Washington Blade - October 11, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO - Gay city Supervisor Mark Leno has requested legislation that would ban the sale of sexual lubricants and condoms that contain the spermicide nonoxynol-9, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The nonoxynol-9 lubricants "are a danger to public health and should be banned as soon as possible," Leno told the paper. Studies by the Centers for Disease Control & Preventio found that the disinfectant could increase the risk of contracting HIV, and last month, more than 80 doctors and health advocacy organizations called on condom and lubricant manufacturers to discontinue its use. The Gay & Lesbian Medical Association issued a warning to gay and bisexual men to make sure not to use nonoxynol-9 products during anal sex. Some companies have voluntarily complied with the ban, while some of the biggest manufacturers have not. Originally thought to reduce the risk of HIV, the studies found that the toxic product can damage or completely remove the thin protective layers of the rectum. Three pharmacies in the gay-heavy Castro neighborhood have already withdrawn nonoxynol-9 products from their shelves, according to the Bay Area Reporter.

New drug reduces transmission of genital herpes

SAN DIEGO - People with genital herpes who worry about passing the virus to others should be offered a prescription drug that has been shown for the first time to reduce transmission, a researcher says, according to the Associated Press. The drug, called Valtrex, is already widely used to treat and prevent flare-ups of genital herpes. A study released last week shows that it also cuts in half the chance that people will infect others through sexual contact. Health experts said the study is especially noteworthy because it suggests that other, more serious sexually transmitted ills may also be controlled by treating the carrier. "This is the first drug shown to interrupt the transmission of a sexually transmitted disease," said Dr. Lawrence Corey of the University of Washington, who directed the four-year study. Doctors presume that AIDS drugs also slow the transmission of HIV, although this has not been proven. A study intended to probe the issue is in the planning stages.

'Do-it-yourself' fertility clinic for lesbians opens in London

BRISBANE, Australia - Founders of Britain's first lesbian and single women's fertility clinic hope to expand the controversial chain to Australia, according to the Sunday Mail. The Women's New Life Centre opened in London last week and offers lesbians access to sperm donors. The center, the brainchild of John Gonzales, has applied for a license to carry out artificial insemination. The Web site (www.mannotincluded.com) is designed to help find sperm donors for lesbians, described as "do-it-yourself fertility." The site, which features a drawing of a man crossed out under a large red circle, says: "Imagine not having to ask guys you know for a sperm sample." The effort has drawn criticism. "Providing open access to fertility treatment to any woman who feels like procreating overturns what nature intended and ignores a fundamental principle of family life - that the optimal parenting for a child is provided by both a mother and a father," Alan Baker, president of the Family Council of Queensland, told the newspaper.

New bill would ban 'andros' without doctor's prescription

WASHINGTON - A bill introduced in the U.S. Congress Wednesday seeks to ban over-the-counter sales of steroid-like performance enhancers available in many health-food stores, according to Reuters Health. The measure would reclassify steroid precursors like androstenedione and androstenediol as schedule III controlled substances, making them available only with a doctor's prescription. The compounds, collectively known in gyms and locker rooms as "andro," become indistinguishable from anabolic steroids once metabolized in the body. As many as one fifth of gym-going men in a January survey conducted in Boston acknowledged using "andro" over the previous three years. Anabolic steroid use is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, liver damage and stunted growth in children.

Effectiveness questioned for breast cancer self-exams

WASHINGTON - Women examining their breasts are unable to detect tumors early enough to reduce their risk of dying from breast cancer, suggests a decade-long study of more than 260,000 women in Shanghai, according to the Associated Press. Dr. David Thomas, a researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle and lead author of the study, said women should not stop examining their breasts but should have realistic expectations about the value of the exams. "She's got to do a very good job, and she's got to realize it is unproven," said Thomas. He said self-examination should not be a substitute for mammography. The finding was the latest in the confusing, often contradictory information women have been given over the past year related to breast cancer and early detection.

From staff and wire reports

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