-----===[[[ A I D S w i r e D I G E S T 08.02.93 ]]]===----- New Tool for Prosecutors: Attempted Murder by HIV * Baltimore Sun (08/02/93), P. 1A LoLordo, Ann The state of Florida has charged 31-year-old AIDS patient Ignacio Perea Jr. with attempted first-degree murder for sexually assaulting three young boys. Perea is among a growing number of defendants whose HIV status has been the basis for a murder charge. The issue has been hotly debated in the courtroom and in law journals, and hinges on the rights of privacy, public health concerns, and law enforcement, all viewed in the context of a complex social behavior--sex--and a killer disease. Gay rights advocates believe that charging these defendants with attempted murder is unjust and simply furthers the public's paranoia about AIDS. Prosecutors and victims' attorneys, however, believe that HIV-positive people who have unprotected sex are playing with a deadly weapon. Scott Burris, Temple University law professor and author of "AIDS Law Today: The New Guide for the Public," says, "The incidents of HIV prosecutions motivated and carried on essentially by prejudice far outnumber the cases where there [is] actually a chance of transmission or evidence of an evil state of mind. We have to understand sex is a very complicated thing; the motivation can be very complicated. It is not the same thing as firing a loaded gun." Ontario's First HIV Centre to Provide Care, Training * Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) (07/30/93), P. A5 Ontario is experiencing a growing shortage of doctors trained to deal with HIV-positive individuals. To ease the situation, the Ontario Ministry of Health yesterday announced C$520,000 in annual funding for an innovative new HIV center to train physicians and care for as many as 1,000 AIDS patients. HIV- specialist Philip Berger says, "There's a scarcity of news that's uplifting in regards to AIDS. There's very little that breaks the stream of misery--but this does." The center will work cooperatively with the University of Toronto and Wellesley Hospital. It will be staffed with two full-time faculty doctors and two fully trained fellows, and will have the added resources of the university's doctors-in-training. Barr Files Appeals AZT Case * PR Newswire (07/29/93) Pomona, N.Y.--Barr Laboratories, Inc. is appealing a federal district court order upholding Burroughs Wellcome's patent on AZT as a treatment for AIDS. The court order ended a trial over Barr's contention that scientists at the National Institutes of Health were co-inventors of AZT as an AIDS therapy. The appeal process should take about one year. AIDS Expert Reports 'Pandemic' in Burma * United Press International (07/30/93) Barnetson, Denholm Bangkok--According to AIDS expert Dr. Daniel Tarantola, Burma is experiencing a rampant spread of the HIV virus, and despite having a population of 42 million, the number of HIV infections within the country could surpass that in the United States in two years. Presently, Dr. Tarantola estimates that 300,000 to 400,000 of Burma's people are infected with the virus that leads to AIDS, and he says that the economic and political pressures imposed on Burma from various other countries are impeding the efforts to quell the virus' spread. Dr. Tarantola says that because Burma lacks basic medical supplies, "only 36 percent of the blood supply can be tested for the virus." Tarantola praised the Burmese government for its attempts at slowing the virus' spread. Helping in these efforts is the Association Francois-Xavier Bagnoud, which has donated close to $100 million to the cause. AIDS Linked to Argentine Tuberculosis Mortality Rate * United Press International (08/02/93) Buenos Aires--Deaths among Argentineans with tuberculosis are increasing, due directly to a greater prevalence of patients with AIDS, according to Dr. Mary Oviedo de Notari. The past three years have seen a 75-percent increase in tuberculosis deaths, and over 50 percent of those currently suffering from the disease have AIDS. Although tuberculosis is fully treatable among patients with AIDS, poverty and a lack of treatment resources are preventing those in need from undergoing the six- month treatment. Tuberculosis is particularly caustic in regards to AIDS, because it is extremely contagious and can be transmitted through the air. N.J. Lawmaker Working on Clean-Needle Plan * United Press International (07/31/93) Trenton, N.J.--In an effort to help curb AIDS, New Jersey State Senator Wynona Lipman is working on legislation to create the state's first clean-needle program for addicts. Lipman's proposal would terminate a current state ban on possession of syringes without prescriptions. State and local authorities at selected sites would provide clean needles and education materials on ending addiction and preventing AIDS infection. The programs would be monitored by the state Health Department. Lipman has cited a General Accounting Office report that indicated such programs, which now exist in 27 states, cut AIDS infection rates without increasing drug use. News Briefs: Political Battles Over HIV Education Leave Teens Defenseless * Nation's Health (07/93) Vol. 23, No. 6, P. 5 Because of the nationwide controversy over how to properly aim HIV education messages to teenagers, effective AIDS prevention programs have been impeded. A recent report called "Preventing HIV/AIDS in Adolescents" by the National Commission on AIDS revealed that questions about HIV prevention messages have become the political lightning rods for much of America's anxiety of sexuality issues. Consequently, the commission said there is an imminent need for White House leadership on the issue and for legislation from Congress on extensive services for youth. In addition, Congress needs to eliminate some of the categorical funding barriers that make it difficult to serve young people, and enhance special teacher training resources, the report recommended. Unlike the adult AIDS population, teens are rarely recognized in the health reform debate. The commission suggested that health care and education reform unite to create "healthy schools" that provide students with mentors, critical thinking skills, and access to health and other social services. In addition to the adolescent report, the commission released another report in June on how to use the workplace in responding to the AIDS epidemic. The commission members again requested national leadership from the federal government, recommending that the Centers for Disease Control improve its connections between the public health community and businesses in supplying technical assistance on AIDS-related workplace issues. APHA Goes to Court to Fight Use of AIDS as Gay Ban Justification * Nation's Health (07/93) Vol. 23, No. 6, P. 12 Although there appeared to be a lull in using the AIDS epidemic as a tool to hinder gay rights, it seems to be picking up again. American Civil Liberties Union's William Rubenstein has asked the American Public Health Association for its expertise in setting the record straight on the connection between homosexuality and public health. One case involves a Naval Academy student who was discharged from the academy solely on the basis of his sexual orientation. After a lower court ruled against the student, the judge ruled that the military's gay ban was justified by the AIDS epidemic, even though the armed forces had never referred to the epidemic in its arguments for the long-standing ban. In the appeal, the APHA and the American Medical Association, as well as other health groups, asked the court to abandon any relation between AIDS prevention in the military and the ban on homosexual servicemembers. The APHA's brief said, "Public health is not advanced by blunt, group- based instruments such as excluding all gay men, all African- Americans, or all Latinos from an employment pool--even though each of those groups disproportionately account for current AIDS cases in this country." The APHA also said excluding gays because they are viewed as high-risk will relay the wrong AIDS prevention message. Instead, it should be emphasized that risky behavior is linked with certain acts, not sexual orientation. Vaccine Void: Trials Stalled, Along With Hopes for HIV Therapy * American Medical News (07/26/93) Vol. 36, No. 28, P. 2 Staver, Sari Hopes for an AIDS vaccine have been diminished due to controversy over the most widely tested therapeutic AIDS vaccine, MicroGeneSys gp160. During the 1992 International Conference on AIDS in Amsterdam, two reports of MicroGeneSys gp160 received significant attention because they showed what appeared to be the first real success in testing a therapeutic vaccine. If the findings were confirmed with clinical improvements, it seemed that the Food and Drug Administration would hasten the approval of the vaccine. However, AIDS experts questioned the studies, noting that one was very small and used unusual test-measuring methods, while the other was uncontrolled. In addition, last October, MicroGeneSys was criticized by AIDS advocates and researchers for bypassing the National Institutes of Health in receiving a congressional mandate to allow a $20 million trial of its gp160 vaccine. Subsequently, the authority over the trial was switched back to the NIH, which required that gp160 be compared to other AIDS vaccines. But MicroGeneSys has yet to supply gp160 to NIH, putting the trial on hold indefinitely, said Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The company has asked to be reimbursed for providing its product, even though manufacturers customarily donate their drugs for such government studies. Fauci said the NIH "absolutely will not consider" paying. He added that MicroGeneSys has missed two deadlines for clarifying its participation plans, thus indicating it will not supply the vaccine. The trial cannot be conducted without the cooperation of MicroGeneSys because the congressional mandate requires that gp160 be among the products tested. August 3, 1993 Republican Blocks Final Vote on Surgeon General Nominee * New York Times (08/03/93) P. A18 Sen. Don Nickles (R-Okla.) has put U.S. Surgeon General nominee Joycelyn Elders' confirmation vote on hold for another month. Nickles, a leading opponent to Elders' nomination, said at a news conference that he will delay the vote until the Senate returns from recess in September. Nickles has called Elders a "radical" for her positions in favor of abortion rights, sex education, and condom distribution. Although he does not claim to have the 51 votes needed to defat the nomination or the 41 votes needed to maintain a filibuster, Nickles says, "I haven't given up hope." The delay buys the opposition a little time, he says. Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), joining Nickles at the news conference, said, "Who knows what will happen over the August recess as more information gets out about this nominee's background." Related Story: Washington Post (08/03) P. A8 Hoffmann-La Roche Halts AIDS Drug's Development * Wall Street Journal (08/03/93) P. B6 Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. plans to stop its development of the TAT antagonist, an AIDS drug. The company ended the program because many study patients showed poor tolerance for the drug at higher doses. Scientists from AIDS Clinical Trials Group, a partner in the tests, noted discouraging findings at the recent AIDS conference in Berlin. The TAT antagonist no longer can become an effective treatment, according to Jurgen Drews, president of international research and development for Hoffmann-La Roche. Iain Sim, project manager for the TAT antagonist, reported that the research also showed that AIDS may not need TAT for replication of the virus. Sim added that these results could influence other companies that are using TAT to develop drugs for AIDS. Lawsuit Wants HIV Prisoners Segregated * United Press International (08/01/93) Tallahassee, Fla.--A recent lawsuit filed in Leon County Circuit Court wants the state of Florida to separate all inmates who test positive for AIDS. Inmates William Gerry Hargrove and H. David Wallick filed the suit because they fear they may be exposed to the disease accidentally, due to a lack of sanitary living conditions, or through foul play or rape. While Hargrove says he is particularly at risk because he is slight of build and white, the Department of Corrections' chief medical examiner feels isolating prisoners with AIDS is unnecessary. Moreover, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union referred to the suit as "deplorable," and said fears of this kind are a direct result of homophobia and ignorance within the country's prison system. Although it is estimated that only one-third of Florida's 50,000 inmates have been tested, through June, 1,507 had tested positive for HIV, and 411 had developed full-blown AIDS. Buckyball May Block AIDS Step * New York Times (08/03/93) P. C8 Browne, Malcolm W. According to a University of California report, the "buckyball," a spherical carbon molecule, could turn out to be a formidable weapon against the HIV virus that causes AIDS. University chemists and pharmaceutical experts claim that a computer-designed molecule based on the buckyball has been shown by lab tests to inhibit the action of an enzyme that is required by the virus in order to reproduce. This disclosure was printed in two papers that have been published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society. The buckyball is a spherical cage comprised completely of carbon atoms. Dr. George L. Kenyon, who led the study, insists that "we're not claiming that this is a drug. But we think it's a pretty exciting lead that could be modified later by different chemistry to make it into a drug." The California group surmises that the buckyball compound works by binding to the hollow active site of the HIV protease through the van der Waals attraction, a weak chemical bonding. Carlton H. Lee Jr., 35, AIDS Panel Lobbyist * New York Times (08/03/93) P. B6 Carlton H. Lee Jr., the Congressional liaison officer for the National Commission on AIDS, died on Friday at the age of 35. The commission says that Lee, who had hepatitis B, died as the result of a toxic reaction to an experimental drug that he was taking as part of a clinical trial by the National Institutes of Health. Lee had been one of the main figures in helping to win Congressional approval of civil rights legislation affecting people with AIDS and other disabilities. How a Vaccine Could Stave Off AIDS * American Medical News (07/26/93) Vol. 36, No. 28, P. 2 Staver, Sari Exposure of the weakened immune system of an HIV-positive person to a large amount of HIV-derived antigen may incite the host to mount an immune response that is more effective than the response elicited by the virus itself, according to an issue paper published by the National Institutes of Health. This process could thwart disease progression, delaying or preventing development of AIDS. The earliest therapeutic vaccine efforts, produced nearly a century ago, involved the administration of bacterial extracts to patients with chronic staphylococcal or spirochetal diseases or tuberculosis. The NIH says in the paper that those efforts met with limited success and were dropped as soon as antibiotic therapy was introduced. But because few therapies are effective in treating viral diseases, the vaccine approach increasingly is considered. The NIH report says this therapy has proven effective for two categories of patients: babies born to mothers with hepatitis B and people suspected of exposure to rabies. Both treatments involve prevention of nascent infection prior to development of an immune response, which differs from the proposed approach for treatment of HIV infection. AIDS Policy: Two Divisive Issues * Journal of the American Medical Association (07/28/93) Vol. 270, No. 4, P. 494 Rogers, David E. and Osborn, June E. Drs. David E. Rogers and June E. Osborn argue against narrowly targeting HIV groups and in favor of needle exchange programs to slow the HIV epidemic in drug users. The needle exchange programs should accompany drug treatment programs with universal access. Rogers and Osborn believe that focusing HIV prevention programs on small groups with high-risk behavior could result in Americans ignoring the need for their own preventive measures. This action would increase the spread of AIDS. Another problem with targeting smaller groups is it could create stereotypes. A General Accounting Office study on needle exchange programs has sparked the second AIDS issue. The study found that needle exchange programs do not necessarily increase drug use and could lead to a behavior change that may reduce the transmission of HIV. AMA, CDC Urge Counseling Before HIV Testing * AIDS Alert (07/93) Vol.8, No.7, P. 110 According to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), counseling can reduce the occurrence of high risk behavior among those infected with the HIV virus. The study admittedly lacked breadth and scientific strictness, but the results did support the belief that, provided continuous structured counseling is administered, the behavior patterns of people with HIV can be changed. In fact, of the 61 people in the test, 53 percent, six months after having been diagnosed with HIV, said they had not had sex in the previous thirty days. This percentage is markedly higher than the 39 percent who said they had not had sex thirty days prior to the start of the study. Ronald Valdiserri, an AIDS specialist at the CDC, stresses the importance of gearing counseling towards individuals, depending upon "what stage of the process the client is in." He also asserts that one-time counseling is not sufficient to achieve tangible changes in behavior. Furthermore, if individuals are to embrace change, they must be equipped with the necessary skills (i.e. proper condom use) in order for any attempt at change to be successful. August 4, 1993 AIDS Activists Arrived to Protest, But Firm Was Deserted * Philadelphia Inquirer (08/04/93) P. B2 Collins, Huntly and Burling, Stacey Members of Act Up Philadelphia wanted to demonstrate on Tuesday at the pharmaceutical company Rhone-Poulenc Rorer (RPR) over an AIDS vaccine, but when they arrived, the company building was empty. RPR sent 1,900 workers home more than 3 hours early due to fears of property damage. According to company spokesmen, RPR also was concerned about demonstrators blocking the only driveway, creating a problem for parents who needed to pick up their children after work. Act Up members claimed that RPR was stalling on plans for large scale clinical trials of an AIDS vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk. They argued that the company broke promises to start the studies by the end of the summer. Robert W. Pearson, RPR's public relations director, said to Act Up members that the company would answer their questions on Wednesday. With the RPR plant nearly deserted, demonstrators marched and chanted to a small number of reporters, photographers, public relations representatives, and security personnel. Police officers also arrived, wearing helmets and gloves. Immune Response Corp. is working with RPR on the vaccine's development. Mother of Child Who Helped Teach Maine About AIDS Is Dead at 29 * Boston Globe (08/03/93) P. 23 Theresa Dannemiller, who along with her daughter Autum had the AIDS virus, died of AIDS-related infections on Sunday at the Maine Medical Center. The 29-year-old mother helped educate Maine-area residents about the dangers of AIDS, and in the process became a national celebrity. She had been infected by the HIV virus by Autum's father, and had passed the virus on to her offspring during pregnancy. Dannemiller's sister now has temporary custody of Autum and her half sister, Ja'Nette. Australian Study Challenges Validity of HIV Tests * Reuters (08/03/93) da Silva, Wilson Sydney--Australian doctors at the University of Western Australia and the Royal Perth Hospital are challenging recent antibody tests used worldwide to detect the HIV virus. They contend that their research shows strong proof that these tests do not specifically detect HIV. In fact, they claim that similar antibodies can be triggered by other conditions, including malaria, multiple sclerosis, and tuberculosis. They say this could be why so many people in Africa have tested HIV positive. Dr. John Kaldor, director of the University of New South Wales' AIDS study center, counters that the study does not invalidate HIV testing, calling it "one of the most well- established and validated tests in medicine." The Australian researchers have so far declined to be interviewed. HHS Secretary Hails Clinton Nomination of NIH Director * PR Newswire (08/03/93) Washington--President Clinton's nominee for director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Harold Eliot Varmus, M.D., has been overwhelmingly approved by Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala. Shalala said that having Varmus as the NIH head would be special because of his track record as "one of the world's most eminent and most honored biomedical scientists," and because Varmus has been honored with a Nobel Prize. Varmus, a professor of microbiology, biochemistry, and biophysics, has recently focused his attention on AIDS and breast cancer, and he is regarded as a world authority on AIDS- causing retroviruses. Kenyan Priest Boycotts Funerals for AIDS Victims * Reuters (08/04/93) Nairobi, Kenya--Citing conflicts in church doctrine, Kenyan priest Stephen Njenga is refusing to conduct funeral services for people who have died of AIDS. Njenga said that by performing burial services, "the church may be seen as encouraging the spread of the disease." Njenga went on to say that it is his belief that AIDS sufferers deliberately spread the virus, and that many who die from the disease do so without contrition. In the future, Njenga will require clean bills of health from all couples before performing marriage ceremonies. Male AIDS Patients Are Living Longer, Healthier * AIDS Alert (07/93) Vol.8, No.7, P. 107 Findings from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) reveal that advancements in therapy and health care have increased the life-span of people diagnosed with AIDS. The study has also found that varying blood levels of HIV RNA and anti-HIV antibodies can indicate when a person with HIV will develop AIDS. The patients involved in the MACS who had been diagnosed with AIDS since 1988 survived an average of two years, while those who had had the AIDS virus since 1984 survived 11.6 months on average. Advanced methods of treating AIDS-related diseases have extended the survival rate of patients with pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and those with Kaposi's sarcoma and CD4 counts of under 100. AIDS progression, thanks to the MACS, can now be identified by using certain HIV serological markers. The MACS and a similar study conducted in San Francisco will hopefully enlighten researchers as to which combinations of factors produce certain stages of AIDS, and allow them to invent improved methods of treatment. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, meanwhile, says that a 45-year- old patient who has survived with AIDS seemingly unscathed for two years recommends exercise, a proper diet, the avoidance of tobacco and drugs, limited alcohol consumption, staying away from large crowds to avoid germ exposure, and basically keeping an open mind in the way of new treatments and medications, for a greater quality of life. STD Research Confirms Link to HIV * AIDS Alert (07/93) Vol.8, No.7, P. 101 Evidence that supports previous beliefs about the role that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) play in the spread of HIV was presented at the Ninth International Conference on AIDS in Berlin. Studies show that, on a global scale, instances of HIV are most common among people who have visited STD clinics. In fact, one study done in India revealed that a person with syphilis or chancroid increases the chances of being infected with HIV 10 to 100 times every time he or she has sex. Generally, HIV seroprevalence was found to be five times as great in patients with STDs. A reverse correlation can be found in Sweden, where STDs are less prevalent, and in turn, so are cases of HIV. One researcher at the Berlin conference stated that women's health must be given the foremost attention if STDs are to decrease. Another doctor stressed the need for preventative measures in light of the fact that no cure exists for HIV. Recent data reveals that a woman who is using an oral contraceptive, who is pregnant, or who is experiencing natural cervical ectopy is at a greater risk of HIV infection. The presence of genital ulcers and lesions can increase the chances of getting HIV five fold. Another disturbing trend is the young age at which many of the world's children are engaging in sex. Accordingly, the instances of STDs are more prevalent among youths. To stem the increasing tide of STDs and weaken the STD/HIV relationship, STD researcher Marie Laga suggests the implementation of programs targeting prevention, health education, and the correct diagnosis and treatment of STDs. August 5, 1993 France Promotes Use of Condoms Among Tourists in 5 Languages * Philadelphia Inquirer (08/05/93) P. A2 Hoping to quell the spread of AIDS, France is embarking on a prevention-promoting campaign aimed at the nation's tourist groups. Because France has one of Europe's worst AIDS epidemics and is one of the world's most popular tourist sites, the state anti-AIDS agency has decided to use billboards, phone payment cards, and plastic bags to promote the usage of condoms. The campaign is massive in scope--200 train stations, 18 airports, 400 camp grounds, 2 million payment cards, and 750,000 plastic bags are to be used--and it will employ French, English, German, Spanish, and Arabic to convey its message. Currently, approximately 250,000 of France's 57 million people are infected with HIV. France's death toll from AIDS has reached 13,000, while more than 24,000 instances of AIDS have been diagnosed. Connie Fitzgerald, 39; Member of AIDS Action Committee Board Boston Globe (08/04/93) P. 31 Allen, Scott Connie M. Fitzgerald, a member of the board of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts and spokeswoman for the AIDS community, is dead at the age of 39 from complications associated with the AIDS virus. After being diagnosed with the HIV in 1985, she fought to ensure that the rights of those with AIDS were upheld, and she is credited with championing efforts to dispel AIDS stereotypes. In an emotion-laden speech in 1991, Fitzgerald said, "someday ... the AIDS pandemic will end ... and when that day comes, all of us who contributed our time, our money, and our hearts will know that what we did mattered." Fitzgerald is survived by her husband, William Patrick Fitzgerald III, as well as her parents, step-father, and two sisters. Study Blames Low Esteem For Homosexuals' Unsafe Sex * United Press International (08/04/93) Wasowicz, Lidia San Francisco--A San Francisco Department of Public Health study reports that a number of homosexual and bisexual men are ignoring widespread prevention messages and are engaging in unsafe sex. STOP AIDS project director Dan Wohlefeiler explains, "The social context of gay men's lives--including homophobia, racism, lack of self-esteem, and loss of loved ones on a scale usually seen in wartime--has left some men questioning whether they will live through the epidemic, and with little motivation to consistently engage in safe sex." The study was based on interviews with 119 homosexuals from different educational, social, and ethnic backgrounds. The study's presenters have called for more community involvement, particularly from such organizations as the gay and lesbian press, youth and church groups, and bar and sex club owners. AIDS Activists Picket Vaccine Manufacturer * Journal of Commerce (08/05/93) P. 7A Rhone-Poulenc sent almost all of its 1,900 employees home three and one-half hours early Tuesday to avoid a demonstration by members of Act Up Philadelphia. About 25 members of Act Up visited the firm's campus in Collegeville, Pa., to complain about alleged foot-dragging by Rhone-Poulenc on plans for large-scale testing of an AIDS vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk. Protein Design Labs Reports Second Quarter * 1993 Financial Results PR Newswire (08/05/93) Mountain View, Calif.--Protein Design Labs Inc. has reported revenues of $941,000 for the three months ended June 30, 1993, compared to $1.1 million for the same period in 1992. Protein Design saw a net loss of $2.8 million, or 23 cents a share, prior to recording a special charge of $5.0 million, or 39 cents per share, in April of this year. The charge was related to the acquisition of an exclusive license from Sandoz Ltd., Sandoz Pharma Ltd., and Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corp. to five antibodies and the related process technology. The license includes marketing and manufacturing rights to human anti-viral antibodies. Dr. Laurence Jay Korn, president and CEO of Protein Design, said, "We are preparing to initiate Phase II/III clinical trials with our two lead potential products, human antibodies against cytomegalovirus and hepatitis B. This has resulted in the planned increase of our operating expenses, in addition to the special charge of $5 million for the Sandoz transaction." Total net loss for the period was reported as $7.8 million, or 62 cents a share, compared to a net loss of $920,000, or 7 cents a share, for the same period in 1992. Top AIDS Researcher to Do Time * Science (07/23/93) Vol. 261, No. 5120, P. 422 Stone, Richard The former head of plasma products research at the French National Center for Blood Transfusion (CNTS), Jean-Pierre Allain, was sent to jail in July for not preventing the distribution of HIV-infected blood-clotting factors to hemophiliacs in 1985. Allain, who is now a medical professor at Cambridge University, was convicted last fall and had been out on bail until recently, when he began to serve a 4-year sentence with 2 years suspended. Allain's colleagues argue that by keeping him in jail, the French legal system is depriving the world of one of its leading AIDS researchers. Allain's research has concentrated on HIV serology and transmission and clinical trials of AIDS drugs. The head of Cambridge's hematology department, Robin Carrell, argues that Allain is being used as a scapegoat for the inadequate French health system. In Allain's defense, Carrell cites an independent study that indicates Allain's actions in 1985 "were consistent with medical ethics." The renowned researcher's last chance lies in the hands of the French Supreme court, which will decide whether to hear Allain's appeal. American Witnesses Testify in Japan About AIDS Risks * Nature (07/15/93) Vol. 364, No. 6434, P. 181 Swinbanks, David A former official of the Centers for Disease Control, Donald Francis, testified in Japan on behalf of a group of hemophiliacs who contracted the HIV virus from blood products. The patients had filed charges against the Japanese government and blood product manufacturers for failing to protect them from HIV-contaminated blood products. They are now seeking $1 million each in compensation from the government and the pharmaceutical firms. Francis testified that by early 1983, researchers had proven that U.S. blood supplies were probably tainted by the virus. Nonetheless, Japan significantly increased its imports of untreated U.S. blood products from 1983 to 1985, causing 5,000 Japanese hemophiliacs to contract the virus. Francis noted that in January 1983 the CDC alerted blood banks, blood product makers, and physicians about the problem and offered possible solutions. Yet the blood industry was not convinced of the likelihood of spreading the virus through blood products and ignored the CDC's warning. In defense of the Japanese government, the head of the Hemophilia Center of Huntington Hospital in California, Shelby Dietrich, testified that the availability of information on the blood- borne virus was limited in 1983. In the words of Francis, the blood-product fiasco "was in part a failure in marketing" new AIDS research. New AIDS Drug Leaps Over the Counter * Science (07/23/93) Vol. 261, No. 5120, P. 422 Stone, Richard AIDS researcher Donald Kotler is studying the effects of aspirin on the process of HIV replication. Kotler will conduct a double-blind trial scheduled for August that will involve 46 HIV-infected people and will study aspirin's ability to reduce the HIV serum level. Kotler, who works for St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York, proved in an earlier experiment that a cousin of aspirin retards HIV replication in vitro. Kotler hypothesizes that aspirin's anti-inflammatory properties may block the reaction of endogenous chemicals that activate immune system cells which in turn cause the HIV virus to replicate. August 6, 1993 CDC: Condoms Can Block AIDS * Philadelphia Inquirer (08/06/93) P. A19 Neergaard, Lauran The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asserts that latex condoms, if used correctly, can block the deadly AIDS virus. The agency is now gearing up to spread this message to all Americans. The CDC's Dr. Bert Peterson says, "Our first message is to avoid intercourse with an infected partner. But for people who will take that risk ... condoms can save your life." Conservatives have long argued that condoms are not safe. But the CDC charges many of today's condom critics with spreading myths, and pointed to two recent, large-scale studies which prove the effectiveness of latex condoms. The CDC is issuing a fact sheet about condoms that attacks what it terms condom myths. French Gay Partners Win Benefits * Philadelphia Inquirer (08/06/93) P. A3 France has passed a new law which extends medical benefits to cover nonworking partners in homosexual couples. The anti- discrimination organization Ornicar says these benefits will help assure coverage for AIDS victims and better keep the disease in check, since patients will be able to afford more regular medical exams. Couples will have to have lived together for at least 12 months to qualify for the state medical benefits. This extension comes as the government is making reductions in the state health budget, mainly through closer supervision of claims. Indonesia Estimates Up to 20,000 With HIV Virus * Reuters (08/05/93) Jakarta--New estimations from Indonesia put the number of people infected with HIV around 20,000. This figure is in direct conflict with projections last year by the U.N. Development Program and the World Health Organization that estimated the number of HIV cases in Indonesia to be 2,500 and 16,000, respectively. Indonesia's head of the ministry of infectious diseases, Hadi Abednego, called these estimations "conservative" and "far from the real fact." In fact, the ministry says that Indonesia, a country with a vast sex industry and negligent use of condoms amongst its population, could be close to a "large-scale AIDS epidemic." The first reported case of HIV in Indonesia was in 1987, and since 1991, the rate of infection has soared. In June, the government vowed to increase AIDS testing, targeting high risk groups such as homosexuals and prostitutes. Currently, only 144 people have been officially registered with HIV. No HIV Test for Vietnam Visas--Official * Reuters (08/05/93) Hanoi--Vietnam has officially denied rumors that it plans to require that foreigners be tested for HIV before they are given visas. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Ho The Lan told a news conference that last week's press reports that those infected with HIV would be barred from entering the country were "not true." HIV tests are obligatory only for those who wish to donate blood or body parts, she said. New AIDS Awareness Announcements * Business Wire (08/05/93) Miami--Westwood One Radio Networks is planning a joint project with the manufacturer of Trojan Condoms to air 1,000 AIDS Awareness announcements before July of next year. The campaign, which begins immediately, will be the largest promotion of safer sex ever done by a condom manufacturer and radio network. Spots will be recorded by Westwood One programming hosts and special guest celebrities such as Larry King. Westwood One's Radio Network President Greg Batusic said, "As Westwood One, we feel it's our responsibility to join the fight by informing our listeners of the startling facts about AIDS and how it effects all people in all walks of life." Don't Blame Prostitutes for AIDS, Study Says * Reuters (08/05/93) London--According to a report from the British Medical Journal, prostitutes in Britain infect their non-paying sexual partners with sexually transmitted diseases at a greater rate than they infect paying clients with AIDS. The study revealed that prostitutes usually require paying customers to use a condom, and because of this, one study said, "prostitutes are unlikely to be a major source of HIV for clients at this time." In fact, a survey of 280 female prostitutes in London showed that less than one percent were infected with the precursor to AIDS, HIV. However, approximately 10 percent of these women had transmitted a venereal disease to their husbands or lovers. Two other studies concluded that because men who engage in sex with prostitutes also tend to have sex with other men, the risks for prostitutes and their clients may be equal. A Most Clever Virus * U.S. News & World Report (08/09/93) Vol. 115, No. 6, P. 55 Brownlee, Shannon Scientists are only now beginning to realize the complexities of the AIDS virus. Researchers attending the ninth annual AIDS conference in Berlin expressed frustration at the lack of a cure, or even an effective treatment for the disease. Scientists have long puzzled over the fact that during HIV's latent stage, the virus is difficult to detect, although it may be present in a large number of cells. During this latency period, when the virus secrets itself away in the lymph nodes, HIV also evolves into increasingly lethal forms. Some individuals, however, can survive for many years with HIV, while others can actually come in contact with the virus without becoming infected. Many scientists are now researching AIDS survival and the natural immunity provided by T cells. Even with new insights into HIV's actions, creating a vaccine will be difficult. One problem is that the human immune system may not be able to use its antibody and cellular defenses at the same time. One type of helper T cell produces compounds that encourage antibodies and suppresses a cellular response to HIV, while another form of T cell appears to do the opposite. Intrigue Grows Around Redfield Report * Science (07/16/93) Vol. 261, No. 5119, P. 283 Word is spreading that Walter Reed Army Institute of Research's Robert Redfield has been cleared of charges that he "overstated" the worth of an AIDS vaccine he tested in HIV- infected people. However, Army officials will not reveal details of the investigation with his co-workers, and some scientists claim the Army's investigation was a whitewash, which an Army spokesman denies. The charges against Redfield stem from his 1992 presentation at the international AIDS conference in Amsterdam on an AIDS vaccine made by MicroGeneSys Inc. After military researchers submitted a formal complaint, the Army began an investigation. The Army did not provide the complainants with a draft report of the investigation, which prompted some scientists to contend that the Army plans to exonerate Redfield without explaining why. It appears the military is interested in keeping the investigation from scrutiny. A Walter Reed investigator told Science magazine in March that an Army lawyer said the military would "block" any request for details of the case. Early HIV Low-Dose Interferon Trial: * San Francisco, Denver, Durham AIDS Treatment News (07/23/93) No. 179, P. 7 Schering-Plough is sponsoring a twenty-eight-week trial to measure the immunological effects of low-dose alpha interferon injections on people with HIV and a T-helper count of over 500. The purpose of the trial is to see whether alpha interferon can be helpful in managing early-stage HIV disease, perhaps by promoting the "TH1" immune response. Seventy-five volunteers are needed for the trial, which will take place at San Francisco General Hospital, the University of Colorado, and Duke University. Since the drug is already approved and widely used, no risks are anticipated. 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 1993, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. -----===[[[ A I D S w i r e D I G E S T 08.02.93 ]]]===----- .