1993

Genelabs Technologies Inc. Reports Preliminary Results of Phase II Clinical Trial for AIDS Drug--GLQ223--at Scientific Conference: Business Wire (10/18/93); Redwood City, Calif.--Genelabs Technologies Inc. recently presented preliminary results of its Phase II study of GLQ223, an anti-viral compound, against AIDS and AIDS-related complex. The results were reported by the principal investigator, James O. Kahn, assistant clinical professor at the University of California at
AIDSFront: Medical Briefs: Advocate (10/19/93) No. 640, P. 33; With testing of gp160 beginning in August, Massachusetts became the first state to sponsor testing of an AIDS therapy that is the reverse of others. The new therapy uses a vaccine to fight infection that has already taken hold in the body. Conventional vaccines aim to prevent infection, but this latest therapy intends
Arena's Bold AIDS Play Focuses on Home, Family: Baltimore Sun (10/28/93) P. 4E (Rousuck, J. Wynn); The nation s oldest continuously operating black community theater will present a play that revolves around something that African-Americans are becoming all too familiar with-- AIDS. Cheryl West s Before It Hits Home, the first major drama to portray the effect of the deadly disease among blacks, imparts much essentia
Poll: Teens Want Hillary Clinton for Prez in 1996: United Press International (10/28/93); New York--Today s teenagers think that Hillary Clinton should be elected U.S. president in 1996, and view AIDS as the nation s leading problem, reveals a recent survey that polled 5,000 young people across the country on such topics as their sexual and political opinions. Teens pointed to AIDS as America s worst proble
Scandal of Blood Plasma Untested for HIV Broadens in Germany: United Press International (10/31/93); Berlin--Germany s HIV scandal grew Sunday as a second firm was charged with supplying blood plasma not screened for the AIDS virus, and as hospitals began reviewing records to identify patients who received untested blood. Pharm Dessau was charged with the knowing distribution of plasma which had not been tested for HI
Dinkins Administration Failed to Spend $11 Million in Federal AIDS Funds: United Press International (10/29/93) (Byron, Peg); New York--The Dinkins administration reported recent calculations indicating that New York City will fail to spend about $11 million of an allocated $44 million from the Ryan White Care Act before the year ending in April 1994. AIDS Policy Coordinator Ronald Johnson said he hoped the money would be used more quickly in
AIDS Sufferer Surrender Ends Riviera Hostage Drama: Reuters (10/31/93); Nice, France--A man with AIDS detained three hostages in a French Riviera clinic for six hours before surrendering early Sunday after his brother, a police officer, convinced him to give up, said authorities. Christophe Azouzi, 32, a former patient of the Sainte-Marie clinic, had demanded $120 million and a helicopter
Danish Police Find Stolen HIV Test Tubes: Reuters (10/29/93); Copenhagen--Danish police have found 70 of the 75 test tubes of HIV that were stolen from a Copenhagen hospital, and arrested a suspect of the theft. The test tubes were taken from a locked freezere at Hvidovre Hospital, where they were being used for research purposes. The thief may have believed that they contained d
AIDS Agency in Chaotic State, Critics Charge: Washington Times (10/29/93) P. C8 (Barras, Jonetta Rose); Critics attest that the Agency for HIV/AIDS in Washington, D.C., is in a state of chaos. Indeed, the agency has been plagued with numerous problems from as far back as a year ago, when an agency employee was sent on a $2,000 trip to the Virgin Islands for a conference which records indicate he never registered for or a
AIDS Activists Protest at Capitol: United Press International (10/29/93) (Sorensen, Andy); Sacramento--More than 90 activists from the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT-UP) staged a political funeral Friday before the Capitol to protest California Gov. Pete Wilson s policy towards people with AIDS. The group accused Wilson of cutting AIDS funding, and denounced his veto of a needle exchange bill that woul
Researchers Create Molecule to Block AIDS Infection: Wall Street Journal (11/01/93) P. A11A; French researchers have created a type of molecules that they say are able to block AIDS infection in test-tube research. In lab trials, the molecule CDR3 blocks the entry doors on three cell types targeted by HIV: lymphocyte, macrophage, and intestinal cells, according to the team at North Marseille Hospital. Thanks t
Punctures in Surgical Gloves: Lancet (Great Britain) (10/16/93) Vol. 342, No. 8877, P. 984 (Lane, T. Vaughan et al.); The practice of double gloving among orthopedic surgeons serves a dual purpose, according to Lane et al. Surgeons are concerned about infection risks for the patient and, at the same time, double gloves provide added protection for the staff should one glove be punctured. Wearing extra gloves effectively reduces the pe
Infant AIDS Prevention Study Finally Gets Going: Journal of American Medical Association (10/20/93) Vol. 270, No. 15, P. 1785 (Cotton, Paul); After a year-long delay, HIV immunoglobulin (HIVIG), which may prevent the transmission of the AIDS virus from pregnant mothers to their infants, will finally be tested in a clinical trial. Researchers hope that HIVIG, which contains antibodies to HIV, will work much in the same way as do similar products with antibodi
Northwest Philadelphia AIDS Prevention Program to Hold Kick- Off Event; Temple University's Full Circle Theater to Be Featured: PR Newswire (10/25/93); Take It Into The Palms Of Your Hands, a new AIDS education and prevention program for residents of Northwest Philadelphia, will present a special performance featuring Temple University s Full Circle Theater to launch the campaign. Take It Into The Palms Of Your Hands is a community intervention project that aims to l
Diagnostik Purchases HIV/AIDS Specialty Pharmacy Company: PR Newswire (10/27/93); Albuquerque, N.M.--Diagnostik, Inc. has announced the $9 million acquisition of Chronitech Health Services, Inc., which provides specialty pharmacy, homecare medication, and infusion services to the HIV/AIDS market. This acquisition enables Diagnostik to respond quickly to the growing need for quality, reliable special
American Red Cross Selects Ortho-Chiron Joint Business as Major Supplier for Blood Screening Tests: Business Wire (10/27/93); Emeryville, Calif.--The American Red Cross has signed a contract to purchase several mandated blood virus ELISA screening tests exclusively from the joint immunodiagnostic business of Chiron Corp. and Ortho Diagnostic Systems Inc. For a three-year period beginning March 1, 1994, the Red Cross will buy four or five ELIS
IDC's Virotech Unit Secures Favorable Test Results With Anti- HIV Drug: PR Newswire (10/27/93); Minneapolis--Virotech, Inc., a subsidiary of IDC Holdings, Ltd., announced that one of its anti-HIV compounds achieved significant viral reduction at low concentrations with negligible toxicity to healthy cells. Virotech scientists initially theorized that the compound would inhibit viral activity within the form of th
The Immune Response Corporation Receives U.S. Patent on HIV Technology: PR Newswire (10/27/93); Carlsbad, Calif.--The Immune Response Corporation has received a U.S. patent relating to its HIV immunotherapeutic product, which is designed to boost the immune system of HIV-infected individuals and thereby allow the body s normal defense mechanism to control the virus. A Phase II/III clinical trial of the product ha
ISIS Files for Antisense Drug to Treat CMV Infections That Cause Blindness in AIDS Patients: PR Newswire (10/27/93); Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. has, for the second time, filed an investigational new drug application with the Food and Drug Administration for the use of an antisense drug for the treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis in AIDS patients. CMV retinitis is an opportunistic vira
Four Asian Nations Join Drug-Fighting Alliance: United Press International (10/27/93); Bangkok--Four Asian countries added their names to the United Nations International Drug Control Program to combat illegal drug production and trafficking in the Golden Triangle area of Southeast Asia. China , Laos , Burma , and Thailan
Indonesia to Hand Out Free Condoms in Irian Jaya: Reuters (10/28/93); Jakarta--In an effort to curb the spread of AIDS, health officials will give away 16,000 condoms in the remote eastern province of Irian Jaya, reported the Antara news agency. The goal of the condom distribution is to prevent the spread of other sexually transmitted diseases in that province, said health official Irwan
Prison Guards Complain of Working Conditions: United Press International (10/28/93); Crescent City, Calif.--Correctional officers at Pelican Bay State Prison in California have filed a complaint accusing the state of failure to protect them from the human waste of inmates, which is often pitched at them from cells. The waste is a health threat to the guards because it may contain blood with infectious
German Plasma Firm Closed: Wall Street Journal (10/29/93) P. A11; The German government has revoked the manufacturing license of UB-Plasma, and police have shut down the pharmaceutical firm in Koblenz, Germany , which failed to ensure that all of its blood products were not contaminated with the AIDS virus. Authorities were trying to locate the company s products, their intention bei
AIDS Digest: Genetic 'Antisense' Drug Enters Human Testing: Washington Blade (10/22/93) Vol. 24, No. 45, P. 29; Massachusetts-based drug company Hybridon announced the recent kick-off of a clinical trial to test a new drug that interferes with the genetic code of HIV. France s National Agency for the Fight Against AIDS is co-sponsoring the trial of GEM 91, a so-called antisense molecule. While other anti -HIV drugs attack the vi
Ross Prepares Launch of Beverage for AIDS Patients: Adweek--Eastern Edition (10/18/93) Vol. 34, No. 42, P. 9 (Riddle, Judith Springer); Ross Products, a division of Abbott Laboratories , plans to target the health care profession in a print advertising and public relations blitz to market a nutritional drink formulated expressly to meet the dietary needs of people with HIV/AIDS. The beverage, known as Advera, is fortified with vitamins, minerals, and o
Agouron Reports Novel Anti-HIV Compounds: PR Newswire (10/20/93); La Jolla, Calif.--At a recent New Orleans conference on antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, Agouron Pharmaceuticals Inc. unveiled the chemical structure of a novel class of chemical compounds that may inhibit a key enzyme required for HIV replication and which may, consequently, block HIV infection of T-cells in vit
AmFar President to Speak in Wooster: United Press International (10/26/93); Wooster, Ohio--The president of the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFar) will deliver a lecture on Youth and AIDS on Thursday, Oct. 28, at the 1993-94 Wooster Forum. As one of the country s top public health authorities, Dr. Mervyn Silverman has been active in the battle against AIDS since the onslaught of the
Sheffield Medical Technologies and Johns Hopkins Collaborate on Clinical Development of AIDS Therapeutic; Planning Underway for RBC-CD4 Phase IIA Clinical Trial: Business Wire (10/25/93); Houston--Sheffield Medical Technologies Inc. announced that Johns Hopkins University will conduct a double-blinded, Phase II clinical trial of Sheffield s red blood cell(RBC)-CD4 Complex in 12 HIV-infected patients. The study is designed to evaluate the antiviral activity of the RBC-CD4 Complex on viral load and to det
Over 2,300 German AIDS Cases From HIV-Infected Blood: United Press International (10/22/93); Berlin--The Federal Health Office (BGA) in Berlin announced last week that a total of 2,305 Germans became infected with the AIDS virus after receiving contaminated blood and pharmaceutical products. The BGA said there are currently 60,000 known cases of HIV infection in Germany , and that three -fourths of those invol
Targeted Genetics Corp.: HIV-Killing Cells Used as Experimental Gene Therapy: PR Newswire (10/25/93); Seattle--Targeted Genetics Corp. announced the start of a gene therapy trial for a potential HIV treatment called adoptive immunotherapy in which genetically modified cells specifically recognize and destroy HIV-infected cells. These killer T- cells will be isolated, modified to contain a special suicide gene, expanded
Arena's Bold AIDS Play Focuses on Home, Family: Baltimore Sun (10/28/93) P. 4E (Rousuck, J. Wynn); The nation s oldest continuously operating black community theater will present a play that revolves around something that African-Americans are becoming all too familiar with-- AIDS. Cheryl West s Before It Hits Home, the first major drama to portray the effect of the deadly disease among blacks, imparts much essentia
Court Ruling, AIDS Vote Cause Outcry in France: Reuters (10/27/93); Paris--A court ruling in an AIDS lawsuit and a parliamentary vote on HIV testing Wednesday triggered outrage in France . In the northern town of Metz, Judge Margareth Stagier placed a mother and father under investigation for failing to caution their daughter s boyfriend about her HIV-positive status. The man, identif
MBTA Rejects New Condom Campaign: Boston Globe (10/27/93) P. 21 (Kong, Dolores); With the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority s (MBTA) second rejection of paid condom ads in little more than a year, the state s largest AIDS organization has accused the system of censorship and will sue. The MBTA has declined to accept the ads for fear they may be offensive, but the Massachusetts AIDS Action
Eat Out so That AIDS Victims Can Eat In: Baltimore Sun (10/28/93) P. 1E (Corey, Mary); On Thursday night, 40 or so Baltimore-area restaurants will take part in Dining Out for Life, an event to raise money for an AIDS food service. Regi s, Gampy s, and Mick s are a few of the participating restaurants that will donate 20 percent of the money from dinner bills this evening to Moveable Feast, a meal deliver
Reducing the Cost of HIV Antibody Testing: Lancet (Great Britain) (10/02/93) Vol. 342, No. 8875, P. 866 (Tamashiro, Hiko and Heymann, David); Tamashiro and Heymann defend their suggestion that use of a second and third enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA ) or a simple-rapid test to confirm HIV infection is as sensitive and specific as western blot strategies. Their work was questioned by Simon and Brun-Vezinet, who were concerned that the proposed stra
The Taking of Free Condoms in a Drug Abuse Treatment Clinic: The Effects of Location and Posters: American Journal of Public Health (10/93) Vol. 83, No. 10, P. 1466 (Amass, Leslie et al.); Injecting drug use and unprotected sex are two of the primary behavioral risk factors contributing to the steady transmission of the AIDS virus. Condom use is the most powerful tool currently available to prevent transmission during sex. Amass et al. report that, while treatment can reduce drug use and needle sharing,
Good Medicine?: Advocate (10/19/93) No. 640, P. 16; President Clinton s proposed plan for health care reform has earned the praise of AIDS advocates. There are three areas where the proposal looks good to us, said Daniel T. Bross, executive director of the AIDS Action Council, a lobbying group. The prescription drug coverage looks like it will cover most AIDS drugs. In
Politics and AIDS Research: Washington Post (10/26/93) P. A16; The editors of the Washington Post offer some criticism of Congress for its slow response concerning clinical testing of the controversial AIDS vaccine gp160. About this time last year, they recall, Congress appropriated $20 million for the Department of Defense to conduct accelerated tests of the drug, although the us
AIDS Counseling: Associated Press (10/26/93) (Davis, Amanda); A retired financial planner infected with HIV spoke at a recent AIDS conference in Kansas City about how AIDS patients can manage the burden on their financial situations. The most common mistake HIV-positive people make is not doing anything, declares John Darragh. Because only 6.1 percent of people with full-blown AI
Study Shows AIDS Patients Need Change in Care System: United Press International (10/24/93) (Wasowicz, Lidia); San Francisco--Turf wars, limited resources, and narrow goals that characterize the current system often interfere with AIDS services, say scientists, who urge a more centralized approach to the disease. Studies in Oakland, Calif., and Baltimore, Md., demonstrated a lack of coordination among many small care providers,
Zimbabwe May Muzzle Witchdoctors AIDS Claims: Reuters (10/24/93); Harare--Because they are a threat to the government s campaign to curb the spread of AIDS, claims of traditional healers that they know a cure may be silenced by a government-ordered news blackout. Witch doctors are profiting from the epidemic sweeping Zimbabwe , so the government may invoke a law banning the promotion
Females Shouldn't Downplay AIDS Risk: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (10/26/93) P. 2D (Donohue, Paul); AIDS is a predominantly male disease in both America and Canada , says Dr. Paul Donohue, but the demographics are shifting rapidly. Women now account for 11 to 12 percent of reported AIDS cases in the United States , a figure significant enough to consider the disease a real threat to the female gender. The male-femal
34,000 Condoms Were Distributed in '92 at 7 City High Schools: Philadelphia Inquirer (10/27/93) P. B3 (Hollman, Laurie); Approximately 34,000 condoms were dispensed to high school students at seven public school health resource centers in Philadelphia last year, according to a report presented yesterday at a hearing by the Family Planning Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania. More than one-fourth of those enrolled at the seven schools--2
New Hope Zoning Board Approves Residence for HIV-Infected People: Philadelphia Inquirer (10/27/93) P. B5 (Schiavo, Christine); Last night in the Philadelphia area, the New Hope Zoning Hearing Board approved the conversion of an old house in the tiny Pennsylvania borough into a home for eight HIV-positive residents. Four board members voted unanimously to deny an appeal by about 10 neighbors who wished to block the zoning permit, which was issu
Specialists Cast Doubt on New AIDS Findings: Reuters (10/26/93) (Yanowitch, Lee); Marne La Coquette, France--After French researchers at the Pasteur Institute claimed on Monday to have solved the mystery of how AIDS penetrates and infects human cells, the celebration of the discovery was overshadowed by the doubts cast by specialists, who said that findings would help understand the virus, but not n
Gene Map of AIDS Key Will Help Research--Doctors: Reuters (10/27/93) (da Silva, Wilson); Sydney--Australian scientists say they have cloned and genetically mapped the CD26 co-receptor molecule that was identified only days ago by French researchers as the key that allows HIV to enter and infect human cells. Geoff McCaughan, associate professor of Sydney s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, says his research tea
Primary Infection With Zidovudine-Resistant HIV: New England Journal of Medicine (10/07/93) Vol. 329, No. 15, P. 1123 (Hermans, P. et al.); Hermans et al. challenge the conclusions of Erice et al., who described an HIV-positive patient with a primary infection that showed resistance to zidovudine. Erice et al. suggested that isolates that are resistant to nucleoside analog drugs are associated with a higher virulence or modified immune response. After thei
Zidovudine-Resistant Variants of HIV-1 in Brain: Lancet (Great Britain) (10/02/93) Vol. 342, No. 8875, P. 865 (Stefano, Mariantonietta et al.); Position changes of amino acids in the reverse-transcriptase (RT) of HIV have been associated with the development of zidovudine-resistant strains in the blood. Just hours after administration of zidovudine, the drug concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is half that found in plasma. It is uncertain if the resista
Assessment of Laboratory Reporting to Supplement Active AIDS Surveillance--Colorado: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (10/01/93) Vol. 42, No. 38, P. 749; The surveillance case definition for AIDS was expanded in January to include HIV-infected adolescents and adults with CD4 counts lower than 200, pulmonary tuberculosis , recurrent pneumonia, and invasive cervical cancer. In preparing for the implementation of these new criteria, the Colorado Department of Health (CDH)
Alternative Treatment Library Available: AIDS Treatment News (10/01/93) No. 184, P. 6; The Jon Greenberg Library of Alternative Treatments for HIV Disease, an anthology of information on alternative AIDS therapies, is now available from AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA). Steven Korsia compiled the collection, working closely with Jon Greenberg, who died this summer, to gather data for the publication. In a
Is It OK to Lick It?: Advocate (10/19/93) No. 640, P. 7; Postmaster General Marvin Runyon says he can t believe there would be any controversy about it, yet activists appear to be dissatisfied with the new AIDS awareness postal stamp that is being prepared for its Dec. 1 debut. One objection is the stamp design itself. It features the global symbol of a folded red ribbon, wh
San Francisco: NAC Trial Recruiting: AIDS Treatment News (10/01/93) No. 184, P. 7; Herzenberg Laboratory at Stanford University is now recruiting for participants in an eight-week trial of NAC (N- acetylcysteine). The goal of the study is to determine whether oral NAC can replenish glutathione levels in the T cells of HIV-infected persons. Low glutathione levels are often characteristic of HIV infect
Poll Finds Ignorance on HIV Test: United Press International (10/24/93); Tokyo--Only one in five Japanese adults know that tests cannot determine HIV status until at least three months have passed since having sex, according to a poll by the National Federation of Health Insurance Societies. The survey questioned 2,000 randomly selected individuals, and found that 41 percent of the responde
CDC Study Finds Five Transfusion-Related AIDS Cases Per Year: United Press International (10/25/93); Miami Beach, Fla.--Since screening for HIV began in 1985, very few people have become infected with the virus via blood transfusions, according to experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rate of transfusion-related AIDS cases rose steadily from 1978 to 1984, then fell dramatically when testing be
Good Nutrition May Delay Onset of AIDS: United Press International (10/25/93); San Francisco--Good nutrition, combined with a daily multivitamin, may stall the development of AIDS in a significant percentage of HIV-positive men, according to a study presented yesterday at a major health meeting. The large, long-term followup of some 300 San Francisco men infected with the virus indicated that mul
Texas Health Officials Recall 3 Million Condoms: United Press International (10/25/93); Austin, Texas--State health officials in Texas yesterday recalled about 3 million condoms made in Thailand and distributed throughout the state by agency contractors. The condoms, which may be defective, were distributed under the brand names Fame, Bulldog, and Prestige, said David Smith, state health commissioner. W
8 Counties' AIDS Fight Gets Boost: Chicago Tribune (10/25/93) P. 1-3 (Thomas, Jerry); Until recent times, many residents and officials in the Chicago collar counties refused to acknowledge that HIV/AIDS was a major health concern in their areas, and those who had contracted the virus had to travel long distances and be treated in secrecy to receive primary care and medicine. As the number of persons inf
HIV Infection Mechanism Discovered: Washington Post (10/26/93) P. A13; Researchers at France s Pasteur Institute claim to have discovered how the AIDS virus penetrates and infects blood cells, a finding which could have major implications in the development of a vaccine. The team said it found a co- receptor molecule called CD26, which was identified several years ago, but whose function
Swiss Ciba-Geigy Returns AIDS Drug's Testing Rights to Houston's Tanox: Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News (10/21/93); Swiss pharmaceutical company Ciba-Geigy Ltd. has returned to Tanox Biosystems all rights to develop a product for treatment of AIDS patients. Ciba had no experience with the product, protective antibodies against HIV, said Tanox Executive Vice President David Anderson, adding that the decision to transfer the rights wa
Gov. Chiles Calls Statewide Business Conference on AIDS: PR Newswire (10/21/93); Lake Buena Vista, Fla.--Gov. Lawton Chiles challenged Florida business and labor leaders to join the battle against AIDS by creating education programs for the workplace that will help employees and their families better understand the disease. Chiles said the increasing spread of the virus worldwide mandates that gove
Estimated 30,000 Swazis Have HIV Virus: Reuters (10/20/93); Mbabane--About 30,000 people in Swaziland are infected with HIV, according to Dr. J.J. Mambo of the National AIDS Control Office. There were 319 confirmed cases of people with full- blown AIDS by the end of September, he reported.
BRF--Ethiopia-AIDS: Associated Press (10/19/93); Addis Ababa, Ethiopia--AIDS is spreading swiftly in Ethiopia, with hospitals reporting 335 new cases each month since July, reports a senior health official. Although hospitals say that there are 8,735 cases of AIDS in Ethiopia, the actual figure is about 43,000, claims Dr. Mengistu Mihret, head of the National AIDS Pr
Advanced KS: Liposomal Doxorubicin Trial Recruiting, Many Cities: AIDS Treatment News (10/01/93) No. 184, P. 7; Liposomal doxorubicin (brand name DOXIL ) is an experimental form of a standard doxorubicin drug used for treatment of Kaposi s sarcoma. DOXIL is being marketed quickly because it will also likely be an important improvement for the treatment of certain cancers. And because the lesions characterized by Kaposi s sarcoma
Dutch MP Urges Rethink on European Condom: Reuters (10/21/93); Amsterdam, Netherlands--A Dutch politician announced that she will urge the European Commission to rethink plans for a standard European condom. The commission calculates that the average erect European penis measures about 6.7 inches long and 2.2 inches wide. Nel van Dijk, a member of the Dutch Green Party of the Euro
National Media Pitch 'A Penny for AIDS': Cable, Broadcast Television Join Celebrities, Video Stores to Boost Awareness for AIDS Fundraiser: PR Newswire (10/21/93); Los Angeles--Cable and broadcast television will air publicity announcements by celebrities soliciting support for A Penny for AIDS, the national week-long fundraising effort of the Video Industry AIDS Action Committee (VIAAC). The campaign will donate one cent for each video tape or disc rented or purchased by custome
Ampligen Proves Effective Against Resistant HIV: Journal of Commerce (10/21/93) P. 8A; The experimental drug Ampligen has proven effective against AZT-resistant strains of HIV, according to HEM Pharmaceuticals Corp. of Philadelphia. Ampligen is a double-stranded RNA compound developed by HEM. According to the company s research summary, AZT and other current AIDS treatments attack HIV at only a single po
Deep Thinking From the AIDS Czarina: Washington Times (10/25/93) P. A20; Before a group of health care specialists on the White House lawn last Wednesday, AIDS czar Kristine Gebbie denounced the United States persisting Victorian attitudes about sex and called for society to loosen up. Victorian society that misrepresents information, denies sexuality early, denies homosexuality particularl
AIDS: 'A Whole Shift in Attitude': Baltimore Sun (10/23/93) P. 1B (Selby, Holly); In the four months since being appointed the United States first national AIDS policy coordinator, Kristine M. Gebbie has been successful in eliciting cooperation from all sides. Gebbie s post was created by President Clinton to fulfill a campaign promise. While the job carries much weight and exposure, it wields very
Too Few Doctors Treating AIDS, Physician Warns: Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) (10/22/93) P. A20 (MacLeod, Robert); Dr. Philip Berger, one of Toronto s leading AIDS doctors, says there is a paucity of physicians in the city willing to treat patients afflicted with AIDS. He says Outright bigotry, homophobia, and prejudice against intravenous drug users are the reasons for the decline, and he adds that the work load for doctors willin
U.S. Company to Test Gene Therapy for AIDS: Reuters (10/22/93); Seattle--Targeted Genetics Corp. has begun a trial of a new AIDS treatment using genetically modified white blood cells that recognize and attack cells with the AIDS virus. The Phase I tests will determine the safety of the experimental treatment on 15 patients with HIV. Targeted Genetics will work with the Fred Hutchi
Testing Rights for AIDS Drug Returned to Tanox: Journal of Commerce (10/25/93) P. 8A; Ciba-Geigy Ltd. has given back to Tanox Biosystems all rights to develop a product for the treatment of AIDS patients. Swiss pharmaceutical company Ciba-Geigy had no experience with this type of product or with protective antibodies against the AIDS virus, and could not determine the probability of success from prelimi
Canada Clears 3TC, AIDS Drug in Trials, for Certain Patients: Wall Street Journal (10/25/93) P. C15; Canada s Health and Welfare department has approved the anti- AIDS drug 3TC for the treatment of patients unable to tolerate other authorized AIDS medicines. The ruling would allow some AIDS patients who do not qualify for participation in clinical trials of 3TC to use the experimental drug in a last-ditch effort.
AIDS Digest: Washington Blade (10/01/93) Vol. 24, No. 42, P. 33; The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute announced plans to conduct a three-year, $14 million clinical trial of immune globulin (HIVIG). The studies will examine how to prevent HIV transmission from HIV-infected pregnant women to their uninfected, unborn babies. The trial will involve 400 women, some of whom will
New Choreography and High Fashion in a United Expression About AIDS: New York Times (10/20/93) P. C15 (Kisselgoff, Anna); The dance and fashion worlds merged Monday night for A Demand Performance, a benefit extravaganza to raise money for AIDS education, care, and advocacy. The cause attracted 18 choreographers, who joined forces at the New York State Theater for an event that featured dance performances--many of them premieres--as well a
AIDS Researchers Give Upbeat Reports at National Conference: United Press International (10/20/93) (Wasowicz, Lidia); San Francisco--Leading AIDS researchers reported renewed enthusiasm, optimism, and hope, as well as promising new vaccine tests to combat the deadly virus. Scientists continue to press on with studies of long-term survivors, combination drug therapies, and inoculation trials, attendees at the Sixth National AIDS Update
Germany-AIDS: Associated Press (10/20/93) (Thorson, Larry); Berlin--A criminal investigation of federal health officials is being conducted following Germany s second scandal concerning blood products contaminated with the AIDS virus. Bruno Rautenburg, a spokesperson for Berlin s Justice Department, said that a probe is under way into allegations that the Federal Health Office
Genetic Link Seen in HIV Immunity: Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) (10/20/93) P. A15; A Canadian-Kenyan research team has been studying a small group of prostitutes in Nairobi who appear to be naturally immune to the AIDS virus. After eight years, the scientists may have discovered a genetic link to explain why. They estimate that one in five clients soliciting the prostitutes is infected with HIV, and
Kenyan Charged With Infecting Women With AIDS: Reuters (10/20/93); Auckland, New Zealand--A Kenyan musician infected with the AIDS virus was charged in an Auckland court with deliberately infecting women with the deadly disease, said court officials. Police said that at least one woman alleged to have had contact with Paul Mwai, 28, has tested HIV-positive. Mwai, a drummer with an Afr
Health Ministry Officials Suspected of Taking Bribes in HIV Scandal: United Press International (10/21/93); Vienna--In an effort to accelerate approval of products for hemophiliacs, health ministry officials in Austria may have accepted bribes from a drug company which manufacturers the products, according to press reports. The allegations target civil servants who supposedly traveled to conferences worldwide at the expense
Needle Exchange Set for Boston, Cambridge: Boston Globe (10/21/93) P. 38 (Howe, Peter J.); Following years of opposition from many public officials and neighborhood leaders, the cities of Boston and Cambridge, Mass., will implement a $100,000, year-long pilot needle exchange program to curb the spread of the AIDS virus, announced officials. Vans and walking patrols of officials will trade one free, clean syr
Street Interviews Indicate High Rate of HIV Testing: United Press International (10/15/93); Atlanta--Anonymous street interviews indicate that groups at high risk for contracting the AIDS virus may actually be getting HIV testing in larger numbers than the figures cited in national surveys. Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention questioned people in areas of Los Angeles with a high in
Australia--AIDS--Aborigines: Associated Press (10/15/93); Adelaide, Australia--Because of ceremonial sharing of blood, as well as a general absence of safe sex practices, Australian aborigines are at high risk of devastation by AIDS, according to the findings of a state inquiry. HIV is spreading rapidly, and some aborigines have already died from the disease, said the report
Men Want Bigger Condoms, Study Finds: United Press International (10/14/93); London--Nearly one out of five men surveyed at a clinic complained that standard, one-size-fits-all condoms are too tight, report researchers. Dr. Stuart J. Tovey and colleagues at Guy s Hospital in London questioned 281 men about condom use. They found that 25 percent had trouble putting on the condom. Of the 19 perce
Jury Gives Go-Ahead for AIDS Patient to Use Marijuana: Reuters (10/16/93); San Diego, Calif.--After two hours of deliberation, a jury said that it was okay for a man with AIDS to use marijuana to combat symptoms of the disease. Samuel Skipper, 39, faced five to six years in prison after drug agents seized more that 40 marijuana plants from his La Mesa, Calif., home. The San Diego Superior Cou
Taking a Walk for AIDS Awareness: Philadelphia Inquirer (10/18/93) P. B1 (Zucchino, David); Twelve thousand participants in Philadelphia s seventh annual AIDS walk raised $625,000 on Sunday to benefit 36 different organizations providing AIDS care, education, and prevention in the region. The diverse group of walkers were entertained by street singers, jugglers, and clowns as they walked the seven-and-a-half
Experts Fear a 'Temptation to Undertreat': USA Today (10/18/93) P. 10A (Price, Richard); While the chair of the American Foundation on AIDS Research board supports President Clinton s health plan, she has concerns about the treatment of terminally ill patients under the plan. There is an incentive to avoid excessive expense, says Mathilde Krim, and for people who have a disease that is considered incurable
AIDS Camp Plea: Pass Reform Plan: USA Today (10/18/93) P. 10A (Price, Richard); For people with HIV/AIDS, the Clinton health care plan is the most critical public-policy issue affecting them today. Because the plan would guarantee all Americans health insurance and prescription coverage, including people with pre-existing conditions, infected persons as well as the health care providers who treat
Curb on Blood Products May Spark Trade Dispute: Financial Times (Great Britain) (10/18/93) P. 16 (Cookson, Clive); A new trade dispute is forming as the European Community positions itself to restrict and eventually ban American imports of blood plasma and related products. Europe uses 11.1 million pints of plasma each year. Half of this product, worth about $650 million annually, comes from paid donors in the United Stat
John S. Fanning Joins National Association of People with AIDS as Director of Information Service: PR Newswire (10/13/93); Washington--The National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) announced the addition of John S. Fanning to its staff. Fanning is now director of information services, where he supervises the development of NAPWA s information-based programs. These programs educate communities nationwide and provide infected and affe
Nobel Winning Technique Has Dramatic Applications: United Press International (10/13/93); Washington--The gene amplification technique that helped Kary B. Mullis share in this year s Nobel Prize in Chemistry is one that affects many aspects of life. Known as polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, the technique permits scientists to target a specific area of genetic material and repeatedly multiply it. One very
Dr. Lionel Resnick Confirms Important Developments in AIDS Treatment: PR Newswire (10/13/93); Boynton Beach, Fla.--Polydex Pharmaceuticals Limited announced that National Institute of Health consultant Dr. Lionel Resnick and Dr. Mariano Busso, both of Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami, have confirmed a significant development in AIDS treatment. Resnick, who is chief virologist at Mount Sinai, reported that te
Sexual Transmission Surpasses Drug Use as Cause of AIDS Among Women: PR Newswire (10/13/93); Tampa, Fla.--In Florida, and across the nation, the incidence of AIDS in women is increasing and, among women, HIV infection through heterosexual activity has bypassed injection-drug use as the most prevalent mode of contracting the virus. The Centers for Disease Control this year expanded its definition of AIDS to inc
German Agency Says It Erred in H.I.V. Case: New York Times (10/15/93) P. A7; The German Federal Health Agency admitted its mistake in not passing along to the Health Ministry the reports regarding information on contaminated blood supplies that infected hundreds with the AIDS virus. Joachim Welz, deputy president of the agency, said at a news conference that it should have given the 373 reports
HIV Carriers to Sue Pharmaceuticals Group for $1.4 Million: United Press International (10/14/93); Vienna--A consortium of 24 hemophiliacs will sue Austrian- Swiss pharmaceutical group Immuno for $1.4 million, on the grounds that they contracted the AIDS virus in 1985 after using the company s Factor 8 blood-clotting product. By testing blood supplies--a practice already in effect in many other countries--the HIV in
Book Finds Business Too Often Ignores Growing Impact of AIDS on the Work Force: Baltimore Sun (10/15/93) P. 1E; Shapiro, Stephanie); Earl C. Pike, author of We Are All Living with AIDS: How You Can Set Policies and Guidelines for the Workplace, says that American businesses have too often opted to ignore the legal and moral issues posed by the epidemic. Large and small companies alike must develop sensitive and practical policies for dealing with th
Man With AIDS Virus Indicted on Assault Charges in Bitings: Washington Post (10/15/93) P. B3; A U.S. District Court grand jury in Alexandria, Va., yesterday indicted a man carrying the AIDS virus on charges stemming from a July confrontation in which he allegedly bit two corrections officers at a prison. Jeffrey Wayne Sturgis, 27, was charged with assault with intent to commit murder. Law enforcement officials
Scores Scorn Kelly's AIDS Record: Washington Post (10/15/93) P. B3 (Kovaleski, Serge F.); Several dozen activists rallied outside the office of D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly to protest what they say is an inadequate response by the District of Columbia to the AIDS epidemic. The demonstrators criticized the city government for not spending more than $1 million this year in federal subsidies, for delaying the
Medical Briefs: Advocate (10/05/93) No. 639, P. 33; Lifetime costs of HIV treatment are estimated at $119,000, according to a survey of 1,164 people with the AIDS virus. The AIDS Cost and Utilization Survey took data from participants at 26 different hospitals, clinics, and doctors offices to come up with that figure. The survey calculated the overall cost of in- and ou
AIDS Digest: Washington Blade (10/01/93) Vol. 24, No. 42, P. 33; Burroughs Wellcome has said that it will simplify the financial assistance program through which the pharmaceutical company provides AZT and other AIDS drugs at no cost to financially disenfranchised patients. Under the previous system, patients received medication through product vouchers. Under the new plan, doctors
Cell Genesys and CellPro Collaborate on Anti-HIV T Cells for AIDS: PR Newswire (10/12/93); Foster City, Calif.--Cell Genesys will collaborate with CellPro Inc. to facilitate the initial clinical evaluation of its genetically engineered anti-HIV cells. Cell Genesys program involves genetic alteration of white blood cells from the immune system, with receptors placed on the cell surface that allow the T cells
Students Urged to Get Tests for AIDS Virus: Chicago Tribune (10/13/93) P. 1-3; Rochester, Mich.--Officials at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., have recommended that several students be screened for HIV as soon as possible, according to the Oakland Press. The students may have been exposed to the virus, which was being used in experiments during the winter term by a biology professor and hi
AIDS Threat Used in Extortion Attempt: United Press International (10/14/93); San Francisco--California Pacific Medical Center yesterday confirmed reports that a blood-drawing technician there threatened to claim he gave patients AIDS-contaminated blood unless he was paid $1 million. The San Francisco hospital is confident that no patient was injected with tainted blood, said Audrey Serfling, ch
Germany Probes Blood Scandal: Wall Street Journal (10/14/93) P. A13; Germany s Health Ministry has ordered the shutdown and has assumed the functions of the Federal Health Agency, which is implicated in a cover-up of AIDS-contaminated blood products. The Ministry has also ordered a probe of government conduct in the 1980s, when scores of hemophiliacs were infected with HIV. Hemophiliacs
Women With AIDS Risk Assault by Partners: Baltimore Sun (10/14/93) P. 16A; Women who find out that they have the AIDS virus are in danger of injury by their partners if the physician tells the men that there is a chance that they may be infected as well, according to two Baltimore attorneys at the University of Maryland School of Law. Richard North and Karen Rothenberg identify such cases of
Clinic Won't Fire Official Who Falsified Resume: Washington Post (10/14/93) P. D.C. 4 (Harris, Hamil R.); AIDS activists are criticizing the Whitman-Walker Clinic for its failure to remove the director of a new AIDS outreach center after he admitted to falsifying his resume to secure the position. Maurice O. Franklin, 33, was hired to head the Max Robinson Center in Southeast Washington, D.C., a social services and medical
A Top Candidate to Head D.C. AIDS Agency Says No: Washington Post (10/14/93) P. B3 (Goldstein, Amy); The District of Columbia s prime choice to head the city s Agency for HIV/AIDS has declined an informal offer, citing as reasons an inadequate salary and a hostile environment. Frank Oldham, Jr., 45, director of New York s Office of Gay and Lesbian Health, rejected the proposed $65,000 salary and asserted that the posi
Help Africa, Pleads AIDS Pioneer Montagnier: Reuters (10/11/93); Paris--The French scientist who initially discovered the AIDS virus made an appeal Monday for financial aid to help control the epidemic in Africa. That continent is the most afflicted by the disease, but the least able to combat it. We can t just abandon Africa, Luc Montagnier said. We must mobilize to stop the world
AIDS Sufferer Denounces Benetton's Use of Disease: Reuters (10/11/93); Paris--A terminally ill French AIDS patient struck back at controversial HIV positive ads by Italian clothier Benetton with his own full-page newspaper advertisement. Olivier Besnard-Rousseau s ad featured a picture of an emaciated man smiling sadly with the words HIV positive stamped above him. Business as usual durin
Amsterdam Study Finds Risky AIDS Behavior Among Homosexuals: United Press International (10/11/93); Washington--Despite intense AIDS education and prevention campaigns, there has been an increase in unprotected sex among gay men, according to an Amsterdam study. In the first half of 1991, the percentage of homosexual men reporting intercourse without a condom dropped dramatically from 86 percent to 29 percent. In the
Study Shows AIDS Risk Among Blacks: United Press International (10/11/93); Washington--A study of urban blacks in their mid-30s showed that 8.4 percent tested positive for HIV. Two-thirds of the infected women and three-quarters of the men did not know or even suspect their positive HIV status. A history of intravenous drug use was reported by 35 percent of the men who were infected, and anot
Inmates--AIDS Testing: Associated Press (10/11/93); Boston--The high number of prisoners in Massachusetts has prompted the state to reverse a 15-year ban prohibiting inmate participation in experimental drug trials. Of the approximately 850 HIV-positive inmates, many desire the same early access to potential treatments as do non-prisoners, say inmate advocates. Other st
Hospital: No HIV Threat From Blackmail Attempt: United Press International (10/12/93); San Francisco--California Pacific Medical Center is convinced that no patients contracted the AIDS virus after a disturbed employee tried to blackmail the hospital for $1 million by suggesting that he may have infected patients while taking blood. The San Francisco hospital announced satisfaction well beyond a reasonab
A Hands-On Ministry: Philadelphia Inquirer (10/13/93) P. G1 (Collins, Huntly); Unlike traditional AIDS volunteer programs, an unconventional new ministry started by Philadelphia-area Quakers caters to the final needs of people in the last phases of the AIDS disease. Implemented in July, the program s goal is to help people dying of AIDS to remain in their homes as opposed to a nursing home or hos
WHO Pledges to Back Philippine AIDS Programme: Reuters (10/13/93); Manila--The World Health Organization announced its support of the Philippines AIDS prevention and control program to prevent the virus from seizing the country. WHO said that it will provide the Philippine Health Department with $490,000 over the next two years in direct financial assistance, beginning in January of n
Medicinal Pot Defense Launched: United Press International (10/13/93); San Diego, Calif.--An HIV-infected man who is on trial for growing marijuana testified in court yesterday, portraying the illicit drug as a medicinal herb that helps him cope with the symptoms of his illness. Samuel Skipper, 39, is the first California resident permitted to use medical necessity as a defense against cu
Billy Graham Retracts Statement on AIDS as God's Judgment: United Press International (10/09/93); Cleveland--The Rev. Billy Graham has expressed deep regret for saying that AIDS may be God s judgment for people s sins. Is AIDS a judgment of God? asked Graham before a record-breaking crowd in Columbus, Ohio. I could not say for sure, but I think so. After seeing letters criticizing that comment, Graham contacted the
NIH Lays Groundwork for Expanded AIDS Vaccine Trials: United Press International (10/10/93) (Levy, Douglas A.); Philadelphia--The National Institutes of Health has awarded two private firms contracts worth $6.5 million in the first year to prepare for large-scale Phase III trials of experimental AIDS vaccines. In an effort to build the infrastructure required to test vaccines so that it is ready when testing begins--between one
Congress--AIDS: Associated Press (10/08/93); Washington--The House has voted to spend $2.5 billion in fiscal year 1994, which began Oct. 1, on AIDS programs, the most the government has ever allocated in one year to combat the disease. Fiscal year 1993 saw about $2 million spent on the same programs. The figure was cited in a $256 billion measure for education, h
Officials Shocked by Wilson's Veto: United Press International (10/09/93); San Francisco--Officials have confirmed that California Gov. Pete Wilson s veto of legislation for an experimental, three- year needle exchange program will not affect a similar effort already underway in San Francisco. Mayor Frank Jordan criticized Wilson s action and assured city health officials that he has no inten
Risky Sex Continues in Age of AIDS: United Press International (10/11/93); Washington--Even in the midst of the deadly AIDS epidemic, risky sexual behavior continues to prevail, according to the first major sex survey of American adults since the Kinsey report of 1948. The poll questioned 2,058 adults. Ninety percent reported having sex in the past five years, and 13 percent of those--includi
AIDS Testing: Associated Press (10/08/93) (Rawls, Phillip); Montgomery, Ala.--A federal judge struck down the part of an Alabama law allowing a physician to conduct AIDS testing without patient permission on the grounds that the doctor thought the patient was at risk. U.S. District Judge Harold Albritton ruled that the 1991 law which allows the tests under certain conditions un
AIDS Patients Urged to Come Out: Washington Post (10/12/93) P. B7; In Washington, D.C., yesterday, in recognition of National Coming Out Day, ACT-UP sponsored a coming out rally as well as a news conference at Lafayette Square that called for action against the AIDS epidemic. Participants also joined in a march from Dupont Circle to the White House.
AIDS Education Campaign Calls on Morgan State: Baltimore Sun (10/12/93) P. 2B; In an effort to educate college students about AIDS, students and staff at Morgan State University yesterday distributed about 2,000 condoms, as well as coupons for free, anonymous HIV testing. The message is that you need to protect yourself but also protect others, said Erica Spradlin, a spokesperson for the Chase Br
New Therapies Indicate Progress Against Other Diseases: Washington Post (Health) (10/12/93) P. 9; Alpha interferon is proving useful in the treatment of several diseases, not least among them the AIDS virus. The drug is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for Kaposi s sarcoma, a rapidly progressive skin disease that spreads to other organs. This condition strikes about 20 percent of all persons with AIDS.
Needs Assessment for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Service Programs: United States Conference of Mayors: Technical Assistance Reports (09/93) P. 1; Needs assessment is a process by which data is gathered and analyzed in order to determine the needs of a targeted population. The United States Conference of Mayors contends that, with resources becoming scarce, needs assessment is crucial at this point in the AIDS epidemic. They applaud the process as a useful manage
Activists Now Urge Caution on Approval of New AIDS Drug: Nature (09/30/93) Vol. 365, No. 6445, P. 378 (Macilwain, Colin); Despite objections from AIDS activists, who say the value of ddC has not been adequately proven, a panel of scientists is advising the Food and Drug Administration to approve the use of the drug as a treatment for HIV. The Antiviral Drug Advisory Committee decided last week that ddC, manufactured by Hoffman-LaRoche, sh
Activists Stunned By City's Sharp Cuts in AIDS Budget: Washington Blade (10/08/93) Vol. 24, No. 43, P. 1 (Chibbaro Jr., Lou); The government of the District of Columbia has approved an immediate funding cut of 7.5 percent to 15 percent for all city AIDS programs run by private agencies, announced D.C. Deputy Public Health Commissioner Howard Manly this week. Manly reported that the cutbacks were needed to curtail D.C. s financial crisis. The
The Case for Clean Needles: New York Times (10/11/93) P. A16; The pros of needle exchange programs outweigh the cons, according to the editors of the New York Times, and it now makes sense to expand the number and size of such programs. The editors cite recent findings of a comprehensive study by the Centers for Disease Control. The study concluded that providing clean syringes t
Better Condoms Called Essential AIDS Weapon: Baltimore Sun (10/09/93) P. 9A; Funding and efforts funneled into the search for an AIDS vaccine would be better spent inventing condoms that are stronger, more sensitive, comfortable, and pleasant to use, according to a professor and a graduate student at the University of California at Los Angeles. Paul Abramson, the UCLA professor, criticizes curr
German Fights Ouster Over AIDS-Tainted Blood: Philadelphia Inquirer (10/09/93) P. A7; German Health Minister Horst Seehofer refused to resign Friday following allegations that the government covered up 373 cases in which patients received blood transfusions from products contaminated with the AIDS virus. All but one of the patients has tested positive for AIDS. Seehofer last week revealed that a federal
Clashing Over AIDS Coverage: New York Times (10/10/93) P. 23 (Noble, Barbara Presley); When the Supreme Court last November declined to hear a case from the estate of Jack McGann, who had died of AIDS by that time, the Court s inaction encouraged many self-insured employers to reconfigure employee health benefits. Those changes included placing caps on AIDS-related benefits, or dropping them altogether.
Haverford College to Show 1,000 Panels of AIDS Quilt: Philadelphia Inquirer (10/11/93) P. B2; Haverford College will display 1,000 of the 23,784 panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt from Oct. 29 to Oct. 31 at the school s fieldhouse. The opening ceremony will feature Philadelphia AIDS activist Anna Forbes, as well as a recitation of the names of those represented on the quilt. Haverford is accepting new panels, wh
TriStar Takes a Risk With AIDS Drama: Wall Street Journal (10/11/93) P. B1 (King, Thomas R.); As the first film concerning AIDS by a major studio, TriStar s Philadelphia may be one of the most talked-about movies in recent times. The film stars Tom Hanks as a lawyer who is fired from his Philadelphia firm because he has AIDS, and Denzel Washington as the attorney who represents him in the courtroom battle again
AIDSLine: What Can I Do About Recurrent Sinus Infections?: Advocate (10/05/93) No. 639, P. 33 (Cohan, Gary R.); Chronic bacterial sinus infections are one of the most common problems that people with HIV face. Dr. Gary Cohan, an HIV specialist, says that this is probably caused by bacteria easily getting into nasal passages because the antibodies which usually fight the bacteria off don t work properly. He cites a study reported
Surveillance Case Definition for AIDS in Resource-Poor Countries: Lancet (Great Britain) (10/02/93) Vol. 342, No. 8875, P. 864 (Colebunders, Robert et al.); De Cock et al. propose a new AIDS surveillance case definition to be used in countries lacking resources. A study sampled 329 male and females of European, African, Hispanic, and Asian descent who had contracted the virus via intravenous drug use, blood transfusions, homosexual or heterosexual contact, or an unknown me
Toxoplasmic Encephalitis in Patients With the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: New England Journal of Medicine (09/30/93) Vol. 329, No. 14, P. 995 (Luft, Benjamin J. et al.); Toxoplasmic encephalitis is the most common infection of the central nervous system that is associated with AIDS, write Luft et al. The infection develops in 3 to 10 percent of American AIDS patients and, if untreated, is fatal. The standard therapy for encephalitis is a combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine, b
Why Business Must Face Up to the Reality of AIDS: Electrical Apparatus (10/93) Vol. 46, No.10, P. 50 (Elsberry, Richard B.); The latest statistics on AIDS indicate that 1 in 250 persons aged 25-44 are infected; that age group accounts for 50 percent of the country s labor force. As the danger of AIDS increases, businesses must take action to reduce employee risk of the virus. The federal government was concerned enough to begin an awareness
AIDS Groups Refocus With 'ACT NOW': Washington Blade (10/01/93) Vol. 24, No. 42, P. 21; National ACT UP and other AIDS organizations and activists announced the formation of a new coalition that aims to unite activism efforts. The new group, ACT NOW (AIDS Coalition to Network, Organize, and Win), plans to debut in January with a Washington, D.C., conference. According to a press release, the goal of the c
Blood Plant Go-Ahead Attacked: Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) (10/07/93) P. A8 (Cox, Kevin); Plans by the Canadian Red Cross to build a $150-million blood plasma processing plant have been denounced by the Canadian Hemophilia Society and the Canadian Blood Agency. General opinion holds that the Red Cross should not proceed with construction as long as it is the subject of a federally- mandated probe into the s
Judge to Head Blood Probe: Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) (10/06/93) P. A4 (Picard, Andre); The Canadian federal government has appointed a senior judge with a medical background to conduct a judicial inquiry into the country s AIDS-contaminated blood disaster. Justice Horace Krever of the Ontario Court of Appeals, whose background includes AIDS issues, has until September 1994 to table a report explaining ho
Study Bolsters Controversial AIDS Theory: Reuters (10/07/93) (Riordan, Theresa); Washington--A study of an AIDS-like disease in mice supports a controversial new theory to explain the destructive nature of the virus in humans. Findings by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., bolster the idea that one arm of the immune system combats the virus better than the other arm. One kind o
Pressure Mounts on Bonn Health Minister Over AIDS: Reuters (10/08/93); Bonn--Pressure on German Health Minister Horst Seehofer is intensifying as opposition Social Democrats prepare to interrogate him on allegations that officials covered up reports of AIDS-tainted blood. The politicians say they will determine during a special session of parliament s health committee whether Seehofer sho
Viral Burden in AIDS: Nature (Great Britain) (09/23/93) Vol. 365, No. 6444, P. 301 (Garry, Robert F. and Fermin, Cesar D.); Recent studies presenting a simple cytopathic model for AIDS pathogenesis have been questioned by researchers Sheppard et al. Their arguments parallel those of others who embrace the so-called central paradox of AIDS, or the idea that a low incidence of HIV-infected cells does not have a detrimental effect on the immun
AIDS Digest: Washington Blade (09/24/93) Vol. 24, No. 41, P. 31; New cases of heterosexual HIV infection have skyrocketed 210 percent in the last year, while new cases of homosexual HIV infection have increased 65 percent, reports a World Health Organization official. According to San Tae Han, WHO s Pacific regional director, HIV infections derived from intravenous drug use has shot
AIDS Foundation Plans Three Centres: Nature (Great Britain) (09/23/93) Vol. 365, No. 6444, P. 285 (Butler, Declan); The World Foundation for Research and Prevention of AIDS was formed earlier this year by Luc Montagnier of the Pasteur Institute and Federico Mayor, director-general of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Contributions from Italian banks and individuals-- including opera singer
Special Service Entitled 'An Attitude of Hope' to Be Held at Hope Lutheran Church, Oct. 10: PR Newswire (10/05/93); Los Angeles--Hope Lutheran Church of Los Angeles is offering a special service this Sunday, Oct. 10, featuring humanity s battle with the AIDS virus. An Attitude of Hope will include musical devotionals and the lighting of memorial candles for loved ones lost to the deadly disease. Special guests will make appearances,
Playwright With a Message: United Press International (10/06/93); An American playwright with AIDS says he hopes his play, Paradise House, will educate Japanese audiences so that they can prevent the type of disaster that is currently taking place in the United States . Alexander Martin says that the play, based on his own experiences, portrays life in a Hawaiian apartment inhabited
AIDS Group Asks Benetton to Take Down Posters: Reuters (10/06/93); Paris--A French AIDS support group has asked a Paris court to order Italian fashion firm Benetton to remove controversial advertising posters. The French Association for the Fight Against AIDS filed a civil suit asking for $177,000 in damages. A ruling is due Nov. 10. The posters feature a bare male forearm, naked butt
More Money Sought to Fight TB Resurgence in U.S.: Reuters (10/07/93); Washington--The congressional Office of Technology Assessment has urged the White House and Congress to approve more funding to battle a resurgence of tuberculosis in the United States . The administration claims to have a national plan for the identification, treatment, and prevention of TB, but needs money to effecti
German Officials Dismissed Over HIV Infections: Reuters (10/06/93); Bonn, Germany--Two top health officials in Germany were fired Wednesday for failure to submit reports of AIDS cases that may have stemmed from tainted blood. Health Minister Horst Seehofer discovered that the Federal Health Agency received 373 reports of infected patients who may have contracted the AIDS virus through
AIDS Drug Shows Promise: Journal of Commerce (10/07/93) P. 7A; Tests of an experimental AIDS drug, designed to inhibit the virus from replicating itself, have proven the drug safe and effective. Studies also indicate, however, that the virus quickly learns how to circumvent the effects of the drug. Researchers are uncertain whether the drug, known as L- 697,661, would be more effe
Just What the Doctor Ordered: Barron's (09/20/93) Vol. 73, No. 38, P. 10 (Morgenthaler, Lissa); Scientists now have the technology to insert genes into cells of human patients to correct diseases. The result of this procedure is about 100 gene therapy techniques that have received approval and are in clinical testing in the United States and Europe. More than 3,000 disorders stem from genetic flaws or missing gen
Tuberculosis Recurrence in Africa: True Relapse or Re- Infection?: Lancet (09/25/93) Vol. 342, No. 8874, P. 756 (Daley, Charles L.); HIV-infected persons are at extremely high risk for progression to tuberculosis ; in fact, U.S. and African studies indicate that HIV infection is the greatest known risk factor for the development of TB. The World Health Organization estimates that there are up to 4.5 million people who are dually infected with the tw
Employee With AIDS Sues Over Benefits: Washington Business Journal (09/17/93-09/23/93) Vol. 12, No. 18, P. 7 (Love, Alice A.); A Virginia moving and storage company employee is suing his employer for restricting the amount of health insurance benefits he can receive for AIDS treatment. The case is one of several cropping up around the nation in response to the new federal Americans with Disabilities Act, which makes it illegal to limit the hea
Activists: AIDS Funding Biased Against Minorities: Washington Blade (09/24/93) Vol. 24, No. 41, P. 25 (Chibbaro Jr., Lou); Representatives of AIDS service programs targeting minorities told a Congressional Black Caucus workshop Sept. 16 that the majority of federal AIDS funds are awarded to older groups run by gay white men. The speakers, voicing the opinion of many black organizations in the District of Columbia, New York, and other citie
AIDS Foundation Receives Big Gift: Baltimore Sun (10/06/93) P. 2A; The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation yesterday received a donation of $1 million from tobacco heiress Doris Duke. I m very pleased to be able to do my part, said Duke, 80. Of the generous gift, renowned actress Taylor commented , This magnificent contribution will...increase public awareness about AIDS; it will immedia
Cash Problems Force DNX to Curtail Research into Human Blood Substitute: Knight-Ridder (10/05/93); DNX Corp., a Princeton, N.J., biotechnology company, announced that money troubles were forcing it to curtail revolutionary research into human blood substitutes. Just a month ago, the company disclosed that it was progressing in its human- hemoglobin program. That program develops and breeds genetically engineered pig
The Rise and Fall of a Pioneering AIDS Agency: Philadelphia Inquirer (10/06/93) P. A1 (Collins, Huntly and Kaufman, Marc); A pioneering minority AIDS organization that was born in a Philadelphia kitchen and grew quickly to international recognition is now in the midst of its demise due to management and financial problems. BEBASHI (Blacks Educating Blacks About Sexual Health Issues), steered by founder Rashidah Lorraine Hassan, sought from
Justices Deny Appeal by Dentists Over AIDS Rule: Reuters (10/04/93); Washington--The Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the American Dental Association challenging AIDS safety rules adopted in 1991. The guidelines of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were designed to protect health care workers from exposure to the AIDS virus and hepatitis B
5 Dentists Admit Bias Against AIDS Patients: Philadelphia Inquirer (10/06/93) P. B1 (Jaffe, Mark); Following a 1990 complaint lodged against 11 Philadelphia area dentists, five of the accused have admitted that their refusal to treat HIV-infected patients was a violation of the law, and pledged not to discriminate in the future. The American Civil Liberties Union and the AIDS Law Project filed the complaint with the
AZT Muscle Problems: L-Carnitine Study Recruiting: AIDS Treatment News (09/17/93) No. 183, P. 7; Recruitment is currently in progress for a study of high-dose L-carnitine as a potential therapy for AZT-related muscle problems. Eligible participants will be taking AZT and experiencing symptoms of AZT-induced muscle toxicity such as fatigue, decreased endurance, or weakness. The six-month study will be conducted at
Montrealers Walk for AIDS: Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) (10/04/93) P. A5; Nearly 10,000 people participated in Montreal s first walkathon to raise money for AIDS. The 10-kilometer walk, Ca Marche (It Works), took place Sunday in downtown Montreal. The fundraiser was organized by the Farha Foundation, which was established by Montreal businessmen when namesake Ron Farha contracted the virus i
Hauser Expands AIDS-Related Research With Third...: PR Newswire (10/04/93); Boulder, Colo.--The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a division of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded a Phase II grant to Hauser Chemical Research Inc. The Small Business Innovation Research grant will allow the company to expand its research of artemisinin derivatives for combating pa
Testing the System for Testing the Blood Supply: New York Times (10/05/93) P. C18 (Goodman, Walter); Review columnist Walter Goodman of the New York Times chides Dateline NBC for its impure journalistic techniques in tonight s segment about contracting the AIDS virus from blood transfusions. The argument is that the Red Cross and other major blood banks nationwide have not been adequately screening for HIV. While Good
Romania Installs AIDS Hot-Line: United Press International (10/05/93); Bucharest--As part of an educational campaign, the Romanian Anti-AIDS Association (RAAS) yesterday introduced a telephone hot-line offering information and advice about AIDS. Thirty volunteers, equipped with three months of training, staff the hot-line. It is very important for everyone to call us and ask about AIDS-re
AIDS Cuts a Deadly Swath Through New Jersey's Prisons: Philadelphia Inquirer (10/03/93) P. B1 (Valbrun, Marjorie); With 881 infected, New Jersey inmates with AIDS are dying faster than any other prison population, according to a study by the federal government. The report, released last month, cited AIDS as the leading cause of inmate deaths in New Jersey in 1991. Nationwide, the state also led in the number of prisoner deaths resu
AIDS-Drug Maker Plays Hardball Over Price: Boston Globe (10/03/93) P. 81 (Biddle, Frederic M.); When, in September 1991, the Food and Drug Administration approved Foscavir as treatment of a viral infection that afflicts up to 40 percent of AIDS patients, pharmaceutical company Astra USA Inc. priced the drug at $59 per day for an average wholesale dosage. At an estimated $50,000 for a year of treatment, that makes
AIDS Surgery: Associated Press (10/05); Los Angeles--A woman who neglected to inform health care workers of her HIV-positive status will pay $15,000 to a surgical technician who was pricked with a bloody scalpel during the woman s breast-reduction operation. Jan Lustig, 46, a psychologist from Vancouver, Wash., stated on a form before her 1991 biopsy that sh
U.S. Alleges Bias to AIDS Patients by 2 Dental Offices: Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (10/05/93) P. A7 (Ostrow, Ronald J. and Cimons, Marlene); In an unprecedented action, the federal government filed lawsuits against two dental practices that allegedly discriminated against clients with AIDS. After investigations prompted by AIDS-related complaints, the Justice Department determined that the offices violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibit
Suggestions for Clinical Nursing Research: Symptom Management in AIDS Patients: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (07/93- 09/93) Vol. 4, No. 3, P. 13 (Zeller, Janice M.; Swanson, Barbara; Cohen, Felissa L.); Malnutrition, respiratory dysfunction, gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms, and opportunistic infections are a few of the many sources of pain for AIDS patients. Nurses, like doctors, are responsible for trying to alleviate the multiple physical symptoms that accompany AIDS. As a reflection of the funding priori
On the Air: Washington Blade (09/24/93) Vol. 24, No. 41, P. 54; Last week, PBS began airing its new program, The Secret of Life, an eight-hour series delving into human stories behind the breakthroughs in genetic research. One segment addresses AIDS, and features twin brothers--only one of which has the virus. The episode examines an experiment by the brothers to determine if the h
By No Means Cheap: Time (10/04/93) Vol. 142, No. 14, P. 12 (Silvergleid, Arthur J.); The president of the American Association of Blood Banks in Bethesda, Md., in a letter to the editors of Time, refutes a remark by an article in that publication that the nation s blood banks [resisted] testing for AIDS, despite early evidence that the disease [was] being spread through transfusions. Actually, says Dr.
Bronx AIDS Patient Who Wandered From Ambulance Sought: United Press International (10/02/93); New York--An Bronx man with AIDS apparently wandered away from the ambulance transporting him to therapy when it stopped to pick up another patient, police reported. Officer Andrew McInnis said that the disease has left Bennie Wooten, 44, without short-term memory. Wooten was being taken to New York Hospital from Bronx
HIV-Sex Abuse: Associate Press (10/02/93); Portland, Ore.--An Oregon man, after serving 11 months in jail for deliberately exposing three women to the AIDS virus, has been arrested for the rape of a three-year-old girl. Timothy A. Hinkhouse, 23, was indicted on charges of rape, sex abuse, attempted assault, and reckless endangerment of the child, disclosed Depu
Zimbabwe Catholics Reject State Textbook on AIDS: Reuters (10/03/93); Harare--The church has ordered Catholic schools in Zimbabwe not to use a government textbook on AIDS because it ignores Christian values. The text discusses the deadly disease as a medical issue, and fails to address important factors such as family relations and religious values, contends Rev. Anthony Berridge, secret
2 Arrested in Fla. in AZT Trafficking: Boston Globe (10/02/93) P. 35; Two Florida men have been arrested for allegedly trafficking over 17,000 doses of AZT , the most widely used AIDS drug, said police. Robert Stack, 27, and David Platt, 24, were charged by the Broward County Sheriff s Department with possession of a prescription drug with intent to sell. AZT, available by prescription
On the Campus, Testing for AIDS Grows Common: New York Times (10/04/93) P. A1 (Lee, Felicia R.); While contraception and sexually transmitted diseases were once the primary issues confronting sexually active college students, the AIDS virus is quickly becoming their major concern, with more and more students seeking HIV testing. The campus communities are responding to these needs; in fact, many major schools now
AIDS Suit Accuses Companies of Selling Bad Blood Products: Washington Post (10/04/93) P. A18; A lawsuit filed on behalf of more than 10,000 HIV-infected hemophiliacs charges that the National Hemophilia Foundation and five manufacturers sold or endorsed blood-clotting products even after they should have realized the risk of HIV in those products. According to the suit, which was filed in the Federal District
New York: Community-Based Aspirin Study Recruiting: AIDS Treatment News (09/17/93) No. 183, P. 7; The Community Research Initiative on AIDS in New York City is currently recruiting volunteers for a study of aspirin as a potential treatment for AIDS. Researchers hope that aspirin will reduce HIV-related inflammation and, thus, lower the viral burden in AIDS patients. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive
Blood Sources Stay Secret: National Law Journal (09/27/93) Vol. 16, No. 4, P. 6; It is in the public s best interest to maintain the confidentiality of blood donors, even if they may have been given AIDS-infected blood, a New Hampshire judge has decided. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Shane Devine was delivered in the case of a widower who sued to know the identity of the person whom he asserts
"Concierto Por La Vida"--Latin Benefit Concert Slated to Combat AIDS: Business Wire (09/28/93); Los Angeles--International Hispanic singers, actors, and athletes will perform Oct. 16 in Concierto Por La Vida, [Concert for Life], a benefit concert to raise money for the battle against AIDS in the Latino community. Maria Conchita Alonso, Gerardo, Rudy La Scala, Jorge Muniz, and Alvaro Torres are just a few of the c
Celebrity Chair Elizabeth Taylor to Appear at Bullock's 'Passport '93' Fashion Show in Los Angeles: PR Newswire (09/28/93); San Francisco--Elizabeth Taylor, acclaimed actress and AIDS activist, will appear at the country s largest fashion show, which is being presented this year as a money-raising event for AIDS. Passport 93, a San Francisco tradition for more than a decade, has expanded the fashion extravaganza to California, where the Los
Researchers Call for Action to Curb Spread of TB: Reuters (09/30/93); London--Swiss researchers have warned that tuberculosis is spreading in Europe in the same manner that it is spreading in the United States , and have called for immediate action to control the disease. The researchers, in the British medical journal the Lancet, attributed the increase in TB to the AIDS virus and immig
Let HIV-Infected Doctors Operate: United Press International (09/29/93); Trenton, N.J.--A special commission of health experts and Health Department officials from New Jersey is recommending that physicians and dentists with HIV be allowed to perform surgery. If approved, the proposal would overturn a 1991 policy urging HIV-infected workers to refrain from such procedures. The policy would
Soviets Secretly Tried to Blame U.S. for AIDS--CIA: Reuters (09/30/93); Langley, Va.--For more than five years, the former Soviet Union attempted to blame the AIDS virus on a plot by U.S. military scientists, according to newly declassified CIA documents. The papers reported that the Soviets launched a campaign in 1983 aiming to tie the emergence of AIDS to American biological weapons rese
All U.S. Workers to Get Instruction in 'AIDS 101': Washington Post (10/01/93) P. A23 (Brown, David); In the course of the next year, all employees at federal agencies will receive basic instruction about HIV and AIDS. While the military, as well as federal hospital and prison systems, currently teach employees how to prevent infection and what to do if infected, the new plan will require all federal workers to get AID
Giving Addicts Clean Needles Cuts Spread of AIDS, U.S. Study Finds: New York Times (10/01/93) P. A21 (Hilts, Philip J.); Trading drug addicts used needles for clean syringes does help prevent the spread of the AIDS virus, and the government should expand such programs, concluded the first comprehensive study of needle exchange plans. A federal panel found that drug users in the programs were less likely to engage in needle-sharing, and m
Therion Biologics Corporation Completes $4.1 Million Private Placement: PR Newswire (09/29/93); Cambridge, Mass.--Therion Biologics Corporation announced the completion of a $4.1 million private placement. The money from the placement will allow the company to continue preclinical studies in its AIDS program, said Therion president and CEO Dennis Panicali. In March, Therion entered a license and research collabor
Swiss City Bans Benetton "AIDS" Advertisements: Reuters (09/29/93); Lausanne, Switzerland--The Swiss city of Lausanne announced that it has banned advertisements by Italian fashion firm Benetton, which has released new ads featuring naked buttocks and other body parts stamped with the words HIV Positive. I find it shocking that one can make money out of disease, said Jean-Claude Rosset
Good Job Is Leading Concern for World Youth: Reuters (09/28/93) (Schoolman, Judith); New York--While securing a good job is the leading priority of children and teenagers, today s youth also harbor concerns about AIDS, war, and getting into car accidents, report worldwide opinion polls. Eighty-one percent of children in the United States said that they were concerned about AIDS; the figure was 65 perce
HybriQuick Amplification Product Detection System for HIV-1, 2 Test Introduced by MicroProbe Corp.: Business Wire (09/28/93); Bothell, Wash.--MicroProbe Corp. announced the availability of the HybriQuick HIV 1, 2 Test Kit for use with its new HybriQuick Amplification Product Detection System and Affirm Processor. Intended for research use only, the test is designed as an adjunct or alternative to other detection methods. The semi-automated te
Ministers of Health Urge Intensified Fight Against AIDS: PR Newswire (09/29/93); Washington--Health ministers from all of the countries in the Americas emphasized the imperative need to mobilize all sectors of the society in the campaign against AIDS. The officials were in Washington yesterday for the 37th meeting of the Pan American Health Organization s Directing Council. They reviewed the latest
AIDS-Stricken Dentist Allegedly Infected Patients: Reuters (09/29/93); New York--A Florida dentist carrying the AIDS virus intentionally infected six of his patients, charged his friend and ex-lover in a television interview. In a segment of the news program 20/20 to air Friday on ABC, Edward Parsons said he believes that Dr. David Acer deliberately infected the patients to demonstrate th
UCSF Researchers on September 30 to Release Conclusions and Recommendations of CDC-Funded Study on Needle Exchange Programs: Business Wire (09/29/93); San Francisco--At a press conference today in San Francisco, University of California researchers will discuss the results of an 18-month study of needle exchange programs and present recommendations to federal, state, and local government. In the most comprehensive study ever on needle exchanges, investigators evaluat
World Population Growth Little Affected By AIDS: Reuters (09/30/93); Berlin--A United Nations official has refuted a theory that transmission of AIDS will neutralize the world s population growth and eliminate the need for family planning. This prediction demonstrates a lack of knowledge about family planning and about the impact of the disease on populations, said Nafis Sadik, executiv
Insurance Fund Settles AIDS Health Benefits Suit: Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (09/30/93) P. B7 (Boxall, Bettina); In a settlement that may have national impact, an insurance provider has decided to withdraw a $5,000 cap on AIDS-related benefits. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) contends that the restriction is a violation of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects disabled citizens--including tho
Deputy Dogged: Advocate (10/05/93) No. 639, P. 7; Reports that the former head of the Dallas AIDS Arms Network may be appointed as top deputy to the White House AIDS policy coordinator have raised eyebrows in Texas. Warren Buckingham presided over the network when, in 1991, it was accused of leaving clients in need by delaying grant payouts of $175,000 and using the f
Graham Says AIDS May Be God's Judgment: United Press International (09/27/93); Columbus, Ohio--In a sermon Sunday, Rev. Billy Graham stated that the AIDS epidemic may be God s punishment on people for the sins they have committed. Is AIDS a judgment of God? he asked. I could not say for sure, but I think so. Graham went on to say that he believes God meant sex to be a part of marriage only.
Court Told AIDS Cut Life at Least 8 Years: Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) (09/28/93) P. A9 (Downey, Donn); A cardiologist testified in Canadian court that a deceased man with a history of heart disease might have lived another 8 to 11 years had he not contracted AIDS. The testimony was delivered in a case brought by the dead man s wife and children, who contend that Kenneth Pittman, who died in March of 1990 at age 59, was
Study Finds Young Adults Unconcerned About AIDS: United Press International (09/27/93); Washington--Despite years of intense campaigning to deliver AIDS prevention information, less than half of 1,601 young adults claimed to have adjusted their behavior, researchers reported. University of Minnesota researchers surveyed the group of urban heterosexuals between the ages of 21 and 40 and found that only 43
Thai Private Sector Forms Alliance to Fight AIDS: United Press International (09/28/93); Bangkok--Business leaders launched an anti-AIDS campaign in Thailand , where authorities predict that, by the end of the century, more than one-third of deaths among the work force population will result from the virus. The goal of the Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS (TBCA) is to provide effective leadership throu
Liposome Company's ABLC Available in South Africa: PR Newswire (09/28/93); Princeton, N.J.--The Liposome Company, Inc. has launched a named patient distribution program for amphotericin B lipid complex (ABLC) in South Africa . The traditional form of the drug, without the lipid complex, has been widely used as an anti fungal agent in the treatment of fungal infections in those with weak immun
Body Shop Starting a Campaign on AIDS: New York Times (09/28/93) P. D4 (Levy, Clifford J.); Body Shop International PLC, the British cosmetics chain that has grown explosively in the past ten years, is positioned to launch its new AIDS awareness campaign. Based on the theme of Protect and Respect, the campaign will distribute condoms, lubricants, educational literature, and advice. Proceeds from condom and lu
A Hallucination Inspires a Vision for AIDS Drug: Wall Street Journal (09/29/93) P. B1 (Waldholz, Michael); A scientist s 3-D hallucination of a molecule has led to promising research of an AIDS drug at a small company. Dr. Manuel Nivia s vision prompted workers at Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. to experiment with a new research technique that uses computerized, three-dimensional color images of molecules to design new drugs.
Black Gays in New D.C. AIDS Coalition Wary About Nation of Islam's Role: Washington Post (09/29/93) P. D1 (Goldstein, Amy); Gay blacks who are members of a newly formed coalition of black and Hispanic AIDS groups are rethinking an alliance with medical and religious leader Dr. Abdul Alim Muhammad. The Sankofa Community Coalition of HIV/AIDS Services was formed by the various organizations as an alternative to the Whitman- Walker Clinic, whi
Series on AIDS Set Here: Richmond Times-Dispatch (09/27/93) P. B6; Beginning Tuesday, a week of public policy forums concerning AIDS will be held at Virginia Union University in Richmond. The series will address topics such as AIDS prevention and education, research and treatment, housing, government spending, women and children with the disease, substance abuse, and civil rights conc
Leading AIDS Researcher and Advocate Dies: United Press International (09/25/93); San Francisco--Jesse C. Dobson, a leading AIDS activist, has died at age 36. The cause was pneumonia as a result of AIDS. After being diagnosed with HIV in 1985, Dobson became a skilled lobbyist and an expert on AIDS treatment. Frustrated with the slow release of new therapies, he created an underground network for HIV
Using TV to Talk About Sex With Kids: United Press International (09/24/93) (Kuklenski, Valerie); Los Angeles--While many fear that sex on television encourages young people to have intercourse themselves, there is one organization that contends that TV can be an ice-breaker for parents to discuss the topic. The Center for Population Options, a nonprofit organization that aims to educate kids about safe sex and bir
"Home" Host Tests Negative for AIDS After TV Mishap: Reuters (09/25/93); Hollywood--After a live television scare in which a doctor used a needle just injected into TV host Gary Collins to also inject his co-host, Sarah Purcell, Collins has reportedly tested negative for the AIDS virus and is awaiting the results of a hepatitis test. During a segment on flu inoculations on the popular ABC m
Union Broke Disabilities Law in AIDS Case, Panel Finds: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (09/25/93) P. 5B; The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ruled that a Philadelphia construction union which cut health coverage for workers with the AIDS virus violated federal laws. The Laborers District Council, believed to represent over 10,000 area construction workers, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act when it i
AIDS-Linked Investments Under Fire: Chicago Tribune (09/27/93) P. 4-5; An emerging business--that of buying life insurance policies from AIDS patients--is under close scrutiny by investment regulators across the country. Under these viatical settlements, brokers claim to help terminally ill people, who are often too sick to work, obtain the money needed to meet expenses. The insurance sel
Health Worker Says Nepal Can't Escape AIDS: United Press International (09/28/93) (Rana, Bhola); Katmandu, Nepal--Nepal cannot avoid the AIDS epidemic, warns Keith Leslie, country director of The Save The Children s Fund USA. Nepal lies between Bangkok and Bombay, he explains. People are constantly traveling in these three countries. The program, which is funded by the American Foundation for AIDS Research, will c
Experts Warn of Possible Wave of Child AIDS Victims: United Press International (09/28/93); Manila--Health authorities recently warned Asian governments that infants may be the next group targeted by AIDS unless measures are taken to control the spread the deadly virus. The actual number of children with AIDS in Asia is very low, but the risk is very high, said Daniel Brooks, regional director of the United N
Antibiotics Fight H.I.V. In Laboratory Studies: New York Times (09/28/93) P. C3 (Kolata, Gina); Researchers have discovered that a class of antibiotics known as aminoglycosides hampers part of the process that allows HIV to reproduce. While they believe that they may have found a new approach to designing AIDS drugs, the researchers caution against self-treatment by warning that the antibiotics have yet to be tes
Health Concerns of Women With AIDS: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (07/93- 09/93) Vol. 4, No. 3, P. 39 (Rose, Molley A.); A small study of HIV-positive women suggests that males and females infected with the virus share common life concerns. Dr. Molley A. Rose, an assistant professor at the University of South Florida College of Nursing, studied a group of 11 women, then compared her sample to a similar study of gay men. Two physiological
Medical Briefs: Advocate (10/05/93) No. 639, P. 34; Smoking cigarettes quickens the development of full-blown AIDS in HIV-infected individuals, according to researchers at St. Mary s Hospital in London. In HIV-positive smokers, versus HIV-positive nonsmokers, the progression time to AIDS was reduced. This disparity was primarily due to the development of pneumocystis ca
Talking It Out: Advocate (10/05/93) No. 639, P. 17; In perhaps the strangest AIDS litigation yet, a Maine woman is suing her physicians, who she contends should not have allowed her HIV-positive baby to be born. Former prostitute Barbara Anastosopoulos, who learned of her HIV infection after the birth of her son Christopher, insists that doctors should have tested her f
Blood Strategies: Forbes (09/27/93) Vol. 152, No. 7, P. 152 (Bohner, Kate); While the American Red Cross insists that the blood supply is now safer than it has ever been, HIV screening tests are not completely flawless. Due to the serological window, or the time frame between when HIV infection occurs and when it actually is detectable in blood, contaminated blood could still slip through the
HIV-Positive Woman Sues Doctor: Reuters (09/24/93); Vancouver, British Columbia--A woman who became infected with the AIDS virus when she was artificially inseminated will take her doctor to the Supreme Court of Canada , according to her lawyer. Kobe ter Neuzen, 48, claims that the doctor failed to test the semen used in the process for HIV. A provincial Supreme Court
HIV Tattoo: Associated Press (09/24/93) (Andersen, Peggy); Seattle--The firing of a hospital employee for refusing to cover up a tattoo announcing his AIDS status was a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to a ruling by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Twenty-eight- year-old John Baldetta, a nursing assistant whose job at Harborview Medical
Lack of Vitamin A May Hasten AIDS Death--Study: Reuters (09/26/93); Baltimore--Vitamin A deficiency may take as much as one year of potential life from HIV-infected adults, according to a study in Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University reported that such a deficiency weakened the immune systems of adult AIDS patients, but said that taking doses of vitami
California Dept. of Health Services Sued by AIDS Testing Laboratory: PR Newswire (09/27/93); Costa Mesa, Calif.--Health Test Inc. (HTI) has sued the California Department of Health (DHS), in an attempt to gain approval for its new HIV self-collection device, HIV Home Check. HTI accused DHS of intentionally derailing approval of its application. For the past two years, HTI claims that it submitted more than eig
A D.C. Clinic's Controversial Rx for AIDS: Washington Post (09/27/93) P. A1 (Goldstein, Amy); Controversy continues to swarm around a religious leader as he promotes an unproven AIDS drug and seeks federal funding for the only black-run AIDS clinic in the District of Columbia. Dr. Abdul Alim Muhammad, director of the Abundant Life Clinic and health minister to the Nation of Islam, has been criticized for using
Three-Year Randomised Study of High-Purity or Intermediate- Purity Factor VIII Concentrates in Symptom-Free HIV- Seropositive Haemophiliacs: Effects on Immune Status: Lancet (09/18/93) Vol. 342, No. 8873, P. 700 (Seremetis, Stephanie et al.); A group of researchers used monoclonal-antibody-purified factor VIII concentrates to test their hypothesis that the use of the concentrates in HIV-positive hemophiliacs would change the rate of deterioration of the immune function. Seremetis et al. studied 60 HIV patients with hemophilia, all of whom were symptom-free,
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for the Treatment of Debilitating Fatigue Associated With HIV/AIDS: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (07/93- 09/93) Vol. 4, No. 3, P. 33 (Reillo, Michelle R.); While antiviral drugs may relieve some of the symptoms experienced by AIDS patients, they do little to reduce the debilitating fatigue associated with the virus. Michelle R. Reillo, a clinical nurse at the Maryland Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., tested 25 HIV-infected patients with hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a trea
Health Care Under the Americans With Disabilities Act: CompFlash (08/93) P. 7; The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has recently released several provisions dealing with the Americans with Disability Act, one of which states that employers cannot refuse to hire persons with disabilities out of fear that they will influence the employer s health care costs. The provisions, which also requir
Howard University College of Nursing Graduate Studies Subspecialty in HIV/AIDS: The First Year: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (07/93- 09/93) Vol. 4, No. 3, P. 46 (Nicholas, Doris E.); The AIDS epidemic is disproportionately affecting disenfranchised groups, in particular the African-American community. The nation s capital, which consists largely of people of color, has the ninth highest annual rate of AIDS in the country last year. Howard University, located in the heart of Washington, D.C., has ta
Report to Cite AIDS as Threat to Farmworker Families: Nation's Health (09/93) Vol. 23, No. 8, P. 3; A December report by the National Commission to Prevent Infant Mortality will illustrate how the AIDS epidemic affects migrant and seasonal farmworker families. Early studies indicate that this group is often forgotten while other populations are targeted for AIDS prevention and education programs. There is also eviden
HIV2 and AIDS: Pharmacist (09/93) Vol. 18, No. 9, P. 100; The government has mandated that all donated blood be screened not only for HIV-1 but also for HIV-2, a new strain of the virus that has spread to the United States from Africa. HIV-2 differs from HIV-1 in that it progresses towards AIDS at a much slower rate. Once AIDS does develop, however, it exhibits identical symp
Smash Hit for AIDS: United Press International (09/23/93) (Kuklenski, Valerie); Past and present tennis stars participated in an exhibition Wednesday in Los Angeles to raise money for singer Elton John s AIDS Foundation. The very first Smash Hits World Team Tennis tournament was attended by celebrities from all arenas, including comedian Jay Leno, singer Sheena Easton, actress Judith Light, Olympi
IDC's Virotech Unit Executes Letter of Intent With Organetics, Ltd.: PR Newswire (09/23/93); Minneapolis--Two companies, which both direct their activities toward treatments for AIDS and other immune-deficient disorders, are considering either a merger or a strategic alliance. Virotech Inc., a medical research company, has executed a letter of intent with Organetics Ltd., a developer of medical devices. Virote
Statement of the National Association of People With AIDS on President Clinton's National Health Care Proposal: PR Newswire (09/23/93); Washington--The National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) has announced its support of President Clinton s health care reform package. NAPWA said in a release yesterday that Clinton s initiative would help the country overcome hurdles to obtaining effective health care for people with AIDS. The release cited acc
Who Should Fill the Care Gap in HIV Disease?: Lancet (09/18/93) Vol. 342, No.8873, P. 726 (Mansfield, Simon and Singh, Surinder); Like with many other chronic diseases, it is appropriate for the community to serve as the setting for primary care of those with HIV/AIDS, according to Dr. Surinder Singh of the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine in London and Dr. Simon Mansfield of Westminster Hospital in London. However, they explain, negative p
Charting HIV Care: American Medical News (09/20/93) Vol. 36, No. 35, P. 14; The federal government has earmarked $15 million to find out more about where, how, and from whom those with HIV can receive health care. The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research will launch the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study (HCSUS). The foundation of the study draws from a similar study in 1992 of 2,09
Natural History Trials Addressing Special Needs of Women: AIDS Alert (09/93) Vol. 8, No. 9, P. 137; An upcoming five-year study aims to identify factors that affect the progression of AIDS in women. The study, funded by the Centers for Disease Control, will involve 200 HIV-positive women and 100 high-risk women each at four different locations nationwide. This probe into the natural history of AIDS in women will have
Prayer, Meditation, Exercise, and Special Diets: Behaviors of the Hardy Person With HIV/AIDS: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (07/93- 09/93) Vol. 4, No. 3, P. 18 (Carson, Verna Benner); Anecdotal testimony has tied long-term survival of the AIDS virus with certain spiritual and health-promoting behaviors, as well as participation in AIDS-related activities. To determine if quantitative research would support these theories, Verna Benner Carson studied 100 such subjects who completed Kobasa s Personal
Battling AIDS: Restaurants USA (09/93) Vol. 13, No. 8, P. 28 (Batty, Jennifer); With the stigma surrounding AIDS and public ignorance about how it is transmitted, one industry that is highly scrutinized is foodservice. The Centers for Disease Control repeatedly remind people that AIDS cannot be contracted through sweat, tears, toilet seats, phones, forks, and certainly not from eating food prepare
Where People With AIDS Find Comfort: Boston Globe (09/22/93) P. 17 (Negri, Gloria); While many people with AIDS face pain and humiliation from society in general, New Englanders with the disease can find refuge in the Boston Living Center. Initially a peer support group, the center was implemented about four years ago and now has 900 members. Full-time staff offer quilting, jewelry making, art, massag
Magic Johnson Gives Deposition in AIDS Suit: USA Today (09/23/93) P. 9C; Basketball legend Magic Johnson and Waymer Moore, the woman who is suing him on the grounds that he infected her with HIV, are giving depositions this week in Kalamazoo, Mich. Johnson spent the last two days in a hotel answering questions from lawyers. His accuser is expected to arrive for her deposition later this wee
NMAC Applauds President Clinton's Commitment to Health Care Reform: PR Newswire (09/22/93); Washington, D.C.--The National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) praised President Clinton for making health care reform a priority in this country and, in doing so, for addressing the needs of people with HIV and AIDS. NMAC, as well as the rest of the AIDS community, has applauded the president s reform package, which elim
Planned Sexual Behaviour of Young Australian Visitors to Thailand: Journal of the American Medical Association (09/15/93) Vol. 270, No. 11, P. 1309 (Mulhall, Brian P. et al.); An Australian study was conducted to evaluate knowledge about AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases among young Australians visiting Thailand . Of the 213 participants who were traveling without a spouse or partner, only 34 percent claimed that they definitely did not intend to have sex. Of those who might, mor
'Oh My God, It Could Be Me': Maclean's (09/06/93) Vol. 106, No. 36, P. 42 (Nemeth, Mary and Driedger, Sharon Doyle); The World Health Organization estimates that by the year 2000, women will make up half of the world s new cases of AIDS, and the disease is already beginning to take its toll on Canadian women. The federal Laboratory Centre for Disease Control reports that 406 women aged 15 or older have been diagnosed with AIDS since
HIV-1 Inhibition by a Peptide: Nature (09/09/93) Vol.365, No. 6442, P. 113 (Jiang, Shibo et al. ); Peptides from virus envelope glycoproteins may have an antiviral effect, according to studies. Jiang et al. of the New York Blood Center say that peptides inhibit infection by other strains of HIV-1 and, at a certain level, inhibit HIV replication completely. The mechanism through which the peptides inhibit HIV is stil
DNCB Treatment Today: AIDS Treatment News (09/03/93) No. 182, P. 3 (Gilden, Dave); Past excitement over an AIDS treatment using a chemical called dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) is apparently being revived. Seven years ago, scores of AIDS patients were using DNCB which, when painted on a small patch of skin, triggers a reaction much like that to poison ivy. By causing an immune system response, DNCB in t
Tuberculosis and HIV Infection: Lancet (09/11/93) Vol. 342, No. 8872, P. 676 (John, T. Jacob; Kaur, Amitinder; Babu, P. George); Tuberculosis is not necessarily an opportunistic infection of AIDS in HIV-infected persons in countries where TB is highly endemic, assert researchers from Christian Medical College and Hospital in India . Kaur et al. diagnosed a patient who had HIV infection, pulmonary TB, chronic fever, weight loss, and a CD4 count o
AIDS Orphans: Africa's Lost Generation: World Watch (09/93-10/93) Vol. 6, No. 5, P. 10 (Sachs, Aaron); While the AIDS epidemic is rampant worldwide, in Africa it is threatening not only the population s health, but its basic social structure as well. AIDS is affecting family life, a fact reflected in the rising number of orphans who have lost one or both parents to the disease. The number of children whose mothers died
New CDC Head Fights AIDS With Education, Not Politics: American Medical News (09/13/93) Vol. 36, No. 34, P. 5 (Hearn, Wayne); Dr. David Satcher, the next director of the Centers for Disease Control, says that he will not allow politics to affect the agency s efforts to promote AIDS prevention and education. Satcher, who has presided as president of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn., since 1982, will become on Jan. 1 the first Africa
Disease Detection International to Supply 1.2 Million Tests in Brasilian Federal (AIDS) Program for the State of Sao Paulo, Brasil: PR Newswire (09/20/93); Irvine, Calif.--Disease Detection International, Inc. was informed by its Brasilian joint venture, DDI do Brasil, that the companies have been awarded a federal order for 1.2 million SeroCard HIV-1 tests to be used by the government of Sao Paulo. The tests will be used, through the Department of Health, to test Brazil
12 Troupes Take Steps Against AIDS: Chicago Tribune (09/21/93) P. 1-14 (Hanson, Cynthia); The Dance For Life fundraiser Saturday night at Chicago s Athenaeum Theatre raised over $40,000 for a local AIDS organization. A dozen local troupes presented jazz, tap, ballet, and modern dance performances to a capacity audience of 925 people. Proceeds benefit the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
AIDS Research Reviews: Lancet (09/11/93) Vol. 342, No. 8872, P. 668 (Lifson, Alan R.); The latest volume, number three, of AIDS Research Reviews includes a series of specialized articles written by experts about HIV, the host response, and possibilities for preventing infection. The articles, presented in scientific sections, describe specific advances and current issues in each of five disciplines, whic
Staten Island Can't Secede From AIDS: New York Times (09/19/93) P. 45 (Clines, Francis X.); As inhabitants of Staten Island ponder secession from New York City, they know that such a move will direct attention their way--and not for the expected reasons. Should Staten Island break from the mainland, it will automatically be catapulted to the rank of second among the state s leading AIDS cities. There are 1,01
Tainted-Blood Probe Launched: Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) (09/17/93) P. A1 (Cernetig, Miro); All 10 Canadian provinces have indicated that they support the initiation of a government probe to determine how more than 1,000 people were infected with HIV via donated blood before screening for the virus began in 1985. Quebec, however, has still not officially committed to the estimated $2.5 million inquiry, said F
China Imposes AIDS Test on Returning Mainlanders: Reuters (09/20/93); Hong Kong-- China is subjecting passport holders returning to the country to random AIDS tests, reported a Beijing newspaper. People who want to live in China for longer than one year or who have been gone for longer than three months have to take drug tests, said an official at the State Health and Quarantine Departme
Law on Marriage, AIDS Is Voided: Boston Globe (09/20/93) P. 6; U.S. District Judge Aldon J. Anderson recently ruled that a 1987 Utah law prohibiting the marriage of people with AIDS is a violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. This legislation dictates that no public entity may discriminate against a person with a physical or mental impairment limiting major life
Zimbabwe Witchdoctors Boosted by AIDS Epidemic: Reuters (09/21/93) (Mdlongwa, Francis); Harare--While the AIDS epidemic continues to stump leading medical researchers worldwide, a handful of witchdoctors in Zimbabwe are claim to have herbal cures that heal the infected. I have and I can cure AIDS--no one can doubt that, brags one of the more famous witchdoctors. But critics do doubt; in fact, they insist
Breaking the Silence on AIDS: Investor's Business Daily (09/21/93) P. 4; While many corporations have shied from AIDS education and discussion in the workplace, Motorola Inc. is one company that is attempting to be more open about the disease. Henry Provost, Motorola s employee relations director, said that the company feels that secretiveness about employees with AIDS who abruptly fall ill
AIDS Drug: Associated Press (09/21/93); Rockville, Md.--A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee is recommending approval of a single-drug AIDS therapy. The drug ddC , sold under the brand name HIVID by Hoffman-LaRoche Inc., has previously been authorized for use with AZT , an
Disputed AIDS Study Delayed: Financial Times (Great Britain) (09/21/93) P. 8; Publication of the complete results of a controversial AIDS drug study has been delayed by the Medical Research Council. The council disclosed in April that preliminary data in the study indicated that AZT , the most common treatment for HIV/AIDS, is not effective in delaying the development of AIDS in patients infecte
The Three Ps of HIV Management: Paps, Pelvic Exams, Polcoscopies: AIDS Alert (09/93) Vol. 8, No. 9, P. 139; Because cervical cancer has been added to the new AIDS case definition, physicians are becoming more aware of the importance of gynecological care. The pap smear can be a valuable tool of prevention because it detects cervical cancer and other gynecological abnormalities which are often associated with HIV. Likewise, t
HIV Policy Targets Health Personnel: National Underwriter (09/13/93) No. 37, P. 7 (Koco, Linda); A growing number of companies now offer HIV Asset Guard -- insurance to healthcare providers and other professionals who are at risk for infection. Issued by Reliable Life of St. Louis, the contract provides that a lump sum of money be paid if an individual is diagnosed as HIV positive. The amount of $100,000, $250,000
Boy, 12, Arrested for Prostitution: United Press International (09/19/93); Cleveland--A 12-year-old Cleveland boy who was arrested for prostitution was not carrying condoms to reduce his chances of becoming infected with AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases. The child had been soliciting male clients in the same neighborhood for at least four months. The arresting officer and his partn
AIDS Said Threatening Zambian Copper Industry: Reuters (09/16/93); Lusaka--Officials at the World Health Organization predict that by the turn of the century, AIDS will have a dramatic effect on Zambia s largest copper producer, as well as on other labor segments. WHO medical officer J.A. Kalilani told an AIDS workshop in Lusaka that Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines 51,000-member wor
Mayor's Management Report Released: United Press International (09/17/93); New York--The final city management report of New York Mayor David Dinkins reviewed the fiscal year, and compared accomplishments to goals for that term. Dinkins report stated that 13,629 individuals infected with the AIDS virus received city services in fiscal year 1993, a figure three times the number of AIDS patient
Uganda--AIDS: Associated Press (09/17/93) (Wasswa, Henry); Kampala, Uganda--Indifference and multiple sex partners due to polygamy and promiscuity are the two main factors that contribute to Uganda s plight as one of the nations hardest hit by AIDS. Now, the Ugandan government is leading African countries in the fight against the disease. A seven-year-old AIDS control program,
Cortech Begins Preclinical Development of Compounds for Sulfa Allergy Treatment in AIDS Patients: PR Newswire (09/16/93); Denver--Cortech Inc., a Denver-based biopharmaceutical company, has begun preclinical development of a series of compounds to treat the allergic reaction to sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in AIDS patients. SMX combined with another antimicrobial, trimethoprim, is premium therapy for prevention and treatment of Pneumocystis car
AIDS Walk: Associated Press (09/18/93); Washington--The Clinton administration s new health care system guarantees health security for people infected with HIV/AID