeles Times - October 19, 2009; Gerrick D. Kennedy; Don Foley made his first AIDS Walk Los Angeles 25 years ago, when the annual event first started. And he hasn t missed a one. On Sunday, Foley, 79, joined 30,000 others who walked the 6.2-mile route through West Hollywood to raise money and awareness to fight AIDS. While some marchers hoisted signs high into the air an
Town hall focuses on L.A.'s battle with HIV/AIDS: Advocates hope Sunday's event at Hollywood High School will help them gain more funding and more diversity in AIDS research.: Los Angeles Times - October 16, 2009; Molly Hennessy-Fiske; John Duran was a young lawyer living in West Hollywood in 1984 when he joined what would become one of the nation s longest-running studies of HIV/AIDS. They were going to try to figure out what this thing was that was killing gay men, Duran said. More than a thousand men signed up for the Los Angeles Men s Study, part
Swine flu is present 'in virtually the entire country,' CDC expert says: Los Angeles Times - October 10, 2009; Thomas H. Maugh II; -- New figures show H1N1 in 10 more states than a week ago, up to 37 now, and a rise in pediatric deaths. Pandemic H1N1 influenza is here . . . in virtually the entire country, Dr. Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Swine flu is widespread in 37 states now, up from 27 states la
Virus discovery called breakthrough in fight against chronic fatigue syndrome: Los Angeles Times - October 9, 2009; Thomas H. Maugh II; -- Traces of a retrovirus similar to HIV are found in most patients with the mysterious disorder. It could be an opportunistic virus, but researchers want further testing to see if it causes the syndrome In what may prove to be the first major breakthrough in the fight against the mysterious and controversial disorder
The stage is set for a good cause: Los Angeles Times - October 4, 2009; Ellen Olivier; -- Annette Bening opens Medea for UCLA Live; Jason Alexander and Steven Weber spice up a benefit for breast cancer research; Michael Jackson s memory permeates a benefit for local HIV/AIDS charities. After murdering her children in Euripides classic “Medea,” Annette Bening, with husband Warren Beatty, helped celebrate
HIV vaccine feat leaves more questions than answers: Los Angeles Times - September 25, 2009; Karen Kaplan and Thomas H. Maugh II; -- A combination of vaccines is found to provide modest protection against infection. Now scientists have to find out how that happened. Only hours after HIV vaccine researchers announced the achievement of a milestone that has eluded them for a quarter of a century, they began plotting their next steps -- and coming t
State commission's oversight of sport is criticized - Special report: Promoters and others say California State Athletic Commission has added risk to a perilous sport: Los Angeles Times - September 25, 2009; Lance Pugmire; The last time Staples Center was filled to capacity for a prominent fight that attracted a national television audience, the insistence of one observant trainer saved the California State Athletic Commission from potentially suffering more than embarrassment. That was the night two hardened, plaster-caked inserts were
For first time, researchers report some AIDS vaccine success: Los Angeles Times - September 24, 2009; Thomas H. Maugh II; A vaccine combo reduced the number of new HIV infections in a study, Thai and U.S. researchers say. More than a quarter-century after scientists discovered the virus that causes AIDS, researchers have finally shown that an experimental vaccine can block at least some infections, marking the first small but significant
O.C. school district, ACLU settle suit over 'Rent': Los Angeles Times - September 10, 2009; Seema Mehta; -- Newport-Mesa Unified School District agrees to provide harassment and discrimination prevention training after students threatened a girl who appeared in the play and used slurs to describe another. An Orange County school district where varsity athletes threatened to rape and kill the lead actress in a student prod
MOVIE REVIEW: 'Why Us? Left Behind and Dying': Los Angeles Times - September 9, 2009; Gary Goldstein; The documentary follows 20 inner-city teens from Pittsburgh as they explore the history and large numbers of HIV/AIDS cases in their community and culture. By turns frightening and fascinating, compassionate and compelling, the tough-titled documentary Why Us? Left Behind and Dying is an all-too-essential look at the d
Antibodies found that prevent HIV from causing severe AIDS: Los Angeles Times - September 4, 2009; Thomas H. Maugh II; -- Scientists were able to isolate two antibodies responsible for resistance to the disease in an African patient. The discovery could be key to the development of a vaccine. After nearly two decades of futile searching for a vaccine against the AIDS virus, researchers are reporting the tantalizing discovery of antibod
Medical testing in your home: Los Angeles Times - August 31, 2009; Kathleen Kelleher; -- Forget the office visit. Home-health exams can save time and money, and give patients some control. Twice a year, Mary Shomon officially checks her ever-fluctuating thyroid hormones -- but without bothering to leave her home for a trek to a lab or doctor s office. Instead, she pricks her finger with a tiny lancet pr
Follow directions carefully with at-home health tests: Los Angeles Times - August 31, 2009; Kathleen Kelleher; At-home test kits adhere to the same basic formula. For collection kits, patients apply blood, saliva, stool samples or bodily secretions to a paper or swab included in a kit. The specimen is sealed in a container and the packet is mailed to the lab noted on the outside of the package. Lab results are sent either direc
Groups to file complaints against 16 porn companies: Los Angeles Times - August 20, 2009; Kimi Yoshino; -- Two foundations will register their concerns with California s workplace safety agency. They allege that failure to require condom use endangers performers health. Vowing never to stop pushing for condom use in porn, AIDS Healthcare Foundation officials said Wednesday that they plan to file complaints today with sta
Obama endangering developing countries' access to affordable drugs, activists charge: Los Angeles Times - August 19, 2009; Tom Hamburger, Reporting from Washington; The administration may be reluctant to confront pharmaceutical firms during the healthcare debate, critics say. We had high hopes for change after Bush, an Oxfam official says. In an unexpected spillover from the healthcare battle, activists in Washington, and Thailand and other developing countries are accusing the Ob
MMA promoters get an apology: Los Angeles Times - August 12, 2009; Bill Dwyre; -- The California State Athletic Commission sent a letter of apology to the promoters of an MMA card on which a fighter with a positive test for hepatitis C was allowed to compete. The California State Athletic Commission has faxed a letter of apology to the promoters of a mixed martial arts card on which a fighter wit
MMA fight went on despite positive test: Los Angeles Times - August 7, 2009; Bill Dwyre; Promoter of California event says competitor was allowed to fight despite testing positive for Hepatitis C and having no test results on file for HIV. The promoter of a mixed martial arts card March 7 in Tulare, Calif., confirmed Friday that one of the competitors was allowed to fight despite testing positive for Hepat
Schwarzenegger cuts $500 million more as he signs budget: The governor reduces funding to programs for children's healthcare, the elderly, and AIDS treatment and prevention. Angry Democratic leaders challenge his use of the veto in this situation.: Los Angeles Times - July 29, 2009; Michael Rothfeld and Shane Goldmacher; Reporting from Sacramento - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday signed a budget plan sent to him by lawmakers to close the state s monumental deficit, using his veto pen to impose nearly $500 million in additional cuts. The new reductions will affect child welfare and children s healthcare, the elderly, state parks a
Dr. Joel D. Weisman dies at 66; among the first doctors to detect AIDS: Los Angeles Times - July 23, 2009; Elaine Woo; -- The Los Angeles physician went on to became a national advocate for AIDS research, treatment and prevention. [FOR THE RECORD: An obituary about Dr. Joel Weisman that ran in Thursday s Section A had the first name of AIDS-research pioneer Dr. Michael S. Gottlieb incorrect as Martin. An earlier version of the online c
L.A. supervisors to sue to block state budget cuts; other local governments expected to join: Los Angeles Times - July 21, 2009; The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to sue state lawmakers if they pursue plans to seize local redevelopment and highway taxes to cover the state budget deficit. Other local governments are expected to take similar actions to prevent major cuts proposed in the budget deal reached last night. This morning,
Medical marijuana science, through the smoke: Support for medical use of cannabis is growing; research is mostly favorable, but there is some caution: Los Angeles Times - July 20, 2009; Judy Foreman, Health Sense; Marcy Duda, a former home health aide with four children and two granddaughters, never dreamed she d be publicly touting the medical benefits of pot. But marijuana, says the 48-year-old Ware, Mass., resident, is the only thing that even begins to control the migraine headaches that plague her nine days a month, which s
L.A. County has failed to curb STDs in porn industry, lawsuit contends: Los Angeles Times - July 17, 2009; Kimi Yoshino; -- An activist group asks that the L.A. County Health Department be ordered to enforce regulations on condom use in adult films or take other steps to keep sexually transmitted diseases from spreading. A prominent AIDS advocacy group filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday alleging that county
Gay-rights coalition urges measured pace on same-sex marriage amendment: Los Angeles Times - July 14, 2009; Jessica Garrison; -- Organizations say pushing for a California ballot measure in 2010 would be rushed and risky. Some also fear the effort may divert critical funding from social-service programs. Despite insisting just a few months ago that they wanted to go back to the ballot in 2010 to try to amend the state Constitution to allow sa
Men from U.S., Mexico report 'risky' sex with Tijuana prostitutes, study finds: Los Angeles Times - July 11, 2009; Tony Perry; A large percentage of men who regularly have sex with prostitutes in Tijuana do not use condoms and have a history of drug and alcohol abuse, according to a binational study published Friday in the online journal AIDS. Of 400 men who answered questions for researchers from Mexico and UC San Diego, about half were fro
Michael Jackson's generous legacy: The singer's efforts to raise awareness on issues like AIDS and famine, as well as donating millions himself, spread throughout the entertainment industry.: Los Angeles Times - July 8, 2009; Tina Daunt; Michael Jackson left a philanthropic legacy almost as large as his cultural one. In all the financial and personal turmoil that characterized his latter years, it was easy to lose sight of the fact that he was a pioneer not only in popular music but also in charitable fundraising within the entertainment industry.
India gays win landmark ruling decriminalizing homosexual sex: Los Angeles Times - July 3, 2009; Mark Magnier; A Delhi court rules that punishment for sexual relations between consenting adults is a violation of constitutional rights. The ruling applies to Delhi but is seen as a trendsetter for the country. Reporting from New Delhi - The Delhi High Court issued a landmark ruling Thursday decriminalizing homosexuality, a move th
L.A. County sheriff considers expanding condom distribution in jail: Los Angeles Times - June 29, 2009; Ari B. Bloomekatz; -- Activist Ron Osorio has been giving condoms to inmates almost weekly since 2001 to help deter the spread of HIV/AIDS. Inmates call Ron Osorio West Hollywood because the words are printed on the cream-colored cloth bag he carries inside Men s Central Jail each Friday. The bag is filled with 300 Lifestyle condoms. Oso
In Kenya, patients held hostage to medical bills: Los Angeles Times - June 27, 2009; Edmund Sanders; -- Some poor Kenyans can t afford to seek treatment, as public hospitals, strapped for funds, detain patients who are unable to pay their bills, sometimes for months. Reporting from Nairobi, Kenya - Widowed and HIV-positive, Beatrice Acheing had no money to have her baby delivered in a hospital. But she admitted hersel
HIV: California, New York and ... Georgia?: Los Angeles Times - June 22, 2009; Thomas H. Maugh II; California and New York have the largest number of HIV-positive people in the country, but Georgia, surprisingly, has some of the highest incidence rates for the infection, according to the first county-by-county map of HIV infections and AIDS cases. Of the 48 U.S. counties with the highest prevalence rates for HIV inf
Free HIV testing this week in L.A. County: Los Angeles Times - June 22, 2009; Nicole Santa Cruz; Parks, banks and music stores will host free mobile HIV testing this week as part of HIV Testing Week in Los Angeles County. Testing will be available today from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Home Depot in North Hollywood, 8236 Balboa Blvd., and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Echo Park, off Echo Park and Laguna avenues. Clinics wi
Questions are raised over L.A. County's HIV response: Los Angeles Times - June 19, 2009; Rong-Gong Lin II and Kimi Yoshino; -- An AIDS advocate says public health officials have been asleep at the switch in not investigating recent cases in the adult film industry and urges that condoms be used on porn sets. As prominent AIDS advocates called Thursday for Los Angeles County officials to require condoms on porn sets or shut down production,
Health officials inspect clinic that serves porn industry: Los Angeles Times - June 18, 2009; Kimi Yoshino; Tired of waiting for a response from the San Fernando Valley-based health clinic where an adult film actress recently tested positive for HIV, state health and safety investigators Wednesday performed a surprise inspection of the medical offices and this week will issue subpoenas demanding access to patient records.
L.A. County backtracks on reports of porn HIV cases: Los Angeles Times - June 17, 2009; Kimi Yoshino and Rong-Gong Lin II; -- Officials had reported 16 unpublicized cases of HIV-positive performers since a 2004 outbreak. But the county health director now says officials did not know if any of the 16 were performers. Los Angeles County public health officials backtracked Tuesday on their statements last week that at least 16 unpublicized ca
Lawmakers' plan eases governor's proposed cuts: Los Angeles Times - June 15, 2009; Shane Goldmacher; -- Budget panel wants to keep parks open and keep healthcare for low-income children. GOP leaders scoff at proposed tax hikes and criticize Democratic leaders for addressing only part of the deficit. Reporting from Sacramento - A state budget panel Monday rejected some of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger s most extreme propo
Porn industry clinic takes anti-HIV steps: Los Angeles Times - June 15, 2009; Kimi Yoshino; -- The Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation, reacting to a case disclosed last week, says it s increasing database controls and urging producers to not accept paper test results from performers In an effort to prevent the possible spread of HIV in the adult film industry, the San Fernando Valley-based health cl
Porn star recalls nightmare of testing HIV positive: Los Angeles Times - June 15, 2009; Rong-Gong Lin II; Porn production shut down for a month after Darren James tested positive in 2004, changing his life. Now he hopes he can protect others by telling his story. Darren James saw the news flash on his TV screen last week: A porn actress had tested positive for HIV. James, 45, felt a moment of shock, then sadness. I feel re
'Sex Positive' documents the pioneers of safe sex: Daryl Wein's documentary focuses on three men who made a difference as the AIDS crisis broke in the '80s: Los Angeles Times - June 14, 2009; Gary Goldstein; It s never too late to start having safe sex, asserts writer and AIDS activist Richard Berkowitz. And he should know. That s because more than 25 years ago, during the early days of the AIDS crisis, Berkowitz, a gay, HIV-positive, former S&M hustler, actually invented the notion of safe sex, along with Joseph Sonn
Porn stars at L.A. convention defend HIV tests: Los Angeles Times - June 13, 2009; Kimi Yoshino and Rong-Gong Lin II; Most say they believe that the industry s testing guidelines are enough to keep performers safe despite the news that an adult film actress has tested positive for HIV. Porn actresses paraded in stiletto heels, wearing itsy-bitsy skirts and bikini tops that overflowed. Guys eagerly snapped pictures and collected autogr
More porn HIV cases disclosed: Los Angeles Times - June 12, 2009; Kimi Yoshino and Rong-Gong Lin II; -- L.A. County health officials say at least 16 performers have been infected in addition to one reported this week. That brings the number of HIV cases in porn performers to 22 in the last five years. Despite porn industry assurances that an adult film actress recent positive HIV test is the first since a 2004 outbrea
Porn actress tests positive for HIV: L.A. County and California health officials say they will look into the case. It's the first confirmed case in the Southern California industry since 2004, when production was closed for four weeks.: Los Angeles Times - June 11, 2009; Rong-Gong Lin II and Kimi Yoshino; An actress who works in Southern California s pornography industry has tested positive for HIV, renewing county and state health officials concerns that the adult entertainment industry lacks sufficient safety measures to prevent the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. The new case was confirmed to
Sacramento protest to draw attention to AIDS/HIV cuts: $80.1 million in proposed cuts of state funds would eliminate or drastically curtail many AIDS/HIV education, prevention and treatment programs.: Los Angeles Times - June 9, 2009; Kimi Yoshino; Busloads of gay and lesbian protesters from across California are expected to converge on the state Capitol today to protest more than $80 million in proposed budget cuts to AIDS and HIV programs, a reduction that would wipe out state funding of most prevention, education and surveillance programs that help fight and t
AIDS/LifeCycle charity bike ride gets personal when recession hits: Los Angeles Times - May 31, 2009; Joanna Lin; Timothy Brodt is among more than 2,000 bike riders who left Sunday on a 545-mile trek from San Francisco to Los Angeles as part of the AIDS/LifeCycle benefit. He carried with him a small black-and-white photo of his Uncle Richard, who died of AIDS more than 20 years ago. For the last two years, Brodt has participated i
Schwarzenegger sends lawmakers $5 billion in proposed cuts: Los Angeles Times - May 27, 2009; Michael Rothfeld and Patrick McGreevy; -- California governor s plan would dismantle or drastically curtail state programs involving healthcare, higher education, welfare, parks, AIDS treatment and counseling, and prisoner rehabilitation. Reporting from Sacramento - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday sent lawmakers his plan to trim more than $5 billion i
Editorial: The 'war on drugs' is over: Los Angeles Times - May 16, 2009; -- The Obama administration is moving toward demilitarizing a health problem The Obama administration is saying all the right things about the jumble of ineffective and vindictive laws, policies and practices that have made up this nation s so-called war on drugs. Shortly after he was confirmed, Atty. Gen. Eric H. Hold
Editorial: Saberi's release is one small step in Iran: Los Angeles Times - May 12, 2009; -- Tehran frees the American journalist, but the larger case of human rights abuses remains. The release of American freelance journalist Roxana Saberi after four months in an Iranian prison is a welcome decision that begins to redress the miscarriage of justice in her case, but not the larger problems that bedevil Ira
For African first ladies, health issues are a chance to remake their image: In a summit in Los Angeles this week, the 13 leaders' wives met representatives from think tanks and assistance groups to tackle AIDS, malaria and other issues: Los Angeles Times - April 22, 2009; Alexandra Zavis; Dressed in sleek suits and eye-catching robes, 13 African first ladies stepped onto a Westside red carpet this week, mingling with Hollywood celebrities and waving to the paparazzi. While they appeared to enjoy the limelight, the women had traveled to Los Angeles for a more serious purpose: to forge partnerships in the
Psoriasis, Raptiva and PML: Why Genentech pulled the drug: Raptiva is withdrawn for its links to PML, but other therapies are available: Los Angeles Times - April 20, 2009; Jill U. Adams; On April 9, the biotech company Genentech announced that it was withdrawing its psoriasis medicine Raptiva from the market because it can cause a rare but often fatal brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML. Four cases of the disease have been reported in patients taking Raptiva; all h
Protesters target CVS stores over condom policy: Los Angeles Times - April 8, 2009; Nathan Olivarez-Giles; A labor activist group has brought its campaign for easy condom access to the streets of Los Angeles. About 75 people demonstrated Tuesday outside a CVS pharmacy in East Los Angeles, calling on the store to change its practice of storing condoms in a locked display case and behind the counter. Protesters said the polic
Pedro Zamora: from 'Real World' to real legend: Los Angeles Times - March 31, 2009; Choire Sicha; -- A movie about the cast member reflects reality television s growth: Its stories are now informing scripted projects When The Real World premiered in 1992 on MTV, it created a standard in reality television: It cooped up Mormons and gay people and crude bike messengers and splayed their tiny culture wars on TV. F
Editorial: A consistent but harsh Catholic Church - A Brazilian excommunication case stirs worldwide indignation: Los Angeles Times - March 25, 2009; When a 9-year-old girl in Brazil was recently found to be pregnant with twins, doctors performed an abortion. In Brazil, the procedure is legal only in cases of rape or to save the mother s life, and doctors determined that both applied to the girl -- her stepfather was jailed on rape charges, and the 80-pound child wa
Fergie's commitment is right on the kisser: How a lipstick will assist HIV/AIDS education: Los Angeles Times - March 11, 2009; Tina Daunt; When you re one of the host of young celebrities who spent the last year giving their all for Barack Obama, it can be hard to find a second act with significance. Fergie, one of the distinctive voices of the hugely successful Black Eyed Peas, is one of the exceptions: She s found an absorbing new cause in lipstick -- a
L.A. County settles suit over daughter of HIV skeptics for $15,000: Christine Maggiore and Robin Scovill alleged that daughter Eliza Jane's privacy was violated by release of the girl's autopsy report. Maggiore, who denied the virus' link to AIDS, died in December.: Los Angeles Times - March 6, 2009; Molly Hennessy-Fiske; Los Angeles County has reached a $15,000 legal settlement with the husband of Christine Maggiore, the late activist who rejected medical opinions that HIV causes AIDS. Maggiore and her husband, Robin Scovill, sued the county two years ago for allegedly violating their late 3-year-old daughter s civil rights by releasin
AIDS researchers turn attention to microbicides: In the absence of a vaccine, virus-blocking gels offer renewed hope for preventing the spread of HIV. New studies support the idea, which is especially promising for women.: Los Angeles Times - March 5, 2009; Mary Engel; With AIDS vaccine efforts at an impasse, microbicides -- virus-blocking gels inserted into the vagina before sexual intercourse -- have risen from their own string of setbacks to once again offer hope of preventing HIV infections, at least in women. Microbicides blocked the primate form of the virus in monkeys in studi
How HIV stays one step ahead of immune system: Researchers seeking a vaccine find that the virus that causes AIDS quickly evolves into different strains to battle different populations' genetic makeups.: Los Angeles Times - February 28, 2009; Mary Engel; HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is one of the fastest-evolving entities known. That s why no one has yet been able to come up with a vaccine: The virus mutates so rapidly that what works today in one person may not work tomorrow or in others. A study published Wednesday in the journal Nature confirms that dizzying pac
AIDS doctor pleads guilty to healthcare fraud: Dr. George Steven Kooshian admits to diluting medications and billing insurance companies for drugs he did not administer. He practiced in Los Angeles and Orange counties.: Los Angeles Times - February 27, 2009; Jia-Rui Chong; A doctor who treated AIDS patients admitted to watering down medications and pleaded guilty to fraud charges, the U.S. attorney s office announced Thursday. Dr. George Steven Kooshian, who practiced in Orange and Los Angeles counties, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Santa Ana federal court to a total of four counts of billin
Shaming and scaring johns into becoming average joes: L.A. tests a program for men caught soliciting prostitutes, giving them some reasons not to reoffend. It's like traffic school, but the stakes are higher and the presentations are squirm-inducing: Los Angeles Times - February 26, 2009; Joel Rubin; Early on an otherwise slow Saturday morning, 16 men drifted into the lobby of a police station in South Los Angeles. They had no crimes to report or friends to bail out of jail. A motley crew bound only by their search for sex, the strangers plastered themselves sheepishly against the back wall, their eyes cast down at
HIV is evolving at warp speed around the globe: Los Angeles Times - February 25, 2009; Mary Engel; HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is one of the fastest evolving entities known. That s why no one has yet been able to come up with a vaccine: The virus mutates so rapidly that what works today in one person may not work tomorrow or in others. A study published today in the journal Nature confirms that dizzying pace of
Revamped health-insurance website helps navigate coverage options: The Actors' Fund project offers the latest on insurance and medical care: Los Angeles Times - February 23, 2009; Francesca Lunzer Kritz; There s no shortage of websites explaining the vagaries of health insurance, but the relaunch last week of a veteran site, www.ahirc.org, offers perhaps the most comprehensive online resource we ve seen for anyone without insurance or in need of free or low-cost medical care. The website, Access to Health Insurance / R
Dancing the night (and day) away for a good cause: Students participating in dance marathons at UCLA and USC wore themselves out for charity: Los Angeles Times - February 23, 2009; Ramie Becker, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer; They came, they perspired, they conquered. This weekend, well over 2,000 students at UCLA and USC pulled all-nighters -- not studying, but dancing in two dance marathons that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Elizabeth Glaser Foundation/Project Kindle/One Heartland (UCLA) and the Children s Miracle Networ
Chicken Ranch: Prostitute, law student and activist: Los Angeles Times Blog - February 19, 2009; Posted by Richard Abowitz; PAHRUMP, Nev. -- Stripper/porn star/prostitute Anita Cannibal says she has a bachelor of arts degree that she earned before she entered the adult business, as well as a bachelor of science in business administration that she finished in 2007. She is working now at Chicken Ranch for a few months earning money and taking
Three worrisome bacteria strains: Los Angeles Times - February 17, 2009; The culprits Infectious disease experts are alarmed about a rise in drug resistance in a class of bacteria known as gram-negatives. The three most worrisome pathogens: Pseudomonas aeruginosa Found: Soil, water, plants and hot tubs Can cause: Infections of the skin, soft tissue, bone, joints, and urinary and respiratory
Green tea and this cancer medicine may not mix: Los Angeles Times - February 3, 2009; Melissa Healy; Green tea may seem an elixir of good health, what with its vaunted antioxidants and polyphenols and whatnot. But if you re taking a relatively new cancer drug called bortezomib -- marketed commercially as Velcade -- for multiple myeloma, mantle cell lymphoma or the brain cancer glioblastoma, drinking green tea could be
Editorial: Health before ideology: Los Angeles Times - January 27, 2009; Ronald Reagan started it, and Bill Clinton stopped it. George W. Bush reinstated it, and now Barack Obama is reversing it. As much as Obama is right to overturn the ban on funding for foreign aid groups that provide or even mention abortions, it s time to end the eight-year whiplash cycle for nonprofits. Congress shoul
Martin Delaney dies at 63; crusader for patients with AIDS: Los Angeles Times - January 27, 2009; Elaine Woo, elaine.woo@latimes.com; Martin Delaney, a determined crusader for HIV-infected people, who successfully challenged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to expedite the testing and approval of potentially life-saving drugs, died of liver cancer Friday at his home in San Rafael, Calif. He was 63. His death was announced by Project Inform, the
2 physicians accused of plotting against Iran sentenced: Los Angeles Times - January 22, 2009; Borzou Daragahi, daragahi@latimes.com; -- The brothers get six- and three-year prison sentences. Iran says the pair and two others were part of a U.S.-funded effort to foment unrest and overthrow the Islamic Republic. Reporting from Beirut -- Two well-known physicians accused of taking part in a plot to overthrow the Islamic Republic were given stiff prison
Al Martinez: So many people, so many memories: Los Angeles Times - January 19, 2009; Al Martinez, almtz13@aol.com; I come to you today to say goodbye, farewell, adios, ciao, au revoir and auf Wiedersehen. I don t know how to say it in any other language, and there s not a lot of time left for me to look them up, but you get the idea. This is my final column for the L.A. by God Times. Actually, this is my second final column. I wrot
Iran accuses 2 AIDS doctors of ties to U.S. spy cell: Brothers Arash and Kamiar Alaei, noted for work on AIDS issues in both Iran and the U.S., are accused of subversion through their Western contacts. Their trial has stirred international protests.: Los Angeles Times - January 19, 2009; Ramin Mostaghim and Borzou Daragahi, daragahi@latimes.com; Reporting from Tehran and Beirut -- A top Iranian counterintelligence official said two renowned AIDS physicians with ties to the United States are among a group of people on trial for allegedly participating in an American-backed underground espionage cell, Iran s official Islamic Republic News Agency reported today.
Obama asks CNN's Sanjay Gupta to be next surgeon general: Los Angeles Times - January 7, 2009; Noam N. Levey, noam.levey@latimes.com and Matea Gold, matea.gold@latimes.com; The popular television personality, a practicing neurosurgeon, reportedly would be provided a broader portfolio to make wellness, fitness and healthcare reform a top priority. Reporting from Washington and New York - President-elect Barack Obama has asked Dr. Sanjay Gupta to be the next U.S. surgeon general, looking to
Editorial: Christine Maggiore and the price of skepticism: Questioning theories is usually a healthy pursuit, but in some cases -- such as Christine Maggiore's HIV theories -- the risks outweigh criticisms.: Los Angeles Times - January 3, 2009; Christine Maggiore, who was diagnosed with HIV in 1992, waged a long, bitter campaign denouncing the prevailing scientific wisdom on the causes and treatment of AIDS. She fiercely contested the overwhelming consensus that the HIV virus causes AIDS, and that preventive approaches and antiretrovirals can help thwart the

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