2002

LA Syphilis Cases Grow Amid Calls for Education: Reuters NewMedia - Friday, December 27, 2002; LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A dramatic rise in syphilis cases has been reported among gay and bisexual men in Los Angeles, leading the largest US AIDS health care organization to accuse health officials on Thursday of ignoring the outbreak. County health officials said a recent study showed that the number of syphilis case
Livewire: Web Sites Help Cash-Crunched Get Medicine: Reuters NewMedia - Wednesday December 25, 2002; Lisa Baertlein; PALO ALTO, Calif. (Reuters) - Guided by a patient in her ward, nurse Beckie Osburn found a Web site that gave her the tools to help her adult son get the medicine he needs but cannot afford. I ve always had insurance, so I didn t have to worry about it, said Osburn, an oncology nurse in Santa Cruz, California, who had
U.S. blocks cheap drugs agreement: Global pact to allow medicines for poor countries falters: Reuters NewMedia - December 20, 2002; GENEVA, Dec. 20 - The United States on Friday effectively blocked agreement on a global pact to allow poor countries to buy cheap drugs to tackle epidemics such as AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, diplomats said. ENVOYS GOING into a late-night meeting at the World Trade Organization just an hour before the deadline for
Bristol-Myers submits FDA application for HIV drug: Reuters NewMedia - Friday, December 20, 2002; NEW YORK, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. BMY.N on Friday said it submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a new drug to treat AIDS in combination with other therapies. The company s drug, atazanavir , is currently in the last phase of clinical development and is t
S.African Party Now Says AIDS to Top Its Agenda: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, December 19, 2002; Manoah Esipisu; STELLENBOSCH (Reuters) - South Africa s ruling African National Congress put AIDS at the top of its development agenda Thursday, saying the deadly pandemic could derail all other efforts to build the nation. In a policy shift after what critics say has been years of neglect, the ANC said it was readying a comprehensive
New AIDS Drug Likely to Fall Short of 2003 Demand: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, December 19, 2002; LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Roche Holding AG said on Wednesday it has completed the first commercial batches of its experimental HIV drug, but will be unable to meet demand next year because it is still working to improve the manufacturing process. The Swiss healthcare group said its manufacturing plant in Boulder, Colorad
One-Click Marijuana Shopping for Sick Canadians: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, December 19, 2002; Robert Melnbardis; MONTREAL (Reuters) - Canadian activists for the medicinal use of marijuana celebrated a court victory on Thursday by launching an Internet site offering home delivery of cannabis for seriously ill people. Saying it would even offer tax deductions for orders, the Marijuana Party Foundation took the unprecedented step af
Mandela Song to Highlight AIDS Benefit Concert: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, December 19, 2002; Zandile Nkuta; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa s Nelson Mandela will be just another prison number again when he hosts an HIV/AIDS benefit concert on Robben Island, where he spent 18 of his 27 years in apartheid jails. The February 2 concert -- featuring artists such as U2 s Bono, Shaggy, Queen, and Macy Gray -- will be held wi
Richard Gere Opens AIDS Home in New Delhi: Reuters NewMedia - Wednesday, December 18, 2002; NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Hollywood star Richard Gere opened a home on Wednesday for women and children suffering from AIDS in India , which has the world s second-largest number of people infected with the disease. The screen idol, who has built bonds with India through his work with AIDS victims and support for the Tibet
VaxGen AIDS vaccine to be reviewed rapidly by FDA: Reuters NewMedia - Monday December 16, 2002; Deena Beasley; LOS ANGELES, Dec 16 (Reuters) - VaxGen Inc. VXGN.O said on Monday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has agreed to an accelerated review of its experimental AIDS vaccine -- news that sent the company s shares up as much as 28 percent. This is a significant positive for VaxGen ... once the applications are filed, the
S.Africa's Mbeki Warns Off Right and Left: Reuters NewMedia - Monday December 16, 2002; Manoah Esipisu and Nicholas Kotch; STELLENBOSCH, South Africa (Reuters) - President Thabo Mbeki pledged Monday to stick to market-friendly policies and to redress South Africa s racial wrongs, saying neither leftists nor white bombers would stand in his way. In a speech to the African National Congress that was well received by nearly 4,000 delegates, M
US Anti-Abortion Stand Under Fire at UN Meeting: Reuters NewMedia - Monday December 16, 2002; Nopporn Wong-Anan; BANGKOK (Reuters) - The United States came under fire at a UN conference Monday for its opposition to abortion and contraception, which critics said was jeopardizing an international agreement on population and development. Rights groups and ministers attending the conference of more than 30 countries in the Asia-Pacif
Canada Committee Urges Marijuana Decriminalization: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday December 12, 2002; David Ljunggren; OTTAWA (Reuters) - A parliamentary committee urged the Canadian government on Thursday to relax its laws on possession of marijuana, setting the stage for more friction with U.S. law enforcement officials unhappy with the amount of drugs flooding in from Canada . The special committee on the non-medical use of drugs sa
New AIDS Coalition Aims to Boost Access to Drugs: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday December 12, 2002; GENEVA (Reuters) - U.N. agencies joined governments and health groups on Thursday in launching a new drive to get life-prolonging drugs to millions of AIDS sufferers in poor countries, where currently only one-in-20 has treatment. The International HIV Treatment Access Coalition (ITAC), bringing together a host of orga
Applied Bio, Celera to Market HIV Gene System: Reuters NewMedia - Wednesday, December 11, 2002; ALAMEDA, Calif. (Reuters) - Applied Biosystems Group ABI.N and sister company Celera Genomics Group CRA.N said on Wednesday U.S. regulators cleared a new gene-based system to detect resistance to the HIV virus. The system will be made by Celera Diagnostics, a joint venture of the two companies, and distributed by a uni
'Wine for Life' Targets AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - Tuesday, December 10, 2002; ROME (Reuters) - This holiday season, if you want to raise a glass of prohibitively expensive wine and share your good fortune with the world s poor, you need look no further. In a novel way to take from the rich and give to the poor, Italy s Sant Egidio religious group and some of the country s top wine producers have
Canada Panel Pushes 'Safe' Drug Injection Sites: Reuters NewMedia - Tuesday December 10, 2002; Randall Palmer; OTTAWA (Reuters) - A parliamentary committee recommended on Monday that Canada establish safe injection sites as a way to cut the spread of diseases such as HIV and AIDS among drug addicts, a proposal that generated immediate criticism from police and opposition politicians. The safe-site proposal draws on experiences
Zambia Needs $270 Million to Tackle AIDS: Official: Reuters NewMedia - Monday December 09, 2002; LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia needs to spend at least $270 million over the next 3 years to fight AIDS, which is already killing about 200 citizens of the African nation each day, Finance Minister Emmanuel Kasonde said on Monday. Kasonde said in a statement Zambia needed to raise the money from foreign donors and local sou
Scientists Fret as Plant-Derived Drugs at Crossroad: Reuters NewMedia - Monday December 09, 2002; Carey Gillam; KANSAS CITY (Reuters) - In Kentucky, tobacco plants are turning into cancer-fighting drug factories. In Virginia, corn is being harvested to treat cystic fibrosis, and in Nebraska, researchers are hoping that fertile farm fields will yield part of a cure for AIDS. From fields of barley in Washington State to Hawaiian s
Cuba's Castro Cements Caribbean Support: Reuters NewMedia - Monday December 09, 2002; Anthony Boadle; HAVANA (Reuters) - Communist-led Cuba bolstered its regional position on Sunday by hosting for the first time a summit of leaders of the 15-nation Caribbean Community in which it only has observer status. Caribbean heads of state called for the immediate lifting of U.S. economic sanctions imposed four decades ago on Cu
UK Govt. Ponders HIV Tests for New Docs, Nurses: Reuters NewMedia - Monday December 9, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - The government is considering carrying out HIV tests on all new doctors and nurses joining its NHS, a newspaper has reported. The Sunday Telegraph said the move was prompted by the discovery of 10 HIV-positive nurses working for the NHS who were recruited from South Africa , which has one of the w
Will O'Neill's Resignation Split 'Odd Couple'?: Reuters NewMedia - Friday December 06, 2002; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - They were the odd couple, two guys in funny hats -- straitlaced U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O Neill and Irish rocker Bono on tour in Africa last May to highlight the need for effective development. For nearly two weeks, the unlikely duo traveled through Africa exploring the desperate needs of th
Mandela to host Robben Island benefit concert: Reuters NewMedia - Friday December 6, 2002; CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Former South African President Nelson Mandela said Friday he would host an HIV/AIDS benefit concert next year on Robben Island, where he spent 18 of his 27 years behind bars. The concert, which will feature top rock and pop artists, will be held on February 2 within the walls of the island prison,
Austria to Require Immigrants to Pass Health Tests: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, December 05, 2002; Michael Leidig; VIENNA (Reuters) - The Austrian Ministry for Health has announced plans to introduce health tests for all immigrants from outside the European Union who wish to reside in the Alpine Republic. The announcement has received heavy criticism from health experts and refugee workers who say the tests are both medically unnec
Roche blood screening system wins FDA approval: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday December 05, 2002; ZURICH, Dec 5 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug administration has approved Roche Holding AG s ROCZg.VX COBAS AmpliScreen blood screening system, the Swiss healthcare group said on Thursday. Roche, which has the world s leading diagnostics business, said this was an important milestone for its blood screening products
S.Africa Takes Heart as Young Heed AIDS Warning: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, December 05, 2002; Alistair Thomson; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - More young South Africans are heeding safe sex campaigns and cutting their chances of getting AIDS or the HIV virus which causes it, a new survey said on Thursday, heartening the nation worst hit by the pandemic. But despite the promising trend the survey highlighted high infection levels among
Mandela Launches S. Africa AIDS Drug Campaign: Reuters NewMedia - Wednesday, December 04, 2002; Andrew Quinn; JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - Former South African President Nelson Mandela has launched a new drive to bring costly AIDS drugs to his country s poor, saying government inaction and public apathy were sentencing millions to death. The campaign, organized jointly by the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the South A
Gilead to Buy Triangle, Widen Antivirals: Reuters NewMedia - Wednesday December 04, 2002; Ransdell Pierson and Dane Hamilton; NEW YORK (Reuters) - Gilead Sciences Inc. GILD.O on Wednesday said it agreed to buy smaller biotech firm Triangle Pharmaceuticals Inc. VIRS.O for $464 million cash, in a move to boost its portfolio of drugs to treat HIV and other viruses. Gilead, which already markets four HIV and other anti-viral drugs, would pick up
Roche dismisses talk of Fuzeon production problem: Reuters NewMedia - Tuesday, December 03, 2002; ZURICH, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Roche Holding AG ROCZg.VX dismissed as speculation on Tuesday market talk that its co-development partner Trimeris Inc TRMS.O may have problems producing novel HIV drug Fuzeon. There is no new guidance. There is nothing to correct here. There is no new information. It is just speculation, a R
Africa Faces Grim Future as AIDS Shadow Spreads: Reuters NewMedia - Monday December 02, 2002; Andrew Quinn; MARAISBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - Its space-age domes gleaming under the hot sun, Sparrow Rainbow village might seem an optimistic vision of Africa s 21st century future. Laughing children play on grassy lawns, adults gather to chat in the village square and bright laundry hangs in the breeze. But everyone at Sparro
Funerals, Prayers and Hope Mark World AIDS Day: Reuters NewMedia - Monday December 02, 2002; Andrew Quinn; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Millions of people around the globe marked World AIDS Day on Sunday with marches, prayers and hope amid grim statistics that show the epidemic outpacing all efforts to control it. In China , officials instructed one million students to launch a new national AIDS awareness campaign while in Brit
One Million China Students to Lead AIDS Fight: Reuters NewMedia - Monday December 2, 2002; Michael Battye; BEIJING (Reuters) - China , long criticized for ignoring a potential explosion of HIV infection, marked World AIDS Day on Sunday by launching awareness and prevention campaigns in the world s most populous country. The campaigns were a sign that at least some in Asia may finally be ready to overcome social taboos on ta
China Has Last Chance to Contain AIDS: Study: Reuters NewMedia - Monday December 2, 2002; Jonathan Ansfield; BEIJING (Reuters) - A team of Chinese AIDS experts has told the government it has one last chance to save 10 million people from HIV/AIDS by 2010 and avert a major epidemic, sending Beijing one of the starkest ultimatums yet to tackle the disease. China could have as many as 12 million people with HIV/AIDS by 2010 or a
One Million China Students to Lead AIDS Fight: Reuters NewMedia - Sunday, December 01, 2002; Michael Battye; BEIJING (Reuters) - China , long criticized for ignoring a potential explosion of the scourge, marked World AIDS Day on Sunday by launching awareness and prevention campaigns in the world s most populous country. The campaigns were a sign that at least some in Asia may finally be ready to overcome social taboos on talk
Is Asia Getting Serious About Fighting AIDS?: Reuters NewMedia - Saturday, November 30, 2002; Michael Battye; BEIJING (Reuters) - China , long criticized for ignoring a potential explosion of the scourge, marked World AIDS Day Sunday by launching awareness and prevention campaigns in the world s most populous country. The campaigns were a sign that Asia may finally be ready to overcome social taboos on talking about sexual act
Stigma Major Barrier to Fighting AIDS, Says Piot: Reuters NewMedia - Saturday November 30, 2002; ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - The U.N. s chief official for HIV /AIDS said on Saturday that stigma and discrimination remained major barriers to controlling the AIDS pandemic ravaging Africa, where close to 30 million people are infected. On the eve of World AIDS Day on Sunday, UNAIDS head Peter Piot said the social prejudi
African business takes lead in fight against AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - Saturday November 30, 2002; Andrew Quinn; JOHANNESBURG, Nov 30 (Reuters) - From South Africa s cavernous gold mines to the lush fields of Kenya s tea estates, AIDS is stalking Africa s dreams of an economic renaissance. As the countries around the world mark World AIDS Day Sunday, the calculus of Africa s AIDS disaster is increasingly spurring the continent s
Britain Has Record Number of HIV Diagnoses in 2002: Reuters NewMedia - Friday, November 29, 2002; Patricia Reaney; LONDON (Reuters) - New cases of HIV diagnosed in Britain this year are expected to increase by 20 percent in what public health experts described on Saturday as an extremely worrying trend. The record number of new cases is more than twice the amount being reported at the end of the 1990s. We re two decades into this a
Cheaper AIDS Drugs Bring Little Cheer in China: Reuters NewMedia - Friday, November 29, 2002; Tamora Vidaillet; BEIJING (Reuters) - The cost of foreign HIV treatment has dropped and cheaper home-made drugs are being produced for the first time, but China s HIV-positive poor see little reason to celebrate ahead of World AIDS Day this Sunday. Sufferers like Lao Ren believe they will only ever be able to rely on free trials of foul
Russia May Face Huge Bill to Treat AIDS - World Bank: Reuters NewMedia - Friday, November 29, 2002; Andrew Hurst; MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia , grappling with one of the fastest rates of HIV infection in the world, faces a huge bill it can ill afford if hundreds of thousands develop full-blown AIDS in years to come, a World Bank economist said. Christof Ruehl, the World Bank s chief economist in Russia, said on Friday that although
AIDS Pioneers Call for New Drugs for Poor Nations: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, November 28, 2002; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New anti-HIV therapies that are practical for developing countries are critical in the fight to eliminate AIDS worldwide, the two scientists who discovered the cause of the disease said on Thursday. Writing in the journal Science, Robert Gallo and Luc Montagnier said developing microbicides to bl
Children's Book Explains HIV/AIDS to Young Readers: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, November 28, 2002; Patricia Reaney; LONDON (Reuters) - It may not top the best seller list nor reach the dizzying popularity of Harry Potter, but author Fran Balkwill is hoping her latest book will have a much more profound impact -- saving lives. While children in western countries are mesmerized by the boy wizard, Balkwill has written a book for youngs
UK calls for more cheap drugs for poor countries: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, November 28, 2002; Richard Woodman; LONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair has launched a fresh bid to increase supplies of cheap essential medicines for the developing world where millions are dying from Aids, TB and malaria. The new scheme, backed by GlaxoSmithKline GSK.L and AstraZeneca AZN.L , proposes that pharmaceutical compan
India's Ranbaxy to cut price of AIDS drugs further: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, November 28, 2002; Sitaraman Shankar; BOMBAY, Nov 28 (Reuters) - India s Ranbaxy Laboratories , whose anti-AIDS drugs are among the cheapest in the world, said on Thursday it could cut prices even further on the back of increased production. Ranbaxy, India s top drug-maker in terms of sales and which competes with Cipla L
Contentious China Union Reveals Huge AIDS Challenge: Reuters NewsMedia - Thursday, November 28, 2002; Tamora Vidaillet; BEIJING (Reuters) - In a sign that China may be ready to tackle rampant discrimination against HIV head on, a female victim is due to marry her partner in Beijing on Sunday to mark World Aids Day in the first publicized ceremony of its kind. State-run newspapers have documented the couple s plans for days, using false
Half Million Russians to Die of AIDS by 2010-Doctor: Reuters NewMedia - Wednesday, November 27, 2002; Ron Popeski; MOSCOW (Reuters) - At least half a million Russians will die of AIDS by 2010 given current infection rates and the authorities failure to curb the epidemic, the country s top AIDS specialist said Wednesday. Vadim Pokrovsky, head of Russia s official AIDS center, said the official number of HIV-infection cases now toppe
AIDS Virus Shows Cunning Ability to Evolve: Reuters NewMedia - Wednesday, November 27, 2002; Patricia Reaney; LONDON (Reuters) - The AIDS virus HIV demonstrated its resilience when a man whose immune system was controlling one strain of the deadly virus was infected with another, underscoring the enormous challenge facing vaccine developers. The unidentified patient had received drug therapy after the initial infection, and hi
U.N. Envoy: AIDS Root of Africa Food Crisis: Reuters NewMedia - Wednesday November 27, 2002; Andrew Quinn; JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - Africa s AIDS epidemic is the chief cause of the food crisis stalking the continent and prolonged famine could loom as millions more farmers die from the disease, a senior U.N. official said Wednesday. Stephen Lewis, the United Nations special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, said th
UNICEF Demands Action on AIDS Orphan Crisis: Reuters NewMedia - Tuesday November 26, 2002; WINDHOEK (Reuters) - The United Nations Children s Fund (UNICEF) demanded more help on Tuesday for children orphaned by AIDS, saying the crisis threatened to send child labor, homelessness and prostitution rocketing. The disease will rob millions more children of their parents over the next few years in the worst orpha
India Plans AIDS Vaccine Trials by End of 2003: Reuters NewMedia - Tuesday November 26, 2002; Sugita Katyal; NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India hopes to begin the first phase of trials of an indigenously developed AIDS vaccine at the end of next year, the president of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) said Tuesday. We re still in the preparatory stages of getting ready to do clinical trials and also thinking of doing
UN Report-Young Women Are New Face of AIDS Epidemic: Reuters NewMedia - Tuesday November 26, 2002; Patricia Reaney; LONDON (Reuters) - It started as a mysterious infection among gay white men, but over two decades HIV/AIDS has exploded into the worst epidemic humanity has ever faced and is now afflicting as many women as men. AIDS will have killed 3.1 million people by the end of this year, five million more have been infected with
Study: AIDS Prevention Saved Up to 1.5 Million: Reuters NewMedia - Monday, November 25, 2002; Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AIDS prevention efforts across the United States , including programs to promote the use of condoms and focus groups aimed at drug users, have saved hundreds of thousands of lives, researchers said on Friday. Although the number of new infections has stayed level at about 40,000 a year for the pa
Poll: Britons Ignorant, Complacent About HIV/AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - November 25, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - Nearly half of Britons think they know very little or not enough about HIV/AIDS and a poll released Monday showed they are right. A third of 18-24 year olds think there is a cure for HIV, which causes AIDS, nearly a quarter said they could be infected with the deadly virus through kissing and one in
Pop Icons Vow to Make African AIDS a Daily Concern: Reuters NewMedia - Saturday, November 23, 2002; Brendan Boyle; CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Pop icons Sean P. Diddy Combs and Alicia Keys said Saturday the world knew too little about the devastating AIDS pandemic in Africa and promised to work daily to make the reality known. In South Africa for an MTV concert Saturday that will be part of a World Aids Day television special targeting a
Singapore's Male Travelers to Get Anti-HIV Packs: Reuters NewMedia - Friday, November 22, 2002; SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore will hand out anti-HIV travel packs to men traveling alone to high-risk countries as part of its efforts to combat the disease that can lead to AIDS, the Straits Times newspaper said Saturday. The packs, to be available from 2003, would contain information on the dangers of casual sex an
Rights Leader Urges More AIDS Talk Among Blacks: Reuters NewMedia - Friday, November 22, 2002; ATLANTA (Reuters) - Martin Luther King III, head of one of Americas s oldest civil rights groups, on Friday called on U.S. black leaders to talk more openly about AIDS an effort to stem its continued rise in the community. King, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, said many blacks were in denial
New HIV Cases in Singapore Due to Sex Transmission: Reuters NewMedia - Friday, November 22, 2002; SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Sexual transmission was the main source of 189 new cases of HIV/AIDS in Singapore in the first 10 months of this year, health authorities said on Friday. The new cases bring the total of reported cases of HIV infection to 1788 as of October, according to government figures. About 96% of the 18
Music, Mandela and MTV Carry AIDS Message to Young: Reuters NewMedia - Friday, November 22, 2002; Brendan Boyle; CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - The MTV pop channel is using its global reach, the sparkle of its stars and the moral authority of South Africa s Nelson Mandela to send a message of AIDS awareness and tolerance to young people worldwide. Video footage from a Cape Town concert Saturday featuring stars Sean P. Diddy Combs and Alic
S.Africa Prison Gangs Use AIDS Rape as Punishment: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, November 21, 2002; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African prison gangs are using HIV infection as punishment, ordering gang members carrying the AIDS virus to rape disobedient inmates in a ritual known as slow puncture, officials said Thursday. A spokesman for the Judicial Inspectorate of Prisons confirmed that the new practice first cam
US Says WTO Deal Must Safeguard Drug Manufacturers: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, November 21, 2002; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top U.S. official said on Thursday any agreement to guarantee poor countries access to life-saving drugs must also contain safeguards to protect large pharmaceutical companies. As World Trade Organization members strive for consensus on the issue, one rule we should all follow ... is to make su
Criminal Charges Laid in Canadian Blood Scandal: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, November 21, 2002; Amran Abocar; TORONTO (Reuters) - Police laid criminal charges against four doctors, the Canadian Red Cross Society and a US pharmaceutical company on Wednesday after a five-year investigation into the country s tainted blood tragedy of the 1980s. During that decade, thousands of blood transfusion recipients in Canad
Poverty Forces Some Eritreans Into Prostitution: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, November 21, 2002; Taro Matsuoka; ASMARA, Eritrea (Reuters) - A couple of blocks from the main street in the Eritrean capital Asmara, a woman in jeans, T-shirt and red scarf tells a man her price for sex -- less than $8. I am doing it to raise my child, the 19-year-old prostitute says. Hunger and war form the backdrop to this furtive exchange, for deep
Glaxo to file new AIDS drug by end of year: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, November 21, 2002; GLASGOW, Scotland, Nov 21 (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline Plc said on Thursday it planned to file a new concentrated HIV/AIDS drug for marketing approval by the end of this year, after a key clinical trial produced positive results. Thomas Stark, from the development team of GSK, Europe s biggest drugmaker, told Reuters th
Immune Response Warns of Possible Bankruptcy: Reuters NewMedia - Wednesday, November 20, 2002; LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Immune Response Corp. IMNR.O , an HIV vaccine development company, warned in a regulatory filing late on Tuesday that it may have to file for bankruptcy within the next few days. On Wednesday, the company s shares fell 47 cents, or nearly 42 percent, to close at 65 cents on the Nasdaq stock mark
Roche expects high demand for Fuzeon AIDS drug: Reuters NewMedia - Monday, November 18, 2002; GLASGOW, Scotland, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Switzerland s Roche Holding AG ROCZg.VX presented new data on Monday showing its novel AIDS drug Fuzeon works best while other HIV drugs are still active. The company added that large-scale manufacturing of the drug, formerly known as T20, is under way to try to meet high demand fo
India Battles Shame, Prejudice in Grim AIDS Battle: Reuters NewMedia - Monday, November 18, 2002; Terry Friel; NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Shame, prejudice and poverty are fueling India s HIV /AIDS epidemic, and the country risks having the largest number of people in the world infected with the disease within a few years. Already, 4 million Indians have HIV or AIDS, making it second only to South Africa , and a U.S. intelligence
French Clinic May Have Put Hundreds at HIV Risk: Reuters NewMedia - Monday, November 18, 2002; PARIS (Reuters) - Over 900 people treated at a private clinic near Paris have been offered AIDS tests after it emerged that an elderly man had been found to be carrying the HIV virus after being treated by an HIV-infected medic. The Jacques Cartier clinic in Massy, in the south Paris suburbs, said it had written to 926
Against the Odds, Firm Works on AIDS Vaccine: Reuters NewMedia - Saturday, November 16, 2002; Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dr. Donald Francis is feeling combative these days. His company, VaxGen , is about to find out whether what could prove to be the first-ever AIDS vaccine actually works. Results from the trial, which started in June 1998, will be unveiled and analyzed early next year. Hardly anyone thinks it
Africa Bloc Wants to Produce Cheap AIDS Drugs: Reuters NewMedia - November 15, 2002; Shapi Shacinda; LUSAKA (Reuters) - Africa s major free trade bloc has applied to the World Trade Organization for the right to manufacture cheap AIDS drugs, saying the deadly disease was the biggest threat to regional economic development, the group s secretary general said Friday. We have applied for licensing from the WTO to allow u
AIDS Activists, Roche Cross Swords Over Drug Prices: Reuters NewMedia - November 15, 2002; ZURICH (Reuters) - Health activists accused Swiss drug-maker Roche Holding AG on Friday of breaking its promise to cut the price of AIDS drugs in poor countries. But Roche insisted it was doing its part to make desperately needed drugs available for millions of AIDS victims in developing countries and said its critics
Security Fortress Shuts Down Anti-WTO Protest: Reuters NewMedia - November 15, 2002; James Regan; SYDNEY (Reuters) - Anti-globalization protests fizzled Friday after heavy security turned a World Trade Organization (WTO) mini-summit site in Sydney into a fortress. A ring of steel fencing, concrete barricades and hundreds of armed police, some with guard dogs, locked down the WTO conference site at the 2000 Olympic
Swiss Doctor Sentenced for Failure to Disclose HIV: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday November 14, 2002; ZURICH (Reuters) - A former doctor who failed to tell a patient he was infected with the virus that causes AIDS received a suspended jail sentence from a Swiss court on Thursday. The former chief of staff of a regional hospital said he had been trying to shelter the patient by not telling him in 1993 he was infected wi
Pfizer inks contract with ViroLogic, to invest in firm: Reuters NewMedia - November 14, 2002; SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Nov 14 (Reuters) - ViroLogic Inc. VLGC.O said on Thursday it has signed a deal with Pfizer Inc PFE.N , the world s largest drugmaker, to supply HIV resistance testing technology for Pfizer drug development programs. As part of the deal, Pfizer will make an investment in ViroLogic resulting in Pfi
Pap Test Needed Only Every 2-3 Years - Cancer Group: Reuters NewMedia - November 14, 2002; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most women over 30 can skip the annual Pap test for cervical cancer, and instead safely have the check only every two to three years, the American Cancer Society said on Thursday. Cervical cancer grows so slowly that women have plenty of time to be tested and have any preventive treatment, the or
AngloGoldANGJ.J rolls out anti-AIDS treatment: Reuters NewMedia - November 14, 2002; JOHANNESBURG, Nov 14 (Reuters) - South Africa s largest gold miner, AngloGold, began distributing anti-AIDS drugs on Thursday to its HIV-positive staff, who make up about a quarter of its regional workforce. South Africa has more people living with HIV/AIDS than any other country in the world. But while antiretroviral
Bill Gates Welcomed with Huge Condom: Reuters NewMedia - November 14, 2002; HYDERABAD, India (Reuters) - An eight-foot tall condom greeted Microsoft chairman Bill Gates Thursday during a visit to an Indian city, a tribute to mark his generosity in fighting AIDS. The world s richest man smiled when he saw the giant air-filled condom in India s rising technology hub of Hyderabad, where his compa
Against the Odds, Company Works on AIDS Vaccine: Reuters NewMedia - November 14, 2002; Maggie Fox; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dr. Donald Francis is feeling combative these days. His company, VaxGen , is about to find out whether what could prove to be the first-ever AIDS vaccine actually works. Results from the trial, which started in June 1998, will be unveiled and analyzed early next year. Hardly anyone thinks it
Companies to Test HIV Vaccine in Humans in 2003: Reuters NewMedia - November 12, 2002; Richard Woodman; LONDON (Reuters) - Human trials of a novel DNA vaccine for treating AIDS are planned to start next year following encouraging results in monkeys, British vaccines company PowderJect said Tuesday. Chairman and chief executive Paul Drayson told Reuters that the vaccine, being developed with GlaxoSmithKline , showe
Bill Gates Gives $100 Mln to Fight AIDS in India: Reuters NewMedia - Monday November 11, 2002; NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp Chairman Bill Gates announced on Monday a $100 million grant to battle HIV /AIDS in India , which has the world s second largest number of victims of the deadly disease. The announcement came as Gates, sporting a red Hindu tika mark on his forehead, began a four-day trip to India
Human Rights Watch to honor Indian, two other activists: Reuters NewMedia - November 7, 2002; NEW YORK (Reuters) - A proponent of free expression in Turkey , the creator of a justice movement in Chad and an HIV/AIDS activist in India will be recognized by Human Rights Watch, the U.S.-based watchdog said on Thursday. The three rights activists, Sanar Yurdatapan of
U.S. Approves OraSure's Rapid HIV Blood Test: Reuters NewMedia - November 07, 2002; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials have approved OraSure Technologies Inc. s OraQuick HIV test, a blood test that delivers results in as little as 20 minutes, Health and Human Service Secretary Tommy Thompson said on Thursday. With this new test, in less than half an hour, (patients) can learn preliminary informatio
Bio-Prospectors Seek Treasure in Australia Forests: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday November 7, 2002; Michael Byrnes; SYDNEY (Reuters) - It s Australia s new gold rush. Fortune-hunting scientists are scouring vast tracts of tropical rainforests for plants to produce new antibiotics and other drugs that could be worth billions of dollars. Australia remains the last continent to be discovered in biodiversity, says Selwyn Snell, chief ex
China Says Needs International Help to Fight AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - Monday November 4, 2002; BEIJING (Reuters) - China s health minister has called for international help in AIDS research and training in a bid to stop the disease spreading through the world s most populous country, the official China Daily said on Monday. Prevention efforts in China are lagging behind soaring demand for AIDS treatment, the new
U.N. Adviser Blasts Rich for Breaking Malaria Vow: Reuters NewMedia - November 04, 2002; Wambui Chege; JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - More than two years after African leaders and western donors pledged to halve the number of deaths from malaria, the disease remains one of Africa s top killers, U.N. special adviser Jeffrey Sachs said Monday. Malaria kills 1 million people in Africa each year, the majority of the
Triangle says HIV drug application accepted by FDA: Reuters NewMedia - November 04, 2002; DURHAM, N.C., Nov 4 (Reuters) - Triangle Pharmaceuticals Inc. VIRS.O on Monday said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration accepted its new drug application (NDA) for its HIV drug Coviracil. The company said it hopes to have its NDA approved by the FDA as early as the third quarter of 2003.
Mandela Fund Joins Diana Charity to Fight AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - Saturday November 2, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - Former South African President Nelson Mandela announced on Saturday that his charity is to link with Princess Diana s memorial fund to combat AIDS in South Africa. The move, which came as Mandela neared the end of a visit to Britain, aims primarily to help children and support families coping with HI
Gilead swings to profit, revenue soars: Reuters NewMedia - October 31, 2002; Deena Beasley; LOS ANGELES, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Biotechnology company Gilead Sciences Inc. GILD.O on Thursday posted its second consecutive profitable quarter as sales of its new HIV drug Viread helped revenue more than double. The Foster City, California-based company reported a third-quarter net profit of $20.
Gay, Bisexual Men Aid Rising U.S. Syphilis Rate-CDC: Reuters NewMedia - October 31, 2002; Paul Simao; ATLANTA (Reuters) - The rate of syphilis rose in the United States last year for the first time in more than a decade, largely due to a series of outbreaks among gay and bisexual men, federal health officials said on Thursday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is spearheading a national campaign to
US Court Protects Doctors Who Recommend Marijuana: Reuters NewMedia - October 30, 2002; SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Doctors who recommend medical marijuana to sick patients cannot be stripped of their licenses to prescribe drugs even though marijuana is banned by federal law, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday. In a decision hailed as a breakthrough by medical marijuana advocates, the 9th Circuit Cour
WHO Sounds Alarm Bell on Public Health: Reuters NewMedia - October 30, 2002; Jeremy Lovell; LONDON (Reuters) - Bad habits like drinking, smoking and overeating that were once the preserve of the rich are taking an increasing hold in developing nations, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday. But in a report on one of its largest research projects to date, the Geneva-based organization said life ex
UNICEF to Spend $9 Million to Fight AIDS in Zambia: Reuters NewMedia - October 29, 2002; LUSAKA (Reuters) - The UN Children s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday it would spend $9 million on AIDS programs in Zambia where it said the pandemic was placing a heavy burden on the country s children. HIV/AIDS is devastating and its impact is adverse on children. HIV/AIDS is totally changing the lives of many children
AIDS and Hunger Force Zambian Children Into Labor: Reuters NewMedia - Monday, October 28, 2002; LUSAKA (Reuters) - AIDS and starvation have forced more than half a million Zambian children to quit school and take up often hazardous jobs in farms and factories, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said on Monday. One in five Zambians is living with HIV/AIDS, a pandemic that has orphaned 800,000 children in t
APEC Leaders Eye New WTO Agreement by 2005: Reuters NewMedia - October 27, 2002; Doug Palmer; LOS CABOS, Mexico (Reuters) - Pacific Rim leaders on Sunday endorsed the elimination of agricultural export subsidies, putting pressure on the European Union in the world trade talks, and called for the conclusion of global trade talks by 2005. Mexico, which hosted the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, w
Epimmune to sell up to 7.25 mln shares: Reuters NewMedia - October 24, 2002; WASHINGTON, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Therapeutic vaccine developer Epimmune Inc. EPMN.O filed on Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission to sell up to 7.25 million common shares. The San Diego, California-based company plans to use the net proceeds to fund clinical trials of a vaccine for HIV, the virus that cau
Chiron drops AIDS drug, quarterly profit rises: Reuters NewMedia - October 23, 2002; EMERYVILLE, Calif., Oct 23 (Reuters) - Chiron Inc. CHIR.O said on Wednesday its net profit rose 59 percent on increased sales of its disease-testing equipment but said it will drop development of an AIDS drug as it is not financially feasible to continue the large-scale trial. Chiron, based in Emeryville, California, s
FDA approves Pall bacteria detection system: Reuters NewMedia - October 23, 2002; EAST HILLS, N.Y., Oct 23 (Reuters) - Pall Corp. PLL.N said on Wednesday that U.S. regulators approved Pall BDS, a new system to detect bacterial contamination of platelets, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality from a transfusion-transmitted infection. As many as one in 4,000 transfusions leads to a severe septi
Merck to Cut Price of HIV Drug in Poor Countries: Reuters NewMedia - October 23, 2002; WHITEHOUSE STATION, NJ (Reuters) - Drug giant Merck & Co said on Wednesday it will cut the price of its AIDS drug Stocrin to below $1 per day in poor countries hit hardest by the epidemic. Merck said it will introduce a new 600 mg version of the drug, known generically as efavirenz , at a pr
U.N. Says Essential Drugs Not Sufficient: Reuters NewMedia - October 22, 2002; A third of all people are unable to obtain life-saving medicines, WHO declares. GENEVA -- Life-saving medicines are not available to one-third of the world s population despite a long international campaign for wider access to essential drugs, the World Health Organization said Monday. In the 25 years since WHO dre
World Bank Commits $1 Billion to Fight Africa AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - October 21, 2002; Manoah Esipisu; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The World Bank has committed $1 billion to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa and much of the support will be in the form of grants, the bank s Vice President for Africa Callisto Madavo said Sunday. Analysts say AIDS is wiping out African professionals faster than replacements can be trained. And million
Europe recommends approving Schering-Plough drug: Reuters NewMedia - October 18, 2002; NEW YORK, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Schering-Plough Corp. SGP.N said an advisory panel to Europe s drug regulators recommended approving the company s Caelyx drug as a stand-alone therapy for breast cancer patients who have an increased risk of heart attacks. The Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products, the main advisory
S.Africa Asks for More Time on AIDS Drugs Policy: Reuters NewMedia - October 17, 2002; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The South African government has asked for more time to possibly reconsider its controversial opposition to key AIDS therapy, AIDS activists said Thursday. South Africa has more people living with HIV/AIDS than any other country, but President Thabo Mbeki s government has consistently refused t
World Bank reallocates $140 mln for Argentine poor: Reuters NewMedia - October 16, 2002; WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) - The World Bank has reallocated $140 million from existing loans for use in health and education projects for the poorest people in Argentina , the bank said on Wednesday. Poverty rates in Argentina have surged since the country s economy collapsed at the end of last year and the money wil
U.S. AIDS group steps up action against Glaxo: Reuters NewMedia - October 15, 2002; LONDON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the largest AIDS organization in the United States , said on Tuesday it had filed an amended lawsuit against GlaxoSmithKline Plc GSK.L , in a bid to invalidate patents on its two top AIDS drugs. The non-profit healthcare provider first filed a lawsuit agains
Boehringer allows S.African firm to make AIDS drug: Reuters NewMedia - October 15, 2002; Wambui Chege; JOHANNESBURG, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Private German drugs group Boehringer Ingelheim said on Tuesday it had granted a licence to a South African pharmaceutical firm allowing it to manufacture, distribute and sell its AIDS anti-retroviral drug nevirapine . AIDS activists gave a cautio
Annan Urges China to Mobilize Itself Against AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - October 15, 2002; BEIJING (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan called Tuesday for the complete mobilization of Chinese society to combat a growing AIDS problem the government has only recently started to admit to. We have to accept that this is not just a medical problem. It is a development problem. It is becoming a security p
Roche chooses NMT NMT.L device for new AIDS drug: Reuters NewMedia - October 14, 2002; LONDON, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Struggling medical devices firm NMT Group Plc received a boost on Monday after Switzerland s Roche Holding AG ROCZg.VX signed a deal to use its safety syringe with a revolutionary new AIDS drug. NMT s retractable safety syringes will be packaged alongside Roche s new Fuzeon medicine, the firs
S.Africa Seen Joining Mainstream on AIDS Treatment: Reuters NewMedia - October 12, 2002; Brendan Boyle; CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa may be finally joining the global mainstream on the treatment of AIDS, including use of the antiretroviral drugs it has so far repudiated. South Africa has more people living with HIV-AIDS than any other country in the world, with an estimated one in nine of its population of 43 milli
Roche-Trimeris HIV drug to get priority U.S. review: Reuters NewMedia - October 11, 2002; NEW YORK, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Drugmakers Roche Holding AG ROCZg.VX and Trimeris Inc. TRMS.O said on Friday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted priority review to their new HIV drug, meaning the agency will reach a decision on the medicine within six months. Roche and Trimeris said they submitted the drug, call
Global AIDS Fund Near Bankrupt, Activists Warn: Reuters NewMedia - October 10, 2002; GENEVA (Reuters) - The Global Fund to fight AIDS, the UN-backed scheme launched last year to combat major infectious diseases, could be bankrupt within months if billions of dollars are not added to it, an activist group said on Wednesday. The Washington-based Global AIDS Alliance said cash pledged so far for next year
Merck MRK.N says EU drug bill is "dictatorship": Reuters NewMedia - October 10, 2002; BRUSSELS, Oct 10 (Reuters) - European Union lawmakers are acting like dictators by stopping drug companies and patients talking to each other, the head of drug giant Merck s Belgian unit said on Thursday. But those on the other side say they are afraid that drug companies could exploit direct advertising to increase sa
Probe widens into stolen African HIV drugs -Glaxo: Reuters NewMedia - October 10, 2002; LONDON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Police have widened investigations into how cut-price drugs destined for Aids patients in Africa have been illegally re-imported into Europe, GlaxoSmithKline GSK.L said on Thursday. Earlier this month the Dutch government recalled a quantity of Glaxo s
Sex with a Twist ... Lemons Provide Protection: Reuters NewMedia - October 09, 2002; CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian scientists believe they have rediscovered an effective use for lemon juice -- as a contraceptive and also a killer of the AIDS virus. Reproductive physiologist Roger Short, from the University of Melbourne s obstetrics department, said a few drops of lemon juice can be a cheap, easy-to-u
Thailand Takes on U.S. Giant over AIDS Drug: Reuters NewMedia - October 09, 2002; Panarat Thepgumpanat; BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand s state drugs agency said on Wednesday it would seek court permission to make an AIDS drug patented by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co after the global drugs giant was last week stripped of exclusive rights to sell the medicine. The Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO), said it would seek t
'Cell Suicide' Worm Work Wins Medicine Nobel: Reuters NewMedia - October 07, 2002; Anna Peltola; STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Three scientists whose studies of a tiny worm shed new light on killer diseases such as AIDS and cancer won the 2002 Nobel Medicine Prize Monday. Sydney Brenner and Sir John Sulston of Britain and Robert Horvitz of the United States share the $1 million prize for work on how genes regulate organ d
S. Africa Plans Dramatic Increase in AIDS Spending: Reuters NewMedia - October 07, 2002; CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa plans to almost double its spending on fighting HIV/AIDS to $173 million in the next financial year, a government health official said on Saturday. Thami Skenjana of the Government AIDS Action Plan said spending in the financial year starting in April would be set 1.8 billion rand, up
Asia Behind Africa in Dealing with AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - October 07, 2002; KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Asian countries lag African nations in addressing the threat of HIV/AIDS and risk major social and economic woes if they fail to act, business and health experts said Monday. Seven million Asians carry the HIV infection, including four million of India s population of more than one billion and
Call for Customs Curbs to Stop AIDS Drugs Resale: Reuters NewMedia - October 04, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - Europe s drug industry called on Friday for tighter customs controls to prevent the resale in developed markets of AIDS drugs supplied to Africa at discounted prices. The Dutch government and GlaxoSmithKline Plc said this week they had uncovered an illegal trade in products being re-imported into Eur
Italian Kids May Have HIV from 'Snow White' Hooker: Reuters NewMedia - October 03, 2002; ROME (Reuters) - Snow White, an Italian prostitute whose clients were as young as 12, may have infected them with the AIDS virus, a legal source said Thursday. The 32-year-old woman called Snow White by her teen clients was arrested this week but her lawyer has requested she be released because she is HIV positive, the
AIDS Drugs for Africa Resold Illegally in Europe: Reuters NewMedia - October 03, 2002; LONDON/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - AIDS drugs supplied to Africa at cut rates have been illegally resold in Europe, threatening to undermine a system of preferential medicine pricing for poor countries, GlaxoSmithKline Plc and the Dutch government said on Thursday. Dutch authorities recalled a quantity of GSK s
MTV Stages Seattle/Cape Town Gigs for AIDS Day: Reuters NewMedia - October 03, 2002; Paul Majendie; LONDON (Reuters) - The pop music channel MTV, bidding for a world audience of at least two billion people, announced plans Thursday for concerts in Cape Town and Seattle to mark World Aids Day on Dec. 1. Grammy award winner Alicia Keys, who is to take to the stage in South Africa on Nov. 23, told Reuters: I hope th
Southern Africa Seeks Help to Fight Hunger, AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - October 02, 2002; LUANDA (Reuters) - Southern African leaders urged foreign donors on Wednesday to speed up food and debt relief for the region, where millions of people face the twin scourges of hunger and the AIDS pandemic. We cannot do everything with internal resources and we urge all our partners to come to our aid and help us tack
Serono starts new distribution system for AIDS drug: Reuters NewMedia - October 02, 2002; Bill Berkrot; NEW YORK, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Serono Inc., faced with counterfeit versions of its AIDS-wasting treatment, on Wednesday launched a system to protect patients from being supplied with fake Serostim and help government agencies track sales of the drug. Serono, the U.S. affiliate of Swiss-based Serono SA SEOZ.VX ,Europe s bi
Red Cross Launches Southern Africa AIDS Campaign: Reuters NewMedia - October 02, 2002; GENEVA (Reuters) - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the world s largest relief organization, on Tuesday launched a $14 million campaign to fight AIDS in 10 southern African states. The agency said that the campaign would run for 5 years and focus on care for people living with HIV/A
HIV/AIDS in 5 Large Nations May Triple by 2010: CIA: Reuters NewMedia - October 01, 2002; LANGLEY (Reuters) - The spread of HIV/AIDS could triple the number of cases in Russia , China , India , Nigeria and Ethiopia by 2010, eclipsing the number in central and southern Africa, according to
Food crisis, Zimbabwe to dominate Africa summit: Reuters NewMedia - October 01, 2002; Manoah Esipisu; LUANDA, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Southern African leaders arrived in Angola on Tuesday for their annual summit seen dominated by the region s food shortages and Zimbabwe s political crisis. Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe flew into the capital Luanda early on Tuesday, the first of 14 leaders from the Southern African Develop
Thai court rules against Bristol-Myers on AIDS drug: Reuters NewMedia - October 01, 2002; Panarat Thepgumpanat; BANGKOK, Oct 1 (Reuters) - A Thai court ruled on Tuesday to remove the exclusive rights of Bristol-Myers Squibb Co BMY.N to sell an AIDS drug in Thailand after a legal battle that highlighted the conflict between AIDS activists and large drug companies. The Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Cour
AIDS Drug Combats Resistant Virus Strains-Study: Reuters NewMedia - September 30, 2002; Deena Beasley; LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An experimental AIDS drug that stops HIV from entering cells helps patients who have become resistant to other anti-HIV drugs, researchers said Saturday. Because Fuzeon has a different target than reverse transcriptase or protease inhibitors , it is effective against resistant strains of HIV,
Mandela, Clinton Talk AIDS at S.Africa Township: Reuters NewMedia - September 28, 2002; Darren Schuettler; ORANGE FARM, South Africa (Reuters) - With movie stars in tow, former U.S. President Bill Clinton swept into a muddy South African township on Saturday to join Nelson Mandela and a band of giddy teenagers in the fight against AIDS. The two retired statesmen dazzled about 1,000 young people crammed into a community cent
Study Shows Concentrated AIDS Drug Is Effective: Reuters NewMedia - September 27, 2002; Deena Beasley; LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Preliminary results show less than half as many pills of an experimental AIDS drug work at least as well as the most widely prescribed protease inhibitor in patients not previously treated with other drugs, researchers said on Friday. The drug, being developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. and
New Compound Said to Stop HIV, Aid Immune Response: Reuters NewMedia - September 27, 2002; Deena Beasley; LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Scientists have created compounds that may be able to block the virus that causes AIDS and at the same time keep the body from sabotaging its own immune response, according to early-stage research unveiled on Friday. Mymetics Corp. said test tube studies show that one of its experimental compoun
New Glaxo protease AIDS drug beats rival in trial: Reuters NewMedia - September 27, 2002; LONDON, Sept 27 (Reuters) - A new protease inhibitor AIDS drug from GlaxoSmithKline Plc GSK.L has beaten a key rival in late-stage clinical trials, analysts said on Friday, citing scientific abstracts released ahead of a medical meeting. Europe s leading drug company is already the world s largest supplier of HIV/AIDS
Southern Africa Food Crisis Worsened by AIDS -UN: Reuters NewMedia - September 26, 2002; Irwin Arieff; UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - AIDS is having a devastating impact on efforts to counter a severe food shortage threatening nearly 15 million people in southern Africa, a senior U.N. official said on Thursday. James Morris, U.N. special envoy for the humanitarian crisis in southern Africa, said after touring the region tha
Coca-Cola bottlers to add AIDS benefits in Africa: Reuters NewMedia - September 26, 2002; Paul Simao; ATLANTA, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Soft drink giant Coca-Cola Co. KO.N , which has been criticized for not doing enough to fight the AIDS epidemic in Africa, announced on Thursday that 40 of its bottlers there were expanding HIV/AIDS benefits for workers on the continent. Atlanta-based Coca-Cola said some 24,000 of the 60,00
International Call to End Use of Spermicide: Reuters NewMedia - September 26, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - An international coalition of scientists and health groups have called on makers of condoms and lubricants to remove a spermicide from their products because it can increase the risk of HIV infection. Nonoxynol-9 (N-9) is an over-the-counter spermicide and the active ingredient in contraceptive produ
Burundi HIV Med Use Doubles, Most Still Untreated: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday September 26, 2002; BUJUMBURA (Reuters) - Health workers said on Wednesday that use of HIV -fighting antiretroviral drugs in the African nation of Burundi had doubled following a drop in prices over the past year, but that the vast majority of HIV-infected patients could still not afford the drugs. Burundi, where more than 8% of adults
NYC Syphilis Data Raises Fears of HIV Resurgence: Reuters NewMedia - September 26, 2002; Paul Simao; ATLANTA (Reuters) - An outbreak of syphilis among gay and bisexual men in New York City has prompted concerns that the sexually transmitted disease, as well as the HIV virus, are poised for a resurgence in some of America, U.S. health experts said on Thursday. Data compiled by the New York City Department of Health and
Proteins May Provide 'Natural' AIDS Defense: Reuters NewMedia - September 26, 2002; Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AIDS researchers said on Thursday they had identified a long sought-after substance that allows a small number of people to naturally live with the AIDS virus for decades without ever getting ill. They hope they can use the compound, consisting of three proteins called alpha-defensins, to design
Blood Transfusion Problem Kills Hundreds Each Year: Reuters NewMedia - September 25, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - Hundreds of people are dying each year from a blood transfusion problem that could be prevented, New Scientist magazine said on Wednesday. Transmission-related acute lung injury (TRALI) occurs when people have an adverse immune reaction triggered by antibodies in donor blood. TRALI, which scientists
Clinton in Rwanda to Support Fight Against AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - September 25, 2002; KIGALI (Reuters) - Former President Bill Clinton visited Rwanda on Wednesday, part of a tour around Africa to promote efforts to fight HIV/AIDS. After meeting with the Kigali government, Clinton said he had agreed to try -- via his Clinton Foundation -- to help Rwanda get hold of cheaper anti-retrovirals, by negotiatin
U.S. Outlines Smallpox Vaccine Plan: Reuters NewMedia - September 23, 2002; Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Clinics will need security on hand and plan to stay open at least 16 hours a day as people clamor to get vaccinated against the smallpox virus in case of a biological attack, federal officials said on Monday. The country has 155 million doses of smallpox vaccine on hand and should have 280 millio
RESEARCH ALERT-UBS Warburg cuts OraSure: Reuters NewMedia - September 23, 2002; NEW YORK, Sept 23 (Reuters) - UBS Warburg said it cut its investment rating on health diagnostics company OraSure Technologies Inc. OSUR.O to hold from buy Monday, citing low visibility for revenue growth. Analyst Ricky Goldwasser said he is waiting for approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for the comp
China Hospitals Demand Waivers for Blood -Staff: Reuters NewMedia - September 23, 2002; BEIJING (Reuters) - Some Chinese hospitals are demanding waivers from patients needing blood transfusions to prevent lawsuits over infection with HIV and other viruses, hospital staff said on Monday. A Ministry of Health official told Reuters patients had to sign waivers for special or experimental procedures under new
FDA Approves Gilead Sciences Hepatitis B Drug: Reuters NewMedia - September 20, 2002; Deena Beasley; LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Gilead Sciences Inc. s drug Hepsera for treating the liver disease hepatitis B, clearing the way for the company s second antiviral drug launch in less than a year. Hepsera, known generically as adefovir dipivoxil, has been shown to be eff
China Free AIDS Activist Held for Leaks: Reuters NewMedia - September 20, 2002; Scott Hillis; BEIJING (Reuters) - China said Friday it had released one of the country s most prominent AIDS activists from weeks in detention after he confessed to leaking state secrets. State security in Beijing released Wan Yanhai after he confessed to breaking the law and agreed to help in the investigation, the official Xinhua
Roche seeks EU approval for HIV drug Fuzeon: Reuters NewMedia - September 20, 2002; ZURICH, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Swiss drugs group Roche ROCZg.VX said on Friday it and partner Trimeris TRMS.O had asked European Union regulators to approve anti-HIV drug Fuzeon. The partners had earlier this week sought U.S. approval for the innovative drug also known as enfuvirtide or T-20. Fuz
S.Africa AIDS activists attack "excessive" drug prices: Reuters NewMedia - September 19, 2002; Darren Schuettler; JOHANNESBURG, Sept 19 (Reuters) - South African activists launched a bid on Thursday to pressure two foreign drugmakers to slash prices on key AIDS drugs they say are out of reach for millions of poor South Africans infected with the disease. In a complaint to the country s competition watchdog, a coalition of AIDS act
S. Africa Lawyer Slams School Rejecting HIV Child: Reuters NewMedia - September 19, 2002; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A lawyer for a South African mother whose HIV-positive toddler was rejected by a school lashed out at the institution on Thursday for prejudice and ignorance. Karen Pereira s lawyers launched a civil action in the Johannesburg High Court on Wednesday, saying her foster child Tholakele was unfai
AIDS Spreading in CIS 'Virtually Unchecked' -UNICEF: Reuters NewMedia - September 18, 2002; GENEVA (Reuters) - The HIV/AIDS epidemic has exploded in eastern Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States, posing the greatest health threat to youth in the region, the United Nations said on Wednesday. In a report, the U.N. Children s Fund (UNICEF) warned that the killer disease was spreading virtually unchecked
South Africa's Sesame Street Gets HIV+ Muppet: Reuters NewMedia - September 17, 2002; Brendan Boyle; CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Reuters) - South Africa s Sesame Street community welcomed a fluffy five-year-old orphan living with HIV Tuesday in the government s latest effort to stem the AIDS pandemic ravaging the country and the continent. Education Minister Kader Asmal was the first outsider to hug Kami, a lively bear-l
Bayer Gets U.S. Approval for HIV Test: Reuters NewMedia - September 17, 2002; TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (Reuters) - German chemicals and drugs group Bayer AG BAYG.DE said on Tuesday its diagnostics unit received U.S. regulatory approval to market a new detection system to gauge the levels of the HIV virus in patients. The test, called Versant, detects the level of HIV genetic material in the blood of peop
Roche ROCZg.VX says files FDA okay for Fuzeon: Reuters NewMedia - September 17, 2002; ZURICH, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Swiss drugs group Roche ROCZg.VX said on Tuesday it and Trimeris TRMS.O submitted a New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for new-age anti-HIV drug Fuzeon. It also planned to submit a Marketing Authorisation Application for the drug, also known as
U.N. Says African Food Crisis Threatens 14 Million: Reuters NewMedia - September 16, 2002; Darren Schuettler; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Monday more than 14 million people face starvation in southern Africa where drought, HIV-AIDS and politics are blamed for the region s worst food crisis in a decade. In the latest assessment of the threat to six countries, U.N. special envoy for humanitarian needs Jam
Chinese AIDS Activist's Release Sought by Wife: Reuters NewMedia - September 13, 2002; Charles Grandmont; MONTREAL (Reuters) - The wife of a leading Chinese AIDS activist, who helped shed light on a large-scale blood contamination scandal in China , urged the Canadian government on Friday to push for her husband s release. Su Zhaosheng last talked to her 38-year-old husband, Wan Yanhai, on Aug. 23, a day before he was arre
Oklahoma Hospital Nurse Reused Needles on Patients: Reuters NewMedia - September 13, 2002; NORMAN (Reuters) - Six people contracted hepatitis at an Oklahoma hospital and about 350 other patients were undergoing tests after a nurse at the facility reused hypodermic needles, a hospital spokesman said on Wednesday. Six patients at Norman Regional Hospital, near Oklahoma City, became infected with hepatitis C vi
Son of Joy of Sex Guru Takes over Family Business: Reuters NewMedia - September 13, 2002; Peter Graff; LONDON (Reuters) - This is a family story. It s a story about a wayward father who returns to the fold and a dutiful son who leaves behind a high-flying political career to carry the old man s torch. But of course, it s really a story about sex. Specifically, the Joy of Sex, the no-holds-barred how-to guide and advanc
City Officials to Hand Out Marijuana: Reuters NewMedia - September 13, 2002; SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (Reuters) - Santa Cruz city leaders plan to take part in a public pot giveaway next week to protest a recent federal raid of a medicinal marijuana cooperative that served mostly terminally ill members. City Councilman Ed Porter said on Thursday he wants to show solidarity with residents in the beach
House Panel Moves to Increase Afghan Aid: Reuters NewMedia - September 12, 2002; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted to boost funds to rebuild war-battered Afghanistan to nearly $300 million next fiscal year as it approved a $16.55 billion foreign aid bill. The committee agreed to increase money for Afghanistan by $65 million after lawmakers said the Bush adm
Senators Seek More Money for Security: Reuters NewMedia - September 12, 2002; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two key U.S. senators on Thursday proposed $937 million in new emergency spending to bolster U.S. homeland defense efforts and support the global fight against AIDS and other infectious diseases. The package, introduced as an amendment to a $19.3 billion spending bill for public lands, includes $
Patents Spell Costlier Drugs, Seeds for Poor-Report: Reuters NewMedia - September 12, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - Poor countries have little to gain and plenty to lose from adopting Western standards of patent protection, a group of experts appointed by the British government said on Thursday. The Commission on Intellectual Property Rights concluded that a global drive to expand patent protection would mean high
AIDS Virus Lurks in Fat Cells, French Study Finds: Reuters NewMedia - September 11, 2002; Maggie Fox; BALTIMORE (Reuters) - The AIDS virus, long known to infect immune system cells, also takes up residence in fat cells, French researchers report. They found HIV in the fat tissue of patients with irregular fat deposits known as lipodystrophies--a side-effect of long-term drug treatment for the virus. The finding could h
New AIDS Cases Down 11 in the EU in 2001: Reuters NewMedia - September 10, 2002; BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The number of new AIDS cases fell 11% in the European Union in 2001, but Portugal remained a black spot with five times the average rate of incidence, official data showed on Tuesday. The EU s statistics agency Eurostat said 8,210 new cases of AIDS were reported in the 15-nation bloc last year comp
Chinese AIDS Activist's Wife Appeals to Bush, Annan: Reuters NewMedia - September 09, 2002; LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The wife of a top Chinese AIDS activist detained after posting an Internet report on the spread of the disease in a Chinese province appealed Monday to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and President Bush to push for her husband s release. Su Zhaosheng, a student at a Los Angeles-area college, m
Zulu King Preaches Abstinence in Age of AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - September 09, 2002; Toby Reynolds; ENYOKENI PALACE (Reuters) - Thousands of Zulu girls gathered outside the palace of their king as part of an ancient wife-choosing ceremony this weekend, and were urged to stay virgins in order to protect themselves from AIDS. The Royal Reed Dance was once a chance for the head of South Africa s largest tribe to pick ne
Glaxo Cuts AIDS Drugs for Poor: Reuters NewMedia - September 05, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline Plc under fire for not doing more to bring down the cost of HIV/AIDS medicines, said on Thursday it would cut the cost of its drugs in poor countries by up to a further 33 percent. The world s largest producer of AIDS medicines joined with other pharmaceutical firms two years ago to s
Triangle Pharmaceuticals seeks approval for HIV drug: Reuters NewMedia - September 04, 2002; DURHAM, N.C., Sept 4 (Reuters) - Triangle Pharmaceuticals Inc VIRS.O said on Wednesday it had submitted an application to U.S. regulators for marketing approval for a treatment for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Earlier this year, Triangle said it planned to submit a New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Adm
Doctors Warn of 'Superinfection' from AIDS Virus: Reuters NewMedia - September 04, 2002; BOSTON (Reuters) - Doctors said Wednesday they have documented a case of superinfection with the AIDS virus, in which the person became infected with a second strain of the virus while still fighting an initial infection. The discovery, described in Thursday s New England Journal of Medicine, suggested that finding a v
Earth Summit Agrees Health Care Is Human Right: Reuters NewMedia - September 04, 2002; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Earth Summit negotiators agreed that a World Trade Organization treaty on patents should not prevent poor countries from providing medicines for all, a key issue for those that cannot afford costly AIDS drugs. They also agreed that access to health care should be consistent with basic human rig
Bush to Offer Aid to Middle East, Airports: Reuters NewMedia - September 03, 2002; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush will ask Congress this week for nearly $1 billion to aid Israel and the Palestinians and bolster security at U.S. airports, administration and congressional sources said on Tuesday. While the initiatives have broad support on Capitol Hill, the White House request could receive a co
IMF approves $23 mln emergency famine loan to Malawi: Reuters NewMedia - September 03, 2002; WASHINGTON, Sept 3 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday approved an emergency $23 million loan to Malawi to help the crisis-hit African nation import food and avoid a famine, which is threatening countries of southern Africa. Crop shortfalls and a rural workforce decimated by rampant HIV/AIDS in the r
S.African big business leads fight against AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - September 03, 2002; Wambui Chege; JOHANNESBURG, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Working in South Africa s deep underground gold mines can be dangerous and backbreaking. But for Richard Maselwane, nothing scares him more than the threat of the deadly human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that has infected over a quarter of his colleagues. The 31-year-old underground ma
IMF approves $23 mln emergency famine loan to Malawi: Reuters NewMedia - September 03, 2002; WASHINGTON, Sept 3 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday approved an emergency $23 million loan to Malawi to help the crisis-hit African nation import food and avoid a famine, which is threatening countries of southern Africa. Crop shortfalls and a rural workforce decimated by rampant HIV/AIDS in the r
S.African big business leads fight against AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - September 03, 2002; Wambui Chege; JOHANNESBURG, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Working in South Africa s deep underground gold mines can be dangerous and backbreaking. But for Richard Maselwane, nothing scares him more than the threat of the deadly human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that has infected over a quarter of his colleagues. The 31-year-old underground ma
Fund AIDS Fight Not Foreign Debts, Says UN Adviser: Reuters NewMedia - August 31, 2002; Wambui Chege; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - African governments should fund programs to combat HIV/AIDS before they service foreign debts, U.N. special adviser Jeffrey Sachs said on Saturday at an Earth Summit panel discussion. Sachs, who is director of the Center for International Development at Harvard University and special adviser on
US Asks China About Missing AIDS Activist: Reuters NewMedia - August 30, 2002; WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - The United States has asked the Chinese authorities for information about the apparent disappearance of AIDS activist Wan Yanhai, a State Department official said on Friday. Wan has been missing since last week and human rights activists believe he may have been arrested. His wife said on Thursd
Couple Bed Down in Shop for Art's Sake: Reuters NewMedia - August 30, 2002; Jeremy Lovell; LONDON (Reuters) - A naked couple has taken to bed in the front window of a London art gallery for a week in the name of art and to promote safe sex. Local estate agent Max Whatley, 24, and his 22-year-old nanny girlfriend Meg Zakreta from Poland , will remain in their sloping bed eating, sleeping, chatting and makin
Expert: Earth Summiteers Must Tackle AIDS Issues: Reuters NewMedia - August 29, 2002; Nicholas Kotch; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Until AIDS is brought under control, the global drive to raise living standards while protecting the environment will be a waste of time, the head of the U.N. agency helping to fight the pandemic said on Thursday. In many parts of Africa and elsewhere, food production, manufacturing, health and
End 'Global Apartheid' Call Heralds Earth Summit: Reuters NewMedia - August 26, 2002; Alastair Macdonald; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The Earth Summit opens on Monday in Johannesburg, giving world governments driven by a mix of idealism and realpolitik just 10 days to agree on ways to haul millions out of poverty without poisoning the planet. Their host, South African President Thabo Mbeki, called on Sunday for an end to glo
North-South Wrangling Heralds Earth Summit: Reuters NewMedia - August 23, 2002; Alastair Macdonald; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Familiar battle lines divided rich and poor nations on Friday as negotiators in Johannesburg worked to salvage plans for cutting world poverty and saving the planet at next week s mammoth Earth Summit. In a gleaming convention center ringed off from some of Africa s most squalid slums by battal
Muslims Oppose Nigeria Hosting Miss World Contest: Reuters NewMedia - August 23, 2002; SOKOTO, Nigeria (Reuters) - An influential Islamic group urged Nigeria on Friday to drop the idea of hosting the 2002 Miss World beauty contest in November when Muslims would be observing their holy month of Ramadan. The Jama atul Muslimeen group in northwest Sokoto state called on Muslims to oppose the pageant. The su
Chimps May Have Survived HIV Epidemic: Reuters NewMedia - August 22, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - Chimpanzees may have survived a catastrophic virus epidemic similar to HIV some two million years ago, which could explain why they are now immune to AIDS. Scientists from the Biomedical Primate Research Center in the Netherlands and the University of California, San Diego, in the
Global Forum to Press Leaders to Save Planet: Reuters NewMedia - August 21, 2002; Manoah Esipisu; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Thousands of activists have gathered in Johannesburg for an alternative forum to the Earth Summit, which will press world leaders to stick to agreed targets and implement plans to save the planet. The so-called Global Forum will be launched on Friday in a Johannesburg stadium at a ceremony that
UN: World Seen Far Short of Goal to Halve Hunger: Reuters NewMedia - August 20, 2002; David Brough; ROME (Reuters) - The world will fail to achieve its goal of halving global hunger by 2015 and will probably miss that target even by 2030, the United Nations said Tuesday. The growth in food output will continue to outpace population growth ensuring many people will be better fed, the UN Food and Agriculture Organizati
New Approach to AIDS Vaccine Shows Hope in Monkeys: Reuters NewMedia - August 20, 2002; Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AIDS researchers reported on Monday they had designed a vaccine that they believe may do what no other vaccine has done before -- protect people from infection with the virus. So far the team at the Institute of Virology at the University of Maryland has only tested monkeys. And they note that pe
Tests Begin on New Type of Vaccine for Malaria: Reuters NewMedia - August 19, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - British scientists have begun tests in Gambia on a new type of vaccine for malaria that could one day save millions of lives. Some 360 Gambian adults will be given shots. Half will receive the malaria vaccine, with the other half given a rabies shot to compare the effects. At present there is no
Anglo AAL.L in talks to buy AIDS drugs from Cipla: Reuters NewMedia - August 19, 2002; Sitaraman Shankar; BOMBAY, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Indian drugmaker Cipla Ltd CIPL.BO is in talks with South African mining giant Anglo American to supply it with generic versions of anti-AIDS drugs, top officials of the two companies told Reuters on Monday. Anglo American is the biggest company in South Africa and about a quarter of the 134,
S. African Sex Workers Say Cops Cut Summit Profits: Reuters NewMedia - August 19, 2002; Zandile Nkuta; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A much-publicized and stepped-up police presence could slash the incomes of sex workers who had hoped to cash in on a massive United Nations summit in Johannesburg later this month. Over 40,000 delegates and at least 60 heads of state are expected to attend the World Summit on Sustainable Devel
Firms May Soon Report AIDS Impact on S.Africa Trade: Reuters NewMedia - August 15, 2002; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - All companies doing business in South Africa will likely be compelled to report on the impact of AIDS by the end of 2003, a leading labor consultancy firm said on Wednesday. AIDS is the single biggest factor affecting South African businesses and will remain so for the next decade, said Andrew
S.Africa Minister Slams Anglo Unilateral AIDS Plan: Reuters NewMedia - August 15, 2002; Brendan Boyle; CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang on Thursday criticized Anglo American, South Africa s biggest company, for implementing an AIDS drug program without consulting her. Anglo said on August 6 that it would make antiretroviral drug therapy (ART) available to its HIV-positive miners for as long
Kenya Expands AIDS Control Program for Mothers: Reuters Newmedia - August 14, 2002; NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya plans to expand a program that provides free drugs to expectant mothers who are HIV positive to stop them from passing the virus to their babies, health officials said on Wednesday. Kenya is one of the hardest hit countries in the world by the AIDS pandemic, but only a fraction of its 2.2 mill
HIV Infection Rates Soaring in Swaziland: Reuters NewMedia - Wednesday August 14, 2002; MBABANE (Reuters) - More than 34% of adults in Swaziland carry the virus that causes AIDS, giving the tiny African kingdom the second-highest infection rate in the world, government researchers said on Wednesday. The figures are much higher than those released by the government earlier this year that pegged HIV infecti
De Beers (AAL.L) H1 sales up, H2 seen less shiny: Reuters NewMedia - August 12, 2002; Hilary Gush; JOHANNESBURG, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Global gem giant De Beers reported an 8.5 percent rise in first-half rough diamond sales to $2.84 billion on Monday, but said it did not expect sales or cashflow to be as sparkling in the final six months of 2002. Second-half sales are traditionally lower than those in the first half, w
U.N., Red Cross Seek to Step Up Aid to Angola: Reuters NewMedia - August 09, 2002; GENEVA (Reuters) - United Nations and Red Cross agencies on Friday reiterated their appeals for funds to feed malnourished Angolan children, clear land mines and combat AIDS in the post-war country. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was stepping up its tracing program to help reunite families
ACLU Challenges Calif. Prison Internet Ban Policy: Reuters NewMedia - August 09, 2002; SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Civil liberties lawyers went to federal court on Friday to challenge a California prison policy that bars inmates from receiving any mail that contains material downloaded from the Internet, including printed e-mail. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Prison Law Office, a Califo
Body Parts Recalled by Texas Medical Institution: Reuters NewMedia - Thursday August 8, 2002; GALVESTON (Reuters) - A Texas medical institution said on Tuesday it had asked for the return of body parts sent to 60 research facilities nationwide because they may not have been tested for HIV and hepatitis. It was not yet known if any of the parts were infected, but Steve Lieberman, associate dean for educational a
Quest/CVS deal puts lab tests in consumers' hands: Reuters NewMedia - August 08, 2002; Julie Steenhuysen; CHICAGO, Aug 8 (Reuters) - A typical walk down a pharmacy aisle might produce a basketful of shampoo, deodorant, pain reliever and the odd prescription drug. Now, for a handful of CVS drug store customers, the trip might also include a pre-paid card to receive hospital-quality lab tests for cholesterol, HIV, hepatitis
Annan Greets Madrid, Roma Players Before AIDS Match: Reuters NewMedia - August 07, 2002; UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan greeted two dozen players from Real Madrid and Roma on the eve of their exhibition match on behalf of the U.N.-initiated global fund to fight AIDS. Addressing the players of the Spanish and Italian sides, Annan said he would be there for the match Thursday at
AIDS Virus Reportedly Growing Resistant to Drugs: Reuters NewMedia - August 07, 2002; Gene Emery; BOSTON (Reuters) - The miracle drugs that transformed AIDS from an automatic death sentence into a disease people could live with are losing their effectiveness, researchers said Wednesday. The virus that causes AIDS, which has killed more than 20 million people around the world and infected 40 million more, is rapidly
Democratic Republic of Congo wins World Bank cash: Reuters NewMedia - August 06, 2002; Mark Egan; WASHINGTON, Aug 6 (Reuters) - The World Bank said on Tuesday it had approved more than $450 million in aid for the Democratic Republic of Congo as its contribution to a $1.7 billion emergency reconstruction and rehabilitation package. The lender said in a statement its latest approval includes a $410 million loan and a
U.S. FDA panel backs Gilead hepatitis drug: Reuters NewMedia - August 06, 2002; Lisa Richwine; BETHESDA, Md., Aug 6 (Reuters) - Gilead Sciences Inc. s GILD.O drug adefovir moved a step closer to the U.S. market on Tuesday as an advisory panel urged approval for treating the liver disease hepatitis B. The panel unanimously voted to urge Food and Drug Administration approval for adefovir, which the agency turned d
FDA Issues Warning Letter to Abbott: Reuters NewMedia - August 06, 2002; CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it issued a warning letter to Abbott Laboratories Inc. ABT.N, citing deficiencies in the way the company reported side effects among people taking some of its drugs. The agency said the Abbott Park, Illinois-based company failed to make timely re
AngloGoldANGJ.J , Angloplat detail HIV/AIDS costs: Reuters NewMedia - August 06, 2002; JOHANNESBURG, Aug 6 (Reuters) - AngloGold said HIV/AIDS was costing it around $5-$6 an ounce of gold produced and sister company Anglo American Platinum AMSJ.J said on Tuesday the disease was costing it around $3 an ounce. In a conference call with journalists, AngloGold CEO Bobby Godsell said HIV/AIDS prevalence at So
Anglo AAL.L plans to give staff anti-AIDS drugs: Reuters NewMedia - August 06, 2002; Hilary Gush; JOHANNESBURG, Aug 6 (Reuters) - South Africa s biggest company Anglo American AGLJ.J said on Tuesday it planned to start giving anti-AIDS drugs to its HIV-positive staff, who make up about a quarter of its regional headcount. South Africa has more people living with HIV/AIDS than any other country, but the government h
US FDA staff says wants input on Gilead drug risk: Reuters NewMedia - August 05, 2002; Lisa Richwine; WASHINGTON, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Gilead Sciences Inc. s GILD.O drug adefovir appears to help people with hepatitis B and present a low risk of kidney damage in healthier patients, according to a Food and Drug Administration staff report released Monday. But the FDA staff said they wanted outside advisers inp
S.Africa Slammed for Probe on Key AIDS Drug: Reuters NewMedia - Monday August 5, 2002; Wambui Chege; JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - South African activists said Monday a government investigation into a key anti-AIDS drug was making the country a laughing stock by questioning its toxicity and effectiveness. South Africa s highest court ordered the government last month to stop blocking the universal provision a
Roche Warns of Shortage of Revolutionary AIDS Drug: Reuters NewMedia - August 02, 2002; Ben Hirschler; LONDON (Reuters) - A revolutionary AIDS drug could offer new hope to patients, but demand for it is so great its manufacturer warned Friday it may not be able to supply the medication, called T-20, to all those who need it. Patient groups and AIDS activists have been clamoring for access to the new drug, which will be
More Food Aid Needed in Southern Africa, IMF Says: Reuters NewMedia - August 01, 2002; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Countries of southern Africa are suffering from an acute and disturbing food crisis that could lead to a famine, underlining the need for crucial food assistance, the heads of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank said on Thursday. Crop shortfalls, despite the new harvest conditions, hav
Lawmakers Call Prison Rape U.S. Human Rights Abuse: Reuters NewMedia - July 31, 2002; Alan Elsner, National Correspondent; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers of both parties on Wednesday denounced the rape of hundreds of thousands of inmates in U.S. prisons and jails each year as a national disgrace and a massive abuse of human rights. Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, told the Senate Judiciary Committee the victims included pre
Brazil Leads Portuguese Countries in AIDS Fight: Reuters NewMedia - July 31, 2002; BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil, a pioneer in the use of copycat anti-AIDS drugs, plans to share its know-how with the Portuguese-speaking world from Asia to Africa as part of a united front against the epidemic. Brazil s AIDS campaign spokesman said on Wednesday Portuguese-language countries, whose leaders are mee
Triangle Pharma stock soars on HIV drug, Abbott deal: Reuters NewMedia - July 31, 2002; NEW YORK, July 31 (Reuters) - Shares of Triangle Pharmaceuticals Inc. VIRS.O soared 30 percent on Wednesday after the drug developer said it had reacquired rights to four experimental drugs from Abbott Laboratories Inc. and would submit a marketing application for an HIV drug this quarter. The company s stock jumpe
History Holds Clues to AIDS Impact on Africa: Reuters NewMedia - Tuesday July 30, 2002; Ed Stoddard; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Infectious diseases shaped the course of European history, shaking the foundations of imperial Rome and bringing the medieval world to its knees. They continue their grim march through the ages, with HIV /AIDS reaping death and despair on a vast scale in Africa. Contagious diseases have had a v
US Decision on Smallpox Shots Seen in Days: Reuters NewMedia - July 26, 2002; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - US officials are putting the final touches on a strategy to combat smallpox in case of a biological attack and promised on Thursday to deliver a plan in a few days or 2 weeks at most. They are weighing the risks of vaccinating large numbers of people with a vaccine that is relatively dangerous, v
SuperGen says cancer drug granted orphan status: Reuters NewMedia - July 25, 2002; DUBLIN, Calif., July 25 (Reuters) - SuperGen Inc. SUPG.O on Thursday said U.S. regulators have granted orphan drug status to its cancer drug to treat pediatric patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), giving the firm potential market exclusivity for seven years. The orphan designation promotes develop
Battle Against AIDS Must Be Won, Bill Clinton Says: Reuters NewMedia - July 24, 2002; CHICAGO (Reuters) - Comparing the global HIV/AIDS crisis to the US-declared war against terrorism, former US President Bill Clinton on Tuesday urged rich nations to spend more to head off the expanding epidemic that threatens 100 million people. I see this AIDS issue the same way I see the fight against terrorism, and
Time Running Out in Africa Food Crisis -- UN: Reuters NewMedia - July 24, 2002; David Brough; ROME (Reuters) - Time is running out to save millions of southern Africans facing a hunger crisis after spring crop failures, the United Nations said on Wednesday. The window of opportunity to avert a major humanitarian crisis is closing, said Judith Lewis, the World Food Program s (WFP) director for east and southern
Gilead posts quarterly profit, Viread boosts sales: Reuters NewMedia - July 24, 2002; FOSTER CITY, Calif., July 24 (Reuters) - Biotechnology company Gilead Sciences Inc. GILD.O on Wednesday said it became profitable in the second quarter as sales of its new HIV drug helped revenue more than double. The Foster City, California-based company reported a net profit of $19.7 million, or 10 cents per share, c
Senate Clears Emergency Funds, Sends to Bush: Reuters NewMedia - July 24, 2002; Andrew Clark; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate on Wednesday cleared $28.9 billion in emergency funds for the Pentagon, U.S. homeland security efforts and New York s recovery from the Sept. 11 attacks -- sending the much-delayed package to President Bush, who is expected to sign it into law. The Senate voted 92-7 to approve the 2002
Suicide Bombers Can Threaten from Beyond the Grave: Reuters NewMedia - July 24, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - Suicide bombers could be endangering the lives of people from beyond the grave by passing on hepatitis or blood-borne diseases to survivors, a science magazine reported on Wednesday. Israeli doctors have found fragments of bone from a suicide bomber embedded in a 31-year-old woman who survived the at
House Set to Approve Emergency Terror Funding: Reuters NewMedia - July 23, 2002; Andrew Clark; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Four months after it was first requested by President Bush, the House of Representatives was set on Tuesday to approve $28.9 billion in emergency funding for the Pentagon, U.S. homeland security efforts and New York s recovery after the Sept. 11 attacks. The Senate is expected to follow suit late
EU Drug Agency Takes Health Approach to Injecting: Reuters NewMedia - July 22, 2002; BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union s drug agency said on Monday that EU governments needed to do more to deter drug takers from injecting, a major cause of HIV infection and overdose among users. The European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) said injecting had a disproportionate impact on pu
S.Africa Health Minister Slams AIDS Global Fund.: Reuters NewMedia - July 22, 2002; Mariam Isa; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has slammed the Global Fund for Aids for its donor policies, drawing a fresh barrage of criticism over her government s handling of HIV-AIDS. Tshabalala-Msimang told a youth summit on AIDS late on Saturday that the UN-supported fund had byp
British Children Unaware of Danger of AIDS - Poll.: Reuters NewMedia - July 22, 2002; Patricia Reaney; LONDON (Reuters) - British children are warned of the dangers of drugs, alcohol and smoking but few know about the risks of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, according to a poll published on Monday. HIV/AIDS has killed 24 million people worldwide and infected 40 million others but British parents are uncomfor
Red Cross Urges Aid for Hungry Southern Africans: Reuters NewMedia - July 22, 2002; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The Red Cross appealed on Monday for over $60 million to help feed the hungry in southern Africa, where around 13 million people face chronic food shortages. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said the funds were needed to provide food for 750,000 people
Britain May Test All Health Recruits for HIV/AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - July 22, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is considering testing all new doctors and nurses for HIV/AIDS amid fears that scores of HIV-positive staff from overseas may have been recruited to the National Health Service (NHS) last year, the government said on Monday. A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said no final decision ha
Bush Names Doctor to Head HIV/AIDS Effort: Reuters NewMedia - Friday, July 19, 2002; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush has named Dr. Joseph O Neill as director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, the White House said on Friday. O Neill has been treating HIV /AIDS patients since the early 1980s and is currently acting director of the Office of HIV/AIDS Policy at the Department of Health and Human
UK Rise in Syphilis Sparks Calls for Surveillance: Reuters NewMedia - July 19, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - Cases of syphilis in England have doubled in recent years, heightening the need for better regional and national surveillance systems, public health experts said Friday. Researchers from the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS), which monitors infectious diseases, said the number of syphilis cases
Glaxo GSK.L keeps rolling in Q2 but view murky: Reuters NewMedia - July 19, 2002; Ben Hirschler, European Pharmaceuticals Correspondent; LONDON, July 19 (Reuters) - Strong sales of asthma and AIDS drugs will allow GlaxoSmithKline Plc GSK.L to report another solid quarter on July 24 but, after a bruising week, the outlook for Europe s biggest drugmaker is far less certain. GSK shares hit a five-year low this week following the earlier-than-expected U.S.
African First Ladies Join Forces to Fight AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - July 18, 2002; GENEVA (Reuters) - First ladies from 18 African countries launched an alliance on Thursday to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic ravaging their continent. Motivated by statistics that show the disease is having a disproportionate impact on women and children, the wives of African presidents said they would use their influence
S. Africa Province Goes It Alone on AIDS Therapy: Reuters NewMedia - July 18, 2002; Brendan Boyle; CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - One of South Africa s nine provinces has by-passed the national government s policy to launch a pilot program to treat people living with HIV and AIDS using drugs the state has branded unsafe. Western Cape province Premier Marthinus van Schalkwyk visited the squalid Gugulethu shantytown clinic to
Senate Panel Backs Bush's Surgeon General Pick: Reuters NewMedia - July 17, 2002; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Senate panel on Wednesday easily backed President Bush s choice of a former Green Beret turned trauma surgeon as the next U.S. surgeon general. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Health Committee approved the nomination of Richard Carmona by a voice vote, sending it to the full Senate for
PBS Not Planning HIV-Infected Muppet for U.S.: Reuters NewMedia - July 17, 2002; Pamela McClintock; WASHINGTON (Variety) - Soothing concerns raised by Republican lawmakers, Public Broadcasting System said Tuesday it has no intention of introducing an HIV-infected Muppet to American airwaves. Rather, the new Sesame Workshop character is intended for South African audiences only. In a letter dispatched to Rep. W.J. Bi
FDA gives Roche hepatitis drug fast review: Reuters NewMedia - July 15, 2002; Michael Shields; ZURICH, July 15 (Reuters) - Roche Holding AG ROCZg.VX got a boost on Monday when U.S. regulators granted fast-track review to its hepatitis C drug Pegasys in combination with standard therapy, the Swiss group s major new drug launch this year. The company said it expected to get final approval for Pegasys in the key U.
HIV-Positive TV Muppet Worries U.S. Lawmakers: Reuters NewMedia - July 15, 2002; LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Republican lawmakers are worried about plans to introduce an HIV-positive Muppet to the Sesame Street gang, Hollywood trade paper Daily Variety reported in its Monday edition. A day after show executives announced they would develop the as-yet-unnamed character for audiences in AIDS-ravaged
Researchers in HIV-Blocking Gene Breakthrough: Reuters NewMedia - July 14, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - AIDS researchers declared a breakthrough Sunday with the discovery of a naturally occurring gene that effectively blocks the disease s progress. Anglo-U.S. research teams at London s King s College and the Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that a gene called CEM15 acted as a brake on the Human Im
Film Maker Puts Faces to AIDS Tragedy: Reuters NewMedia - July 12, 2002; Patricia Reaney; BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Film maker Rory Kennedy wants to do what the giant numbers in countless reports, grim statistics and horrendous forecasts have failed to -- convey the human tragedy of AIDS. The epidemic has killed 24 million people, more than 13 million children have been robbed of one or both parents, and
Mandela Calls for AIDS Drugs for All: Reuters NewMedia - July 12, 2002; Ben Hirschler; BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Nelson Mandela called Friday for AIDS drugs to be supplied to all who need them in developing nations and urged the world to mobilize against a disease he said had unleashed a war on humanity. The former South African president won a standing ovation from 15,000 delegates at the close of wo
Bristol-Myers HIV drug may have fewer side effects: Reuters NewMedia - July 12, 2002; BARCELONA, Spain , July 12 (Reuters) - An experimental protease inhibitor from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co BMY.N may have a better side-effect profile than other AIDS drugs in the same class, according to data presented at the world AIDS congress. A small trial of 63 patients who switched from
Timely HIV Treatment the Key to Survival - Study: Reuters NewMedia - July 12, 2002; LONDON (Reuters) - Too many HIV-infected people are waiting too long to go for treatment either out of fear or ignorance, dramatically cutting their chances of survival, researchers said on Friday. It is not a matter of the earlier the better , but there is a definite point of no return where the CD4 white blood cell c
Sesame Street to Introduce HIV-Positive Muppet: Reuters NewMedia - July 12, 2002; Bernie Woodall; NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sesame Street will soon introduce its first HIV-positive Muppet character to children of South Africa , where one in nine people have the virus that can lead to AIDS. The upbeat female Muppet will join Takalani Sesame on Sept. 30 for its third season on the South African Broadcasting Corp. The
Clinton to Tell West to Pay Up for AIDS Treatment: Reuters NewMedia - July 11, 2002; Ben Hirschler; BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - The world s biggest AIDS conference will close Friday with rousing calls from Bill Clinton and other world figures to mobilize resources for millions of sufferers in the developing world. Two decades into an epidemic that kills one person every 10 seconds, the gulf between rich and poor is
Whole World Responsible for AIDS, Says Clinton: Reuters NewMedia - July 11, 2002; Patricia Reaney; BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Bill Clinton urged governments on Thursday to do more to fight AIDS and assured young people that wealthy nations would provide extra funds to battle the epidemic if they knew how it would be spent. The former U.S. president, who is the co-chairman of the International AIDS Trust, described
'Therapeutic' Vaccine May Help in AIDS Fight: Reuters NewMedia - July 11, 2002; BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Researchers in Italy and the United States will soon begin human trials of a therapeutic AIDS vaccine that may allow patients to take fewer drugs or even stop treatment intermittently. The vaccine, to be applied to the skin, has already been shown to benefit monkeys infected wi
AIDS Explosion Threatens Former Soviet States: Reuters NewMedia - July 11, 2002; BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Former Soviet states have the world s fastest growing HIV/AIDS epidemic, which threatens to spread from drug users to the wider population, researchers said Thursday. Addicts who inject drugs account for 90 percent of HIV cases in the region. But Dr. Anna Shakarishvili of the U.S. Centers f
'No Excuse' Not to Provide AIDS Drugs to Poor: Reuters NewMedia - July 11, 2002; Patricia Reaney; BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Delegates at the world s biggest AIDS conference urged governments on Thursday to provide nationwide access to anti-AIDS drugs because people should not be dying when life-saving treatments are available. The World Health Organization laid the groundwork to increase access when it annou
New England Journal Pulls Study Due to False Photo: Reuters NewMedia - July 10, 2002; Gene Emery; BOSTON (Reuters) - In a highly unusual move, the New England Journal of Medicine has retracted a 1998 AIDS study after concluding it included a photograph lifted from research published eight years earlier. The journal s editor, writing in this week s edition published on Thursday, said the photograph was doctored to m
Spain summit aims to boost women's economic clout: Reuters NewMedia - July 10, 2002; BARCELONA, Spain , July 10 (Reuters) - Six hundred women from 76 countries meet in Barcelona on Thursday to talk about how to increase the economic power of women in a male-dominated world. The Global Summit of Women has been described as a Davos for women , after the high-powered meetings of the world s mostly male mo
Orphan crisis fuels clamour for cheap AIDS drugs: Reuters NewMedia - July 10, 2002; Patricia Reaney; BARCELONA, Spain , July 10 (Reuters) - HIV/AIDS has created an unprecedented orphan crisis that could rob 25 million children of one or both parents by the end of the decade. The grim figures in a new report released at the world s biggest AIDS conference on Wednesday shocked veteran AIDS experts and hardened the argum
Brazil ready to supply a cheap AIDS vaccine: Reuters NewMedia - July 10, 2002; Ben Hirschler, European Pharmaceuticals Correspondent; BARCELONA, Spain , July 10 (Reuters) - Brazil , already a pioneer in making cheap generic AIDS drugs, said on Wednesday it was ready to help supply the developing world with a vaccine -- should one ever appear. The government signed a formal partnership agreement with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) at
Experts Advise Safe Sex Even if Both Partners HIV+: Reuters NewMedia - July 10, 2002; BARCELONA (Reuters) - Couples who both carry HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, should still use condoms when having sex because of the risk of contracting another strain of the disease, a top researcher said Wednesday. Although definitive data doesn t exist ... there are strong suggestions that someone could be infected
HIV in Young May Soar by 70 Percent by 2010: Reuters NewMedia - Tuesday, July 9, 2002; Patricia Reaney; BARCELONA, Spain - HIV infections among the young are set to soar by more than 70 percent by the end of the decade when 21.5 million teenagers and young adults could be living with the virus. A report released at the 14th International AIDS Conference on Tuesday shows about a third of the 40 million people living with
Soaring AIDS Among Women Set to Aggravate Epidemic: Reuters NewMedia - Tuesday, July 9, 2002; Adrian Croft; BARCELONA (Reuters) - High rates of HIV infection among young African women will lead to a population imbalance that will take generations to overcome and make the AIDS epidemic even worse, a top U.N. official said Tuesday. Experts called for more prevention efforts to be targeted at young women of child-bearing age to
U.S. HIV Births Slide 80% Amid Testing, Counseling: Reuters NewMedia - Tuesday, July 9, 2002; BARCELONA, Spain -- In what has been hailed as one of the biggest successes in the fight against AIDS, scientists said the number of babies born with HIV in the U.S. has fallen 80% in a decade. The number of newborns with the human immune-deficiency virus that causes AIDS dropped from a high of about 1,760 in 1991 to a
HIV Stable in U.S. but African-Americans Hit Hard: Reuters NewMedia - Sunday, July 7, 2002; Patricia Reaney; BARCELONA, Spain - New HIV infections have stabilized in the United States but African-Americans account for a disproportionate number of new cases of the deadly virus. After a marked decline in AIDS from 1996 to 1998 due to cocktails of anti-AIDS drugs, data from 25 states reported at an AIDS conference Sunday show ab
Charities Call for Billions More to Fight AIDS: Reuters NewMedia - Saturday, July 6, 2002; Patricia Reaney and Ben Hirschler; BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Activists called on Saturday for more funds to fight AIDS and the poverty fueling the epidemic on the eve of the 14th International AIDS conference. New figures show 40 million people are living with the virus and the numbers are expected to rise to 100 million within a decade. The majority
Hepatitis C Does Not Up AIDS Risk for HIV Patients: Reuters NewMedia - Saturday - July 6, 2002; BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - People with HIV who are also infected with hepatitis C do not have an increased risk of developing or dying from AIDS, American scientists said on Saturday. Hepatitis C, a serious liver infection, is common among intravenous drug users and often occurs along with HIV. But doctors at Johns H
Africans May Have More Drug-Resistant HIV - Study: Reuters NewMedia - July 05, 2002; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - African strains of the AIDS virus may have mutations that help them develop resistance to drugs more quickly, researchers said on Friday. The report, published in the journal Biochemistry, may help explain why drugs stop working effectively in African HIV patients, the researchers said. If so, ne
S.African Court Orders Way Cleared for AIDS Drugs: Reuters NewMedia - July 05, 2002; Wambui Chege; JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa s highest court ordered the government on Friday to stop blocking the universal provision at public hospitals of an anti-AIDS drug to help prevent mother-to-child transmission of the disease. AIDS activists who successfully forced the government s hand said they would begin immedia
AIDS Emphasis Moves from Drugs to Prevention: Reuters NewMedia - July 05, 2002; Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After years of emphasis on drugs -- getting drugs to HIV patients in developing nations, pressuring drug companies to lower their prices -- experts are now stressing prevention as the best way to control the AIDS epidemic. Two reports issued this week ahead of the bi-annual world AIDS conference
Thailand Plans World's Biggest HIV Vaccine Trial: Reuters NewMedia - July 05, 2002; BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand will hold the world s biggest HIV vaccine trial, lasting five years and involving 16,000 people, a government health official said on Friday. Volunteers aged between 20 and 30 will be selected from the general population rather than high-risk groups such as drug users. They will take a
Report Predicts 45 Million More HIV Cases by 2010: Reuters NewMedia - July 04, 2002; Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Another 45 million people will become infected with the AIDS virus in the next eight years, researchers predicted on Thursday but said this number could be slashed if good prevention programs were put into place right away. Education, distribution of condoms, testing and other programs all work t
Uganda AIDS Program Cuts Cases by a Third -Report: Reuters NewMedia - July 04, 2002; Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent; WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Uganda s program to prevent the spread of the AIDS virus, which has been lauded by experts for years, cut disease rates by more than a third over the past decade in one region, a study published on Thursday found. The study offers hope to other African countries where HIV is slashing the populati
AIDS May Never Be Eradicated, Expert Says: Reuters NewMedia - July 04, 2002; Patricia Reaney; LONDON (Reuters) - AI