Washington Blade - April 19, 2002

WASHINGTON (AP) -- British pop singer Elton John, testifying before Congress, said the U.S. has an obligation to use its vast resources to stop the spread of AIDS around the world. "No nation, corporation, foundation or individual has the money you have," John told the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee. "No one even comes close. This is the government of the richest nation in history, and I'm here asking you for more money to stop the worst epidemic in history." John appeared before the panel, chaired by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), wearing dark-tinted glasses, and an uncharacteristically conservative black suit. The singer is the founder and chair of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) greeted him with a kiss on the cheek, which he returned. "I asked Chairman Kennedy if we couldn't just get a piano in and he could sing his testimony," Clinton said. John's appearance came as Congress considered a proposal to add $500 million to fight AIDS overseas to an emergency spending package to pay for the war on terrorism.

Mo. House gives initial approval to tougher HIV law

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- People infected with HIV could face more prison time for exposing others to the disease, according to a proposal given initial approval by the state House. The measure, which passed by voice vote, was included in legislation by Rep. Mike Reid (R) that would change many parts of current HIV laws. Under the bill, people who know they have HIV yet have sex without telling their partners about the disease could face five to 15 years in prison. The punishment under current law is no more than five years in prison. The legislation also would allow the court to test suspected sex offenders for HIV and tell alleged victims the results. Some lawmakers questioned whether the measure would violate privacy rights of the victims because their identities could become public.

Drug users face higher risk of HIV brain problems

WARWICK, England -- Intravenous drug users may be more susceptible to HIV's effects on the brain and spinal cord, and appear to be at greater risk of an inflammation of the brain called encephalitis and other complications, according to a study presented at a meeting of the Society for General Microbiology in Warwick, England, Reuters reported. Jeanne Bell of Edinburgh University and colleagues conducted 250 examinations of gay men and intravenous drug users with late-stage HIV infection, in an ongoing study launched in 1990 and continued after the widespread introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV in 1996. "Despite the effectiveness of HAART, our studies suggest that we may not have seen the last of brain complications of AIDS, particularly in IVDUs," Bell told Reuters.

Gay men at increased risk for eating disorders, study says

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Gay men appear to be at greater risk of developing eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, than heterosexual men, according to a study published in the current issue of the International Journal of Eating Disorders, Reuters reported. "Homosexuality is associated with increased body dissatisfaction, attempts to lose weight by restricting food intake, and disordered eating patterns such as binge eating and purging," study co-author Dr. Pamela K. Keel of Harvard University told Reuters. Keel and Christopher J. Russell administered 30-minute written surveys to 122 men between the ages of 18 and 50. About half the men were gay. Among gay men, nearly 14 percent appeared to suffer from bulimia and more than 20 percent appeared to be anorexic, they found. But among heterosexual men, the researchers observed that none were bulimic and only one was anorexic. They also found that gay men reported higher levels of depression, lower self-esteem and greater discomfort with their sexual orientation than heterosexual men.

Gay leaders criticized amid surge in syphilis

LOS ANGELES -- Efforts to contain a syphilis surge among gay men in California and elsewhere have been stymied by a failure among gay leaders to portray outbreaks as precursors to a rise in HIV, according to health experts and some AIDS activists, the Los Angeles Times reported. "The leadership out of the gay community on this issue has essentially been absent," Dr. Judy Wasserheit, former director of the STD prevention program at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, told the Times. "If we wait until we actually see those [HIV] increases in the community, it's too late." Federal health officials have also been slow to release a detailed national prevention strategy and have not allocated enough money to stem outbreaks, critics say. "This is a recipe for disaster," Lee Klosinski, director of programs for AIDS Project Los Angles, told the Times. Although the number of syphilis cases is still relatively small and it can be treated with antibiotics, health officials are concerned because the disease is spreading rapidly and its sores greatly increase chances of transmitting HIV.

From staff and wire reports
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