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Insurers Accused of Discrimination in AIDS Cover *
New York Times (06/01/93)
Freudenheim, Milt

As a result of the loss of vital medical benefits, more and
more AIDS patients are accusing their health insurers of
discrimination prohibited under the Americans With Disabilities
Act of 1990. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
has received several dozen complaints involving health
insurance plans that have canceled or limited coverage for AIDS
patients.  According to the law's insurance provisions, which
were enacted last July, insurers may restrict their policies to
avoid risk, but not as a means to escape discrimination claims.
The cases have emerged after many health insurance plans have
taken advantage of federal court rulings that have allowed some
groups to deny or limit coverage for expensive diseases. One
case appealed to the Supreme Court last fall would not be heard
because of recommendations from the Bush administration. The
case involves H & H Music Company of Houston, Texas, which
drastically reduced medical benefits after its employee John W.
McGann became severely ill. The company, which was self-
insured, said it could not afford to cover AIDS. The lower
tribunals decided that self-insured employers, such as H & H
Music, were exempt from state regulation under the 1974
Employee Retirement Income Security Act. President Clinton
previously chastised the Bush administration for siding with
the employer in the case, saying the case demonstrated the need
for national health care.  But Clinton has not yet appointed a
chairman to the EEOC, which has kept the commission virtually
paralyzed in the case for months.


Body May Fight AIDS With Wrong Weapons *
Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) (05/28/93), P. A4
Hess, Henry

The human immune system fails to defeat some invaders, such as
HIV infection, because it selects the wrong weapons, according
to an article published in Friday's issue of Science. The
study, by a team of researchers that includes Jonas Salk, the
discoverer of the polio vaccine, indicates that the body's
defenses fight themselves by attempting to combat HIV with
antibodies instead of T-lymphocytes that attack and kill the
infected cells. The study proposes a strategy by which AIDS
vaccine researchers can produce and "lock in" an effective and
long-lasting immunity. It also suggests that much of the
current AIDS research is on the wrong track. Peter Bretscher, a
microbiologist at the University of Saskatchewan and co-author
of the article, said in most humans, the immune system tries to
fight HIV by producing antibodies.  However, against slow-
growing viruses like HIV, the cell-mediated response, which
produces killer cells that recognize and destroy HIV-positive
cells, is inhibited. Vaccines typically work by priming the
body to recognize and respond quickly to infection by a
specific disease-causing agent, said Dr. Bretscher. The study
indicates that exposure to very low doses of HIV will incite
the desired cell-mediated immune response, while higher
exposures produce an antibody-mediated response that suppresses
the cellular response. Dr. Bretscher said that mobilizing the
less discriminating T-lymphocytes produces "a much more vicious
kind of immunity" with a higher risk of damage to uninfected
body cells, but one more likely to be effective against HIV.


Housing Crisis Intensifies for People With AIDS *
Baltimore Sun (06/01/93), P. 1B
Selby, Holly

AIDS activists and community leaders in the Baltimore, Md.,
area have formed a panel to devise a 10-year strategy for
dealing with what they consider a rapidly growing housing
crisis for AIDS patients. City officials began accepting
proposals two weeks ago from nonprofit organizations on how to
develop such a strategy to deal with the increasing numbers of
AIDS patients who are too ill to work and too poor to afford a
home. The 10-year plan will address the needs of AIDS patients
in the city of Baltimore, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel
County--a jurisdiction created by the federal government for
funding purposes, says Donna Poggi Keck, special projects
coordinator in the city department of housing. Money that will
fund the plan comes from $447,000 provided for the Baltimore
jurisdiction last year by the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development under the Housing Opportunities for Persons
with AIDS Act (HOPWA). Another $1.1 million will be available
next year for AIDS-related services in the area. Approximately
$57,000 was designated to create the 10-year plan, while most
of the remaining money goes to a rental assistance program for
AIDS patients. Keck says that 80 to 100 area residents receive
subsidies. She adds that Baltimore and the two counties are the
only jurisdictions in Maryland to receive the HUD funding,
which was based on the prevalence of AIDS cases in the area.
Due to the high AIDS case rate in Baltimore, the city receives
about 80 percent of the grant.


In the Age of AIDS, Sex Clubs Are Back in N.Y. *
Philadelphia Inquirer (05/31/93), P. A1
Maykuth, Andrew

Less than a decade after the state of New York passed
regulations that threatened to close the remaining sex clubs in
New York City, the popularity of such establishments has re-
emerged.  Because of the threat of AIDS, in 1985, the state
classified fellatio and anal intercourse in commercial
establishments as "public-health nuisances." But now several
dozen sex clubs and bathhouses have made a comeback, causing
renewed debate in a city where 200,000 AIDS cases have been
reported since the disease was first identified. Most of the
sex clubs are little more than designated rooms in bars,
theaters, and bookstores, and they cater to both gay and
straight customers. Their resurgence has prompted arguments
from some politicians who want the clubs closed, and say they
are breeding grounds for HIV infection.  Although city health
officials agree that something must be done about the potential
for infection, they believe the very existence of sex clubs
shows that their power is limited. Mark Barnes, the city's
associate health commissioner for policy, said, "I think the
health department sends a very bad message if it knows this
kind of unprotected intercourse goes on, when the city and the
nation are in the midst of a raging epidemic."  Nevertheless,
he said that "public health is not about morals or taste or
aesthetics. It's really about what transmits disease." City
officials and civil libertarians are attempting to develop a
strategy to regulate, rather than close, the clubs. Health
officials want clubs to hire monitors to prevent patrons from
engaging in high-risk behavior, although officials concede that
it would be difficult to police sexual activities.


Sperm Doctor Releases AIDS Test Results *
United Press International (05/28/93)

(New York) A New York City doctor who was accused of illegally
supplying his own semen for artificial insemination has
revealed his HIV test results to 10 doctors who performed the
inseminations. Peter Slocum, a spokesman for the state health
department, said Dr. Douglas Moss, a gynecologist, had not
given the department permission to disclose test results even
though both the physician and his lawyer have claimed the
results were HIV-negative. Moss and medical technician Jerald
Tedeschi are being investigated by special state prosecutor
Edward Kuriansky at the request of the health department. They
face discipline for operating an illegal sperm bank and may
also face criminal charges as a result of Kuriansky's findings.
In addition, Tedeschi had given permission for his own HIV
tests to be made available to sperm recipients. The health
department accused the two of breaching several regulations,
including using their own sperm while implying the sperm came
from a bank of donors, using fresh semen that had not been
frozen and quarantined for HIV tests, and selling sperm for a
profit.


Packaging Reality: Is the Female Condom Better
Than We've Been Told? *
Village Voice (05/19/93-05/25/93) Vol. 38, No. 21, P. 25
Coleman, Beth

The Food and Drug Administration's recent approval of the
Reality Female Condom was received with continued doubt of the
condom's efficacy. This reaction was due to the resistance to
the device by the FDA itself. The agency continues to ignore
that women constitute the fastest-growing AIDS population. The
FDA requires that the Reality package must state that the male
latex condom remains the best protection against HIV and other
sexually transmitted diseases. But Dr. Erica Gollub of the HIV
Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, affiliated with
Columbia University in New York City, argues that "Male condoms
have never been subjected to the rigors that female condoms,
and all new birth control in fact, have been put under." Mary
Ann Leeper, senior VP of development at Wisconsin Pharmacal,
Reality's manufacturer, said that in laboratory tests, the
female condom could not be permeated by HIV or various other
sexually transmitted viruses. "If you use it and it doesn't rip
or tear it's going to protect you," she said. The rip and tear
rate in clinical trials was 0.2 percent, whereas the rip and
tear numbers for the male condom is as high as 14 percent. One
of the reasons for the delay of Reality's release is the FDA's
finding of a 26 percent rate of pregnancy protection. According
to Wisconsin Pharmacal and Gollub, the number is a result of
bad math, bad science, and the FDA's bias toward male condoms.


Mayors Dole Out $1 Million in AIDS Prevention Grants *
Nation's Health (05/93-06/93) Vol. 23, No. 5, P. 4

The U.S. Conference of Mayors allotted $1 million to be used by
community-based groups and health departments in 10 cities for
establishing AIDS prevention programs for populations at high
risk of HIV infection. The grants are intended to spur a
collaborative anti-AIDS effort among community groups and local
health departments. The groups which received 1993
Collaborative HIV Prevention Grants included: the Boston AIDS
Consortium, $120,095 to satisfy the unmet needs of HIV/AIDS
prevention and education; the Kansas City, Mo., Health
Department, $105,000 to establish multi-level HIV
prevention/education intervention; the Milwaukee Indian Health
Board, $129,000 to conduct HIV/AIDS prevention assessment; the
Family Health Projects Inc. of New York City, $104,000 to
launch prevention programs targeted at homosexual and bisexual
Asians and Pacific Islanders. Northern Virginia received
$59,152 to conduct needs assessment of prevention education;
the Plainfield, N.J., Division of Health received $56,152 to
coordinate prevention programs for women at risk of HIV; the
Wake County, N.C., Department of Health was granted $101,998 to
conduct community assessment of HIV and STD prevention; the San
Bernadino County, Calif., Department of Health received
$100,000 to establish a community outreach program; the Puerto
Rico Community Network For Clinical Research on AIDS was
provided with $102,657, to incorporate new prevention services
into existing strategies using street outreach activities and
risk reduction workshops; and Lucas County, Ohio, District
Board of Health was given $121,356, to conduct a needs
assessment on prevention services that target specific
populations.


Dapsone-Pyrimethamine Compared With Aerosolized Pentamidine as
Primary Prophylaxis Against Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia and
Toxoplasmosis in HIV Infection *
New England Journal of Medicine
(05/27/93) Vol. 328, No. 21, P. 1514
Girard, Pierre-Marie et al.

Aerosolized pentamidine and dapsone-pyrimethamine were found to
be equally effective in preventing first episodes of
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in HIV-positive patients,
but dapsone-pyrimethamine was not as well tolerated as
aerosolized pentamidine when used to treat toxoplasmosis, write
Pierre-Marie Girard et al. of the Institut National de la Sante
et de la Recherche Medicale in Paris, France. The researchers
conducted a randomized trial that compared two prophylactic
regimens: dapsone (50 mg per day) plus pyrimethamine (50 mg per
week), and aerosolized pentamidine (300 mg per month). The
patients had symptomatic HIV infection, no history of PCP or
symptomatic toxoplasmosis, and CD4 counts below 200 per cubic
millimeter. In an intention-to-treat analysis, after a median
follow-up of 539 days, PCP developed in 10 patients in each
group, whereas toxoplasmosis developed in 32 of 176 patients in
the pentamidine group and 19 of 173 patients in the dapsone-
pyrimethamine group. Those assigned to pentamidine had a risk
of PCP that was similar to the risk in those assigned to
dapsone-pyrimethamine. Among the 262 patients with serologic
evidence of past exposure to Toxoplasma gonii, the relative
risk of symptomatic toxoplasmosis was 2.37 times higher in
those assigned to pentamidine. More patients had to be taken
off of dapsone-pyrimethamine than pentamidine because of the
toxicity.


Global Emergency *
Mclean's (Canada) (05/24/93) Vol. 106, No. 21, P. 52
Chisholm, Patricia

The number of tuberculosis cases is increasing worldwide,
mostly in Third World nations. Between one-third and one-half
of the global population has tubercle bacillus, the bacteria
responsible for TB. World Health Organization officials have
issued a worldwide emergency and reported that 30 million
people will die from TB in the next decade unless the malady
comes under control. Although Canadians have not seen a major
increase in TB cases, officials are concerned that a trend of
annual declines in the number of reported cases has abated.
Health officials gauge the number of Canadians infected with
HIV to be 35,000, who has a dramatically higher risk of
contracting TB because of its members' depressed immune
systems. Treatment for TB usually requires more than one drug
over at least six months. Individuals with TB can spread the
disease to other people by coughing or sneezing. Nearly 50
percent of new cases remain in areas of the world where the
disease runs rampant, including Asia, Africa, Central America,
and South America. Canada has strengthened its refugee laws to
prevent immigrant children from infecting Canadian
schoolchildren. Natives, who make up 20 percent of new TB cases
in Canada, have a greater risk than the general population.


June 2, 1993


IBF to Consider Testing for HIV *
Washington Post (06/02/93), P. C2

An executive committee of the International Boxing Federation
(IBF) yesterday made a unanimous recommendation to the
federation that any fighter seeking an IBF title should have to
prove in some way that he is not infected with HIV. The
committee voted, 11-0, in Albuquerque, N.M., to present to the
convention of the IBF and its parent body, the United States
Boxing Association, a measure that will require promoters to
ensure that all those seeking championships are HIV-negative
before the fight is sanctioned. The entire body will be
presented with the motion today. Robert W. Lee, president of
the IBF, said, "I expect it will pass." The recommendation
comes after Ruben Palacio of Colombia was stripped of his title
last month as the World Boxing Organization featherweight
champion because he tested HIV-positive in a prefight physical.


Fla. Drug Firm Testing Anti-AIDS Product *
Journal of Commerce (06/02/93), P. 7A

A pilot laboratory has been built by a renowned Florida medical
firm in order to produce clinical trial quantities of HIVIG, a
blood product designed to block the transmission of HIV from
infected mothers to their unborn infants. North American
Biologicals Inc. (NABI) has also submitted an application for a
special permit from the Food and Drug Administration for its
Coconut Grove facility to become a collection site for the
processing of HIV-infected plasma. David Gury, NABI's chairman
and chief executive, said preliminary data suggest that HIVIG
might be effective in preventing the spread of HIV from mother
to baby. NABI, which is one of the world's largest independent
providers of human blood plasma, acquired the rights and assets
related to HIVIG from Abbott Laboratories last year.


What's News: The AIDS Epidemic ... *
Wall Street Journal (06/02/93), P. A1

The AIDS epidemic will continue to devastate the world for at
least one or two more generations, even if researchers discover
a successful vaccine in the next few years, said the chairman
of the international AIDS conference scheduled to begin Monday
in Berlin, Germany. Karl-Otto Habermehl, who heads a virology
institute, said that the epidemic has not yet peaked in its
severity.


AIDS Enters Second Decade Amid Debate on Progress Toward Cure *
Reuters (06/01/93)
Johnson, Cynthia

(London) The AIDS epidemic, now in its second decade, is still
surrounded by controversy regarding its prevention and cure.
Worldwide attention will again concentrate on the prospects for
fighting AIDS next week at the ninth international conference
on AIDS in Berlin. Although AIDS activists criticize today's
AIDS research, many scientists say the progress of research is
unprecedented, especially considering the complexity of HIV and
its mutability. Since HIV was first discovered, its genes have
been documented and two variants, HIV-1 and HIV-2, have been
found. The World Health Organization and the Centers for
Disease Control found no evidence of a third AIDS-like virus
after reports of cases of severe immune system depression in
the absence of either variant of HIV. A recent survey by the
Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association (PMA) found that 17
drugs had been approved in the United States to treat AIDS and
AIDS-related conditions at the end of last year. Combination
drug therapy is generally accepted to be the most effective
treatment for HIV-positive patients because the virus quickly
builds up drug resistance. The drugs used in combination
therapy will most likely include the nucleoside analogs AZT,
DDC, and DDI. Other antivirals being tested include tat
inhibitors and protease inhibitors. About 15 vaccines are
currently in clinical trials. Dr. Joep Lange, head of clinical
research at WHO's Global Program on AIDS, said that the most
promising vaccine in animal trials uses a live, genetically-
modified virus.


Health Professionals Announces Appointment of Director of
Research as HIV Standards of Care Editor *
Business Wire (05/28/93)

(Fort Lauderdale, FL) Health Professionals Inc. (HPI) on Friday
named Dr. William M. Reiter, HPI's CEO and the Director of
Research for its Center for Special Immunology Inc. subsidiary,
as Editor-in-Chief of a new annual "Standards of Care for HIV
Disease" publication to be issued by the Physicians Association
for AIDS Care (PAAC). In 1987, PAAC was established as a
nonprofit association of physicians and healthcare
professionals intended to provide medical education and
influence public policy concerning AIDS. PAAC has about 800
members in the United States who have cared for more than
100,000 people with HIV infection or AIDS. "As a greater number
of physicians are beginning to care for people with HIV
disease, it is critical that AIDS specialists share their
expertise with their colleagues. A peer-reviewed series of
treatment algorithms could have a significant impact on
extending the lives of hundreds of thousands of people with HIV
and AIDS," said Gordon Nary, executive director of PAAC. Dr.
Reiter said, "The first publication will be released after
including new clinical information to be presented next month
at the IXth International Conference on AIDS." HPI, through its
principal subsidiary Center for Special Immunology Inc., runs a
national network of facilities that incorporate primary care
and clinical research in immunologic disorders--mainly for
patients with HIV infection and AIDS.


Condom Use in Nation's Capital Surveyed *
United Press International (05/27/93)

(Atlanta, GA) Among Washington, D.C., residents surveyed, more
than half reported always using a condom during sexual
activity, according to a report by the Centers for Disease
Control.  However, these findings suggest that about 40 percent
are still not consistently protecting themselves and others
from the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV
infection. The CDC's report said 59 percent of people in the
nation's capital between the ages of 18 and 45 who said they
had sex with more than one partner in the past year reported
always using a condom. But about 40 percent of sexually active
people in the District were having unprotected sex with
multiple partners. The study also found that 70 percent of men
with more than one sex partner reported always using condoms.
The research was conducted by the District of Columbia
Commission of Public Health and was based on information from
random telephone calls involving 578 respondents. Between 1980
and 1990, the rate of AIDS cases in Washington, D.C., was 2,713
cases per 100,000 persons--about eight times that of the
surrounding metropolitan area, where the prevalence of the
disease was 340 cases per 100,000 individuals.


AIDS Activists Heckle Clinton Over Haitians *
Reuters (05/28/93)

(Philadelphia, PA) AIDS activists disrupted President Clinton's
speech at Philadelphia's City Hall last week by chastising his
policy regarding the HIV-positive Haitians detained at the U.S.
Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The protesters unfurled a
large banner with the message, "Abolish AIDS concentration
camps," and began chanting "H-I-V is not a crime. Free the
Haitians."  Clinton told the crowd that had gathered to hear
his speech, "My budget did more to fight AIDS than any in
history and we're having to put up with this." As the activists
continued to frustrate the president, he told the crowd, "I'll
make you a deal--I'll ignore them if you will." The crowd
expressed its agreement, and Clinton gave the rest of his
speech, interrupted only a few times protesters.


Proposal for AIDS Memorial Dropped *
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (05/28/93), P. 3A
Yearwood, Lori Teresa

A proposed memorial to people who have died of AIDS was
rejected by St. Louis, Mo., city park officials as being
inappropriate and too costly to maintain. Gary Bess, acting
director of the city parks department, said, "If we can create
some positive public space for the public to enjoy, that's what
we like to encourage. But we don't want a memorial to the
dead." Consequently, Howard Meyer is taking his idea to
establish an AIDS memorial somewhere else. Meyer said of the
city's decision, "I think it's one of the grandest scales of
homophobia I've ever seen in my life--just plain bigotry."
Meyer had proposed to renovate the Vandeventer Gateway in
Forest Park with inlaid eight-inch slabs of granite with the
names and ages of St. Louisians who died of AIDS.  Activists
said that the memorial, intended to be a place of
contemplation, would be the first of its kind in the United
States. Meyer had hoped to generate the needed money through
his nonprofit group, St. Louis AIDS Memorial Inc., and a
federal grant. City park officials initially thought the
memorial would consist of a small plaque and discreet
landscaping, but when they saw Meyer's actual design--which was
240 feet wide--they objected. Although officials claim that the
proposed grass hills and flower beds at the memorial would be
too difficult to care for, the architect of the memorial said
it would not take more than a lawn mower to maintain. Meyer
said he will continue to fight the city and if he doesn't
succeed there, he will purchase land for the memorial.


The Dual Epidemics of Tuberculosis and AIDS: Ethical and Policy
Issues in Screening and Treatment *
American Journal of Public Health
(05/93) Vol. 83, No. 5, P. 649
Bayer, Ronald et al.

Because of the epidemiology of the tuberculosis epidemic, its
relationship to HIV infection, and the fact that it is the most
socially marginalized individuals who are affected by TB and
HIV, there is a danger that the demands by the public for
increased health protection will foster a climate in which the
rights of infected individuals may be ignored, write Ronald
Bayer et al. of Columbia University. The authors write that
mandatory HIV testing is not essential to effective TB control,
and that although individuals infected with HIV are at
increased risk for developing TB, exclusionary employment
practices are not justified. Because neglecting to complete the
regimen of anti-TB treatment increases the potential for the
development of drug resistance, it is imperative to require all
those who start treatment to finish it completely. In order to
safeguard against the development of drug resistance, special
attention must be given to the needs of the homeless, drug
users, and those with psychiatric disorders. Moreover, all TB
patients should start their post-hospital care under direct
supervision. Those patients who fail to complete treatment
should be subject to confinement after a hearing with full due
process protection.


Factors Affecting Gay and Bisexual Men's Decisions and
Intentions to Seek HIV Testing *
American Journal of Public Health
(05/93) Vol. 83, No. 5, P. 701
Myers, Ted

Improving access to HIV testing by removing some of the current
psychological and physical barriers will enhance its medical
and public health significance, write Ted Myers et al. of the
University of Toronto in Ontario. In the spring of 1990, 1,295
men completed an anonymous questionnaire in gay-identified bars
and bathhouses in Toronto. About 53 percent of the respondents
had been tested for HIV infection, of whom 26 were found to be
HIV-positive. Metropolitan residence was most strongly
associated with previous test seeking. This could be due to the
heightened awareness of the risk of HIV infection and the
extensive HIV/AIDS education that has taken place in urban
areas. In addition, residents of metropolitan areas have access
to an established and supportive gay community along with
relatively greater anonymity than residents of more rural
areas. The study also found that older men and bisexual men
were more resistant to being tested for HIV. The smaller
proportions of older and bisexual men seeking testing may
reflect the lower prevalence of high-risk behavior among these
groups. The finding may also be related to sexual identity and
openness. Furthermore, the study found that previous test
experience was strongly associated with intention to be tested.
Reasons for not being tested included: desire for anonymity,
self-perceived health, and no benefit and denial. Bisexuals and
men who did not engage in anal sex were more likely to express
a desire for anonymity.


June 3, 1993


Youth AIDS Prevention Efforts Faulted *
Washington Post (06/03/93), P. A5

The National Commission on AIDS yesterday suggested in a report
that the lack of an aggressive federal AIDS policy has left
young people confused and vulnerable to the disease. The
commission's report also urged that condoms be provided in
schools, but that abstinence be stressed as the most effective
means to avoid contracting HIV infection. "Years of
disagreement at the highest levels of the federal government
over the proper messages to give young people have helped to
create and perpetuate a national atmosphere of confusion and
controversy," said the report. The commission advised that a
"vigorous and unequivocal leadership" in a broad new
educational effort is needed to teach America's youth about the
risks of HIV infection and how to prevent its transmission. The
commission released a second report yesterday that urged
private businesses, as well as the government, to devise AIDS
education programs and workplace policies for HIV-positive
employees. "At too many work sites, managers and employees are
in states of denial, complacency or ignorance--all of which can
have adverse consequences for individuals and organizations,"
the report said. The National Commission on AIDS is currently
in the last stages of preparing a final report to the president
scheduled to be released at the end of the month.  Although
Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush opposed the
distribution of condoms, President Clinton's position on the
issue is still unknown.

Related Stories: Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (06/03)
P. A5; Philadelphia Inquirer (06/03) P. A2; Baltimore Sun
(06/03) P. 13A.


AIDS Virus Isolations in U.S., France Traced to Same Patient *
Philadelphia Inquirer (06/03/93), P. A2

The original samples of HIV that were isolated by researchers
in France and other researchers in the United States in the
early 1980s appear to have come from the same patient,
according to a study published in today's issue of the journal
Nature. The study said that the virus from the patient
apparently tainted a laboratory culture used in the United
States to isolate HIV.  Earlier work demonstrated that the
patient's virus also contaminated French laboratory cultures
from which the French isolate was taken. The French and
American labs shared material from their cultures, unknowingly
allowing contamination in both labs. The study's conclusion
reaffirms what researchers had said about the striking
similarity between the strain of HIV isolated by the U.S.
National Cancer Institute and the Pasteur Institute in Paris.
Thomas White and colleagues at Roche Molecular Systems Inc.,
who conducted the study, examined the genetic material from HIV
samples. They concluded that the pool of HIV from which the
cancer institute isolated its virus was contaminated between
October 1983 and early 1984. The tainted virus was initially
recovered from a patient identified as LAI.


Schools Give Condoms to 1,600 in First Year *
Washington Post (06/03/93), P. D.C. 1
Harris, Hamil R.

In the first year of Washington, D.C.'s condom distribution
program in schools, nearly 1,600 students, or 9 percent of
students in targeted schools, have requested condoms at least
once, while hundreds of others have returned more than once.
D.C. Public Health Commissioner Mohammad Akhter said, "This is
the most successful school health program in the country, and
the proof is in the data." He said that while a cause-and-
effect correlation would be hard to prove, preliminary data
suggest 300 fewer teenage pregnancies this school year and a 30
percent decrease in sexually transmitted diseases among
teenagers.  Overall, 20,000 condoms have been provided for
students since October. Health officials say requests for
condoms, which were offered in all of the high schools and four
of the city's 25 junior highs, far surpassed expectations as
the school year progressed. Twice as many condoms were given to
young men than young women, and the average age of recipients
was 16, said health officials. Before students are allowed to
receive condoms they must attend two assemblies on health
issues, including a discussion of AIDS. They also must attend a
private counseling session with a school nurse. The condom
distribution program was started this year in order to slow the
spread of AIDS. Recent studies show that HIV is spreading
faster in Washington than in any other major U.S. city.
Research has also indicated that one in every 45 District
teenagers may be HIV-positive.


State Increases Funding to Phila. AIDS Hospice *
Philadelphia Inquirer (06/03/93), P. B2

Pennsylvania Gov. Robert Casey's administration yesterday
revealed plans to allot $615,000 in funds this year for Betak,
the Philadelphia hospice and nursing care facility for AIDS
patients. The amount announced yesterday is a $200,000 increase
from the $415,000 contract for 1993-1994 that the state
approved in April. The Rev. L. Tiemeyer, president of Lutheran
Home at Germantown, Betak's parent company, had said in April
that an additional $250,000 would be necessary in order for the
facility to stay open past June 1. State officials said in
their announcement that the Betak facility might receive as
much as $359,000 more for expenses during the last fiscal year.
The additional funds would not come from the state, but from
other revenue sources involving medical assistance
reimbursements that were available to Betak but that the
facility has not yet claimed.


Miss America Censored in Fla. Over AIDS Views *
Baltimore Sun (06/03/93), P. 13A

Miss America Leanza Cornett, who enjoys educating people about
AIDS, has been asked not to mention the disease when talking
with elementary school students in Florida. Some school
officials demanded that she not use the word "condom" when
talking to students, while others advised that she not mention
AIDS at all. "When the notice said I couldn't talk about AIDS
or sex, I was floored," said Cornett. She was told not to
mention the disease when visiting three elementary schools
Tuesday in Bradford County, Fla. "I can adhere to any school
board's needs. But I will not be an accomplice to the spread of
this disease," she told a Rotary-Kiwanis meeting after her
school visits. She added, "People are dying from this disease.
I feel guilty that I didn't speak about it. I don't want to lay
blame, but the school board should feel guilty." She went to
the schools to present awards for Chevrolet's "Driving for
Education" program, and gave 10-minute motivational speeches to
the students. Jo Ann Rowe, the Bradford County school
superintendent, said Wednesday that school officials must
inform parents in advance if an outside speaker is going to
discuss sexual issues such as AIDS. The disease is addressed in
the fifth grade and in sex education in the sixth grade,
according to the school district's curriculum.  Cornett
indicated that this is not the first time she has been told not
to discuss AIDS.


AIDS Conferences Have Outlived Usefulness, Journal Says *
Reuters (06/02/93)

They should be replaced by more effective means of
communication, according to an editorial in the British journal
Nature. The editorial on next week's ninth international
conference on AIDS in Berlin said, "For those who wish to catch
public attention, say for an untested candidate vaccine, the
announcement of research collaboration or the denunciation of
the 'AIDS hypothesis,' Berlin will be a splendid venue." It
added, "None of this implies that no serious science will be
done but merely that ... AIDS conferences have outlived their
usefulness and should be stopped." The editorial said that
these annual conferences began at a time when it appeared there
might be rapid progress toward treatment and a cure for AIDS.
It was only natural that the research community would report
back at regular intervals on its findings. "The implied promise
has already been broken. The biomedical research community
cannot in logic be blamed that the AIDS virus has turned out to
be a more obdurate agent than originally expected, but it is
blamed," the editorial said. With no cure in sight, the public-
-as opposed to professional--interest has changed its focus
from biomedical affairs to the alteration of human behavior as
a means of preventing HIV, the journal said. "Does one have to
travel to Berlin to hear that?" the editorial asked.


Health Professionals to Present Research at Berlin AIDS
Conference *
Business Wire (06/02/93)

(Fort Lauderdale, FL) Health Professionals Inc. (HPI) has
announced that its principal subsidiary, Center for Special
Immunology Inc. (CSI), will be presenting two research reports
at the Ninth International AIDS Conference in Berlin next week.
CSI's Immune Reconstitution Treatment program will present its
first findings in a paper entitled Treatment of Late-Stage AIDS
Patients with Combined Monthly Anti-HIV Hyperimmunoglobulin and
Haplotype-Matched Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes. The study was
intended to directly boost immune system function in patients
with progressive HIV infection and late-stage immune system
depletion. The second study, Cytotoxic CD8 Lymphocyte Response
to HIV-1 Infection Correlated with Longitudinal Analysis of CD4
Lymphocyte Percentage, provides insight into how advanced
laboratory testing can be used to estimate response to
treatment over time. Dr. William M. Reiter, Director of
Research for CSI and Chairman and CEO of HPI, said, "These two
CSI papers have been accepted for oral platform presentation,
the highest level of presentation at the International AIDS
Conference."


Pregnancy and Contraception Use Among Urban Rwandan Women After
HIV Testing and Counseling *
American Journal of Public Health
(05/93) Vol. 83, No. 5, P. 705
Allen, Susan et al.

Additional research is needed to define the cultural,
psychological, and practical obstacles to effective, long-term
contraception among HIV-positive women, write Susan Allen et
al. of the University of California--San Francisco. For two
years, the researchers followed a sample of 1,458 childbearing
urban Rwandan women aged 18-35 years who were tested for HIV.
Upon enrollment, 17 percent of the 998 HIV-negative women and
11 percent of the 460 HIV-positive women were pregnant, and 17
percent and 23 percent, respectively, were using hormonal
contraceptives. One year later, half of the HIV-infected and
one third of the HIV-negative hormonal-contraceptive users had
discontinued use. The two-year incidence of pregnancy was 43
percent in HIV-positive women and 58 percent in HIV-negative
women. HIV-positive women with fewer than four children were
more likely to become pregnant than those with four or more
children; this correlation persisted in multivariate analyses
but was not noted among HIV-negative women. At the conclusion
of the study, more than 40 percent of contraceptive non-users
said that they would use hormonal contraceptives if they was
provided at the study clinic, but 40 percent of the HIV-
infected women wanted more children. Community programs are
needed to increase resources and options for HIV-infected women
and their children, and to allow HIV-positive women to be
valued and supported even if they have relatively few children,
the researchers conclude.


Bar Codes Track HIV Infected Needles *
IDSystems (05/93), P. 27
Navas, Deborah

The clean-needle exchange program in New Haven, Conn., has
successfully thwarted the spread of HIV among IV-drug users by
using an advanced system of tracking the needles and infection
rates. The AIDS intervention program conducted by Yale
University and New Haven's health department has used the bar-
code-based syringe tracking and testing (STT) system for about
three years, and the resulting data strongly indicate that
needle exchange significantly slows the rate of infection
without encouraging new drug use. Edward H. Kaplan, a professor
at both the Yale School of Management and the Yale School of
Medicine, helped develop the STT system. It is based on coded
syringes, which makes it possible to obtain accurate, quick,
and modest estimates of needle return rates, circulation time,
and changes in the rate of infection among needles distributed
by the program. New Haven health workers distribute clean
needles with six-digit sequentially numbered labels identifying
them. They frequently travel in a van to the inner city where
drug use is prevalent. The clients enter the van and identify
themselves by code names to ensure anonymity. The drug users
put their old syringes in a labeled needle caddy, and in
exchange they receive kits that include bleach, water, clean
needles, and condoms. The coded needles link a number of
variables with the individual returned needle. This information
is subsequently entered into a computer on location. The
returned needles are later scanned with Datalogic DL 60 CCD
scanners, samples are tested for HIV, and the results are added
to the tracking database. This data made it possible to
ascertain reliable statistics and timely information on the
program's effectiveness.


AIDS: The Silent Treatment *
Health (05/93-06/93), P. 16

Doctors do not educate their patients enough about AIDS,
according to a study by researchers from the University of
California. The researchers questioned 1,312 people if, during
medical checkups in the past five years, a physician had
discussed AIDS or asked them about high risk sexual behavior.
Those who said no accounted for 80 percent. When AIDS was
addressed, doctors initiated the conversation only 21 percent
of the time. According to psychologist Barbara Gerbert, one of
the authors of the report, doctors assume that patients who
believe they are at risk for HIV infection will ask the
questions.  However, the survey found that less than a quarter
of people in high risk groups had brought up the issue.
"Doctors must think patients wear signs saying, 'I'm the one to
talk to about AIDS,'" says Gerbert.


June 4, 1993


Around the Region: Teacher Charged in Sex Abuse Tests Negative
for AIDS *
Washington Post (06/04/93), P. D5

The former Anne Arundel County, Md., high school teacher who
has admitted to having sex with seven students has tested
negative for HIV, according to his attorneys. The lawyers also
said that he may plead insanity when his case goes to trial.
Ronald W. Price. who was arrested on April 8 and charged with
three counts of child sexual abuse, has suggested that he is
innocent because his actions were a result of a mental illness.
Price recently indicated that he may have been exposed to HIV
but was found to be HIV-negative after an Anne Arundel County
Circuit Court judge had allowed him to leave his home to get
tested.


Stepping Ahead of AIDS Walk *
Boston Globe (06/03/93), P. 23
Artis, Joanne Ball

The 8th annual From All Walks of Life--AIDS Pledge Walk in
Boston will be held Sunday. Vance Deare, an AIDS outreach
worker, has been urging the minorities he works with to
participate in the AIDS fundraiser for the past three months.
Deare, who is also a minority, said it has been a difficult
challenge working with this population. "The minority community
is in a real state of denial about the disease. They believe
that if we don't deal with it, it will go away. But for a host
of reasons, we are more affected by it," he said. Massachusetts
AIDS statistics released last week showed that the trend of the
epidemic is affecting even greater numbers of minorities and
women. The escalating number of cases makes Deare's mission all
the more important. Deare expects this year's AIDS walk to have
the highest representation of minorities ever, as a result of
his efforts. About 35,000 people were involved in the walk last
year, which raised $2.95 million for 35 AIDS organizations and
agencies in eastern Massachusetts. Bradley Seeman, walk manager
at the Boston-based AIDS Action Committee, said, "What makes
the walk so powerful is that tens of thousands of people will
be walking, asking for donations from hundreds of thousands of
other people. It really makes it an enormous grass-roots
effort."


Detained Teenagers Walk for AIDS Research Inside Detention
Center *
Boston Globe (06/03/93), P. 29
Hart, Jordana

About a dozen teenagers at a Massachusetts detention center,
who the state will not allow to participate in the annual 10-
kilometer AIDS Pledge Walk in Boston this Sunday, raised money
on their own on Wednesday by circling their fenced yard 52.5
times. Janet Martin, director of the Boston Secure Treatment
Center, a program at Roslindale detention center, said
yesterday's incident was the second such 10-kilometer "yard"
walk for youths held at the detention facility. After employees
at the detention center last year decided to participate in the
walk, some of the youths also expressed interest in the event,
but they were not allowed to participate because they were
incarcerated, said Martin. She added that the boys "raised more
than $1,000 last year." "We have two boys here who have lost
both parents to AIDS. Others know people who have AIDS or who
have died of AIDS," said Martin. Department of Youth Services
spokeswoman Christy George said the teenagers' walk, which was
voluntary, started at 10 a.m. and continued until noon, then
resumed at 1:15 p.m. and ended at 3:30 p.m. The treatment
program at the center offers a course in sex education, which
includes information on AIDS and HIV. George said, "We consider
these kids at risk for AIDS, not because of intravenous drug
use, but because of sex and not using condoms."

Medizone's Blood Decontamination Technology Proven Successful
in Canadian Monkey Trial *
Business Wire (06/02/93

(New York, NY) Medizone International Inc. on Wednesday
disclosed that it had successfully completed the first two
phases of a Canadian research study that has shown preliminary
scientific evidence supporting the use of the company's
proprietary blood decontamination technology in monkeys. "To
date, the research program has successfully demonstrated that
monkeys receiving blood fractionated plasma purposely infected
with a highly virulent strain of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus
[monkey equivalent to HIV], but treated with Medizone's
process, did not demonstrate any signs of infection over the
course of the study [35 days]. However, all animals receiving
similarly infected products without the benefit of intervention
of Medizone's decontamination technology died within 12-14
days," said Dr. Joseph S. Latino. In addition, he said, "These
preliminary research results indicate the capability of
Medizone's patented scientific and technological process to
inactivate blood and blood products of certain viral
contaminants, including the AIDS virus." Those who conducted
the research included scientists from the Canadian Red Cross,
Canadian Departments of Defense and Agriculture, Cornell
University Veterinarian Medical College, and Medizone Canada
Ltd., concluded Latino.


Irish Government Approves Condom Vending Machines *
United Press International (06/03/93)

(Dublin, Ireland) The Irish government on Thursday voted in
favor of lifting the ban on the sale of condoms through vending
machines. The move is considered a milestone in the
liberalization of the country's rigid laws on moral issues.
Despite strong opposition from the Catholic church, the
government also eliminated the ban on the sale of condoms to
people under 17 years of age. The new laws call for condom
vending machines--previously illegal in Ireland--to be
installed anywhere except for schools, and the advertising ban
on condoms is expected to be lifted. Ireland's health minister,
Brendan Howlin, commended the government's effort as a landmark
in the fight against AIDS. However, the Irish Catholic church
argued that lifting the ban would result in a moral decline in
Ireland. Spokesman of the Irish Catholic Bishop's Conference,
Bishop Joseph Duffy, said, "Laws which provide for the
widespread availability of condoms can give the appearance of
society's approval for an abuse of God's gift of sexuality."
The new condom sales policies bring an end to 25 years of
campaigning to bring Ireland's strict anti-contraceptive laws
up to the pace of most Western countries.


French Catholic Archbishop Backs Condom Use *
Reuters (06/03/93)

(Toulouse, France) A French Roman Catholic archbishop revealed
Thursday his support for condom use, which challenges the
teachings of Pope John Paul II. Andre Collini, archbishop of
Toulouse in southwestern France, said the church should rethink
its doctrine on forbidding condom use because the devices are
the best known method for preventing the spread of HIV
infection.  "If one cannot change one's sexual habits, then one
does not have the right not to use a condom because that would
mean becoming an agent of death, and the [fifth] commandment
says thou shalt not kill," said Collini. Even though Collini's
views are backed by many liberal-minded Catholics, it was
highly unusual for someone of his rank to contradict the tenets
of church doctrine. The pope emphasizes that abstinence is the
only way to prevent contracting HIV. But his position on AIDS
has angered many liberals who accuse the pope of
irresponsibility.


ImmuCell Announces Continued Clinical Program to Develop
Treatment for Diarrheal Infections in AIDS and Other Patients *
Business Wire (06/02/93

(Portland, ME) ImmuCell Corp. on Wednesday announced the
continuation of the Phase I/II human clinical trials for
CryptoGAM, an orally administered polyclonal antibody product
for the treatment of cryptosporidiosis in AIDS patients and
others with weakened immune systems. The trials are being
conducted by Univax Biologics Inc. of Rockville, Md., the
licensee of the marketing rights to CryptoGAM. Univax has
completed a Phase I/II trial involving 40 AIDS patients with
chronic cryptosporidiosis. About 10 percent to 15 percent of
all AIDS patients in the United States experience
cryptosporidium infection, which often leads to death.
Cryptosporidium parasites attack the small intestine and cause
extreme and often debilitating diarrhea. There is no effective
treatment currently available for the condition. The antibodies
used in CryptoGAM are grown in cows immunized with a vaccine
developed by ImmuCell. Univax President and CEO Thomas P.
Stagnaro said in a quarterly letter to Univax shareholders on
June 2, "Our first controlled study under a Univax IND
(Investigational New Drug Application) accomplished its goal of
demonstrating safety and showing activity. A truly effective
product for this indication would not only reduce parasite
counts but also reduce diarrheal volume. In our study, the
parasite level was reduced; however, diarrhea volume remained
unacceptably high in some patients." Univax expects to continue
enrolling patients to analyze higher doses and possible
alternative delivery modes of CryptoGAM.


More Guantanamo Haitians Released *
United Press International (06/01/93)

(Miami, FL) An additional 11 HIV-positive Haitian refugees held
at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were admitted
into the United States last weekend. The 11 refugees was flown
to the United States during the weekend and paroled into the
community for humanitarian reasons, said Duke Austin, a
spokesman for the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
"These all had minor children," said Austin. One family of six
was brought to New York City and the other family of five will
reside in Homestead, Fla. Meanwhile, 160 Haitian refugees
remain at the naval base.  Austin said, "We're looking at all
of them individually. We have some pending requests for
paroles. Their medical conditions are still being monitored."
Approximately 50 HIV-positive Haitian refugees were allowed to
enter the United States last month under a judge's order that
the government provide sufficient medical care for those with
full-blown AIDS. U.S. District Judge Sterling Johnson in New
York, who made the ruling, is still reviewing a lawsuit
regarding the fate of the other refugees.


Life Insurers Plan AIDS Tests *
Nikkei Weekly (Japan) (05/24/93) Vol. 31, No. 1570, P. 19

As an increasing number AIDS cases begin to appear in Japan,
the life insurance industry there plans to require HIV tests of
applicants before issuing policies. Japanese insurance industry
officials said the issue at hand is how to safeguard the
privacy of test results--not the validity of rejecting
applicants.  Insurance companies already conduct physical
examinations, and deny coverage to people with terminal cancer
or other severe conditions. However, the physical currently
does not include an HIV test, and insurers pay benefits in
AIDS-related deaths. The industry is concerned that without a
means to screen applicants for HIV, payments will escalate,
thereby reducing profits. "If the number of AIDS victims
continues to increase, we would be forced to boost premiums,
burdening all those wanting life insurance," one senior
executive in the insurance industry said. The Life Insurance
Association of Japan has formed a committee to examine the
details of requiring an HIV test. The committee could issue a
plan as early as this fiscal year after it consults with
health-care professionals and examines the U.S. situation.
Some in the industry predict that it will take considerably
longer to implement an HIV testing requirement.


Court Order on Infected Inmates *
American Medical News (05/24/93) Vol. 36, No. 20, P. 2

A federal judge has ordered that California prison officials
place HIV-positive inmates in food-service jobs at the
Vacaville medical prison. According to U.S. District Judge
Lawrence Karlton, the state's ban on HIV-infected inmates in
food jobs is illegal under the Americans with Disabilities Act
because the institution receives federal money. He ruled that
food-service assignments be given to HIV-positive inmates who
are in the first six months of infection.



NOTE: Compilation by Michael Tidmus : AIDSwire. All rights
reserved. Permission is granted to republish on electronic
media for which no fee is charged, provided the complete text
of this notice is attached to any republished portion or
portions.

* From the AIDS Daily Summary. The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) National AIDS Clearinghouse has made this
information available as a public service only. Providing this
information does not constitute endorsement by the CDC, the CDC
Clearinghouse, or any other organization. Reproduction of this
text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold. Copyright
1992, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD.

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