-----===[[[ A I D S w i r e D I G E S T 09.27.93 ]]]===----- A D.C. Clinic's Controversial Rx for AIDS * Washington Post (09/27/93) P. A1 Goldstein, Amy Controversy continues to swarm around a religious leader as he promotes an unproven AIDS drug and seeks federal funding for the only black-run AIDS clinic in the District of Columbia. Dr. Abdul Alim Muhammad, director of the Abundant Life Clinic and health minister to the Nation of Islam, has been criticized for using his prominence to condemn homosexuality and to preach his genocidal AIDS conspiracy, which accuses white governments of creating the disease in a plot against the black race. Even so, Muhammad insists that he treats anyone who wants help, regardless of ethnicity or sexual preference. And despite his scathing attacks on the government, Muhammad is now soliciting, and receiving, city and federal grants for the clinic. Further criticism stems for his use of oral alpha interferon-- commonly sold as Kemron or Immunex--a drug that many medical centers worldwide, including the National Institutes of Health, have dismissed as ineffective. But Muhammad concurs with Kenyan researchers who insist that the drug reverses symptoms in AIDS patients and makes them feel dramatically better. Following Muhammad's extensive claims about the drug, NIH has reconsidered, and further testing of the drug is scheduled for later this year. California Dept. of Health Services Sued by AIDS Testing Laboratory * PR Newswire (09/27/93) Costa Mesa, Calif.--Health Test Inc. (HTI) has sued the California Department of Health (DHS), in an attempt to gain approval for its new HIV self-collection device, HIV Home Check. HTI accused DHS of intentionally derailing approval of its application. For the past two years, HTI claims that it submitted more than eight applications to modify the product to meet DHS standards, but that DHS guidelines were adapted to negate each application. According to HTI president Stephen J. Coonan, Health Test Clinical Laboratory was licensed by DHS in May to conduct HIV testing, but was informed by DHS Food and Drug in June that the procedure was illegal. Coonan said that the procedure is used non-commercially as a prerequisite for life insurance, and is the testing protocol for the Centers for Disease Control neonatal HIV testing program. Lack of Vitamin A May Hasten AIDS Death--Study * Reuters (09/26/93) Baltimore--Vitamin A deficiency may take as much as one year of potential life from HIV-infected adults, according to a study in Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University reported that such a deficiency weakened the immune systems of adult AIDS patients, but said that taking doses of vitamin A would not necessarily help. Vitamin A is a key nutrient used by the immune system to combat infection, and deficiency results in lower production of critical white cells. The condition is considered rare among adults in developed countries, yet 15 percent of HIV-infected drug users in the study developed vitamin A deficiency. "What these findings suggest is there is still a great deal we don't know about optimal nutritional status for AIDS patients," said Dr. Richard D. Semba, an assistant professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins. HIV Tattoo * Associated Press (09/24/93) Andersen, Peggy Seattle--The firing of a hospital employee for refusing to cover up a tattoo announcing his AIDS status was a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to a ruling by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Twenty-eight-year-old John Baldetta, a nursing assistant whose job at Harborview Medical Center entailed bathing, feeding, and moving patients, has the words "HIV Positive" tattooed on his forearm. Hospital officials say they were worried about how patients would react to the tattoo, but an EEOC director said that the apprehension was based on speculation. Harborview objects to the decision and has asked for a reconsideration. EEOC officials will meet with hospital authorities on Sept. 30, according to Baldetta. HIV-Positive Woman Sues Doctor * Reuters (09/24/93) Vancouver, British Columbia--A woman who became infected with the AIDS virus when she was artificially inseminated will take her doctor to the Supreme Court of Canada, according to her lawyer. Kobe ter Neuzen, 48, claims that the doctor failed to test the semen used in the process for HIV. A provincial Supreme Court awarded her damages of US$706,000, but the ruling was overturned by the provincial Court of Appeal. That court ruled that the doctor could not have reasonably been expected to suspect that the semen was contaminated with the deadly virus, said lawyer Sandra Harper. Ter Neuzen is now appealing to the Supreme Court of Canada. Blood Strategies * Forbes (09/27/93) Vol. 152, No. 7, P. 152 Bohner, Kate While the American Red Cross insists that the blood supply is now safer than it has ever been, HIV screening tests are not completely flawless. Due to the "serological window," or the time frame between when HIV infection occurs and when it actually is detectable in blood, contaminated blood could still slip through the system. Because each pint of donated blood is separated into three components, up to three persons could be infected if the pint is tainted. While the actual chances of HIV transmission through donated blood is only about 1 in 8,900, there are other, safer strategies to prevent such a tragedy. First, freezing and storing one's own blood is effective. If not, blood recycling is an option. Several companies manufacture machines which take blood that is normally suctioned off and discarded during operations, clean it, and pump it back into the patient. Finally, one can request directed blood, that is, blood donated from a specific relative or friend who is disease-free. Talking It Out * Advocate (10/05/93) No. 639, P. 17 In perhaps the strangest AIDS litigation yet, a Maine woman is suing her physicians, who she contends should not have allowed her HIV-positive baby to be born. Former prostitute Barbara Anastosopoulos, who learned of her HIV infection after the birth of her son Christopher, insists that doctors should have tested her for the virus before the child was born. Anastosopoulos claims if she had known of her HIV status, she would have had an abortion. Christopher tested HIV-positive after birth and now, at five years old, has AIDS. The case was sent directly to the state supreme court when a superior court judge said it raised issues he wasn't prepared to settle. Medical Briefs * Advocate (10/05/93) No. 639, P. 34 Smoking cigarettes quickens the development of full-blown AIDS in HIV-infected individuals, according to researchers at St. Mary's Hospital in London. In HIV-positive smokers, versus HIV-positive nonsmokers, the progression time to AIDS was reduced. This disparity was primarily due to the development of pneumocystis carinii (PCP), an infection common to AIDS patients. While PCP appeared in HIV-infected nonsmokers after a 16-month time frame, HIV-infected smokers experienced PCP within nine months. Smoking did not appear to have a significant impact on development of AIDS when not related to PCP. These findings suggest that secondhand smoke is another concern for people with HIV. Health Concerns of Women With AIDS * Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (07/93-09/93) Vol. 4, No. 3, P. 39 Rose, Molley A. A small study of HIV-positive women suggests that males and females infected with the virus share common life concerns. Dr. Molley A. Rose, an assistant professor at the University of South Florida College of Nursing, studied a group of 11 women, then compared her sample to a similar study of gay men. Two physiological concerns, fatigue and weight loss, were evident in both groups. So, too, were psychosocial concerns such as isolation, rejection by family and friends, and uncertainty about the future, although the homosexual male sample did appear to have a larger support system than did the female sample. Men concentrated on personal day-to-day survival. Women, however, placed their health last, following responsibilities to their children, partners, and work. In general, women had poorer mental health and social functioning, and often considered suicide. Rose asserts that her study calls for support systems for infected women, strategies to encourage women to focus on their own health, ways to assess for suicide, and referrals to resources. September 28, 1993 Antibiotics Fight H.I.V. In Laboratory Studies * New York Times (09/28/93) P. C3 Kolata, Gina Researchers have discovered that a class of antibiotics known as aminoglycosides hampers part of the process that allows HIV to reproduce. While they believe that they may have found a new approach to designing AIDS drugs, the researchers caution against self-treatment by warning that the antibiotics have yet to be tested on humans and have dangerous side effects. According to Dr. Michael Green and his colleagues at the University of Massachusetts, aminoglycosides kill bacteria by preventing them from producing proteins, and bond to RNA molecules of the AIDS virus to block viral infection in cultured white blood cells. The most effective antibiotic in this class is neomycin, which adheres especially well to viral DNA. Neomycin is too toxic for patients, says Green; however, he hopes to develop less toxic chemical modifications that would still kill HIV. Researchers are excited about neomycin, which is the first proposed AIDS drug to target RNA, rather than viral proteins. Experts Warn of Possible Wave of Child AIDS Victims * United Press International (09/28/93) Manila--Health authorities recently warned Asian governments that infants may be the next group targeted by AIDS unless measures are taken to control the spread the deadly virus. The actual number of children with AIDS in Asia is very low, but the risk is very high, said Daniel Brooks, regional director of the United Nations Children Fund, at a UNICEF conference in Manila. Brooks explained that, while sex is still the primary means of HIV transmission, a growing number of newborns could contract the virus during labor or from the breast milk of infected mothers. Earlier this month, the World Health Organization predicted that most new AIDS cases in the next ten years will occur in developing countries, with the most rapid growth in Asia. Health Worker Says Nepal Can't Escape AIDS * United Press International (09/28/93) Rana, Bhola Katmandu, Nepal--Nepal cannot avoid the AIDS epidemic, warns Keith Leslie, country director of The Save The Children's Fund USA. "Nepal lies between Bangkok and Bombay," he explains. "People are constantly traveling in these three countries." The program, which is funded by the American Foundation for AIDS Research, will coordinate an annual AIDS education program for the next three years. Nepal is the foundation's second international project. According to official figures, there were only 37 reported cases of the AIDS virus in 1991, but that number rose dramatically to 88 in 1992. Meanwhile, the numbers continue to double. One positive note, says Dr. Sajor Prasad, an officer with the National AIDS Project, is that all of the infected women are prostitutes. Prasad says this suggests that the virus has not yet spread to the general public, and may possibly be prevented with timely action. AIDS-Linked Investments Under Fire * Chicago Tribune (09/27/93) P. 4-5 An emerging business--that of buying life insurance policies from AIDS patients--is under close scrutiny by investment regulators across the country. Under these "viatical settlements," brokers claim to help terminally ill people, who are often too sick to work, obtain the money needed to meet expenses. The insurance sells for less than face value, and when the patient dies, the investors cash in the policy at a profit. Regulators are concerned that sick people will be taken advantage of by these firms. At last week's meeting of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the group proposed a model law that would license the brokers. It would also compel brokers to inform clients that the money they receive from their insurance policies is taxable, and may make them ineligible for other aid, such as Medicaid. "This industry is providing needed help to people with HIV," says Robert Greenwald, policy director of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts. "But it must be regulated to protect the customers." Union Broke Disabilities Law in AIDS Case, Panel Finds * St. Louis Post-Dispatch (09/25/93) P. 5B The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ruled that a Philadelphia construction union which cut health coverage for workers with the AIDS virus violated federal laws. The Laborers' District Council, believed to represent over 10,000 area construction workers, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act when it imposed a cap of $10,000 on medical benefits for AIDS-related illness, says the EEOC. Uninfected members are given lifetime benefits of $100,000. The EEOC decision stemmed from a complaint by an HIV-positive union member, identifying himself only as John Doe, whose health plan coverage was limited to $10,000 one year after his HIV diagnosis. A lawyer who represented Doe proclaimed that the "ruling sends a strong message that the Americans with Disabilities Act protects people with HIV and AIDS from illegal discrimination." "Home" Host Tests Negative for AIDS After TV Mishap * Reuters (09/25/93) Hollywood--After a live television scare in which a doctor used a needle just injected into TV host Gary Collins to also inject his co-host, Sarah Purcell, Collins has reportedly tested negative for the AIDS virus and is awaiting the results of a hepatitis test. During a segment on flu inoculations on the popular ABC morning program "Home," Dr. Edward Gilbert injected Collins with a flu vaccine. Although he had prepared two syringes, Gilbert accidentally used the same one used on Collins to administer the vaccine to Purcell. Dr. Art Ulene, the show's resident medical specialist, urged Collins to take a blood test to ensure that he did not have any infections that could have been transmitted to Purcell. "The only concerns we have ought to be HIV and hepatitis viruses," said Ulene, adding that Purcell's risk was almost zero. He also said that the chance of such a disaster occurring in a doctor's office is "almost nil," as patients do not receive injections at the same time and needles are routinely discarded. Using TV to Talk About Sex With Kids * United Press International (09/24/93) Kuklenski, Valerie Los Angeles--While many fear that sex on television encourages young people to have intercourse themselves, there is one organization that contends that TV can be an ice-breaker for parents to discuss the topic. The Center for Population Options, a nonprofit organization that aims to educate kids about safe sex and birth control, will soon release its annual booklet, "Talking With TV: A Guide to Starting Dialogue With Youth." The 28-page publication identifies TV programs in the new season that focus on sex-related issues, and offers open-ended questions for parents to begin a conversation about sex. "It's a way to present your own values of your family about the topic you see being addressed," says Jennifer Daves, director of CPO's Media Project. This latest addition to the booklet stems from studies that indicate teens and preteens want to talk to their parents about sex, but are afraid to approach them. Likewise, one study concluded that 98 percent of parents said that they need help in talking about sex with their children. The CPO feels that television is one way to prompt communication between parents and adolescents about pregnancy, AIDS, and abstinence. Leading AIDS Researcher and Advocate Dies * United Press International (09/25/93) San Francisco--Jesse C. Dobson, a leading AIDS activist, has died at age 36. The cause was pneumonia as a result of AIDS. After being diagnosed with HIV in 1985, Dobson became a skilled lobbyist and an expert on AIDS treatment. Frustrated with the slow release of new therapies, he created an underground network for HIV-infected people to obtain drugs that are available abroad, but not in the United States. Dobson was a founding member of ACT-UP Golden Gate, and a member of the HIV Vaccine Working Group of the National Institutes of Health. He is survived by his parents, one brother, and one sister. Series on AIDS Set Here * Richmond Times-Dispatch (09/27/93) P. B6 Beginning Tuesday, a week of public policy forums concerning AIDS will be held at Virginia Union University in Richmond. The series will address topics such as AIDS prevention and education, research and treatment, housing, government spending, women and children with the disease, substance abuse, and civil rights concerns. Co-sponsored by the Washington-based AIDS Action Council and the central Virginia chapter of Virginia Organizations Responding to AIDS, all seven forums are free and open to the public. September 29, 1993 Black Gays in New D.C. AIDS Coalition Wary About Nation of Islam's Role * Washington Post (09/29/93) P. D1 Goldstein, Amy Gay blacks who are members of a newly formed coalition of black and Hispanic AIDS groups are rethinking an alliance with medical and religious leader Dr. Abdul Alim Muhammad. The Sankofa Community Coalition of HIV/AIDS Services was formed by the various organizations as an alternative to the Whitman-Walker Clinic, which is the primary source of AIDS services in the Washington, D.C., area. Some of the activists, however, are concerned not only about Muhammad's dual relationships with the Nation of Islam and his controversial Abundant Life Clinic, but also about his dubious dedication to help gays and lesbians. Muhammad has openly condemned homosexuality, while asserting that he welcomes all AIDS patients seeking care, regardless of sexual preference. Nevertheless, activists asked Muhammad to demonstrate that commitment by including gays on his clinic's board and promising that his "religious affiliation and attitude" will not affect the clinic's work--terms to which he agreed. The month-old Sankofa Coalition plans to compete with Whitman-Walker for a $2 million District of Columbia grant that would allow it to dispense help to minority patients, who make up three-fourths of the District's AIDS population. A Hallucination Inspires a Vision for AIDS Drug * Wall Street Journal (09/29/93) P. B1 Waldholz, Michael A scientist's 3-D "hallucination" of a molecule has led to promising research of an AIDS drug at a small company. Dr. Manuel Nivia's vision prompted workers at Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. to experiment with a new research technique that uses computerized, three-dimensional color images of molecules to design new drugs. The tiny company has already shocked competitors by announcing that it has created a whole new class of drugs that, in the laboratory, proved effective in suppressing the AIDS virus. Vertex's drugs block a virus enzyme, called a protease, which is essential for HIV replication. The compounds have not yet been tested on human subjects. Body Shop Starting a Campaign on AIDS * New York Times (09/28/93) P. D4 Levy, Clifford J. Body Shop International PLC, the British cosmetics chain that has grown explosively in the past ten years, is positioned to launch its new AIDS awareness campaign. Based on the theme of "Protect and Respect," the campaign will distribute condoms, lubricants, educational literature, and advice. Proceeds from condom and lubricant sales will benefit AIDS charities. Down will come in-store posters of cosmetics, and up will go portraits of people with AIDS. The photographs will portray people of varying race, age, and sexual preference, said the company, to emphasize that everyone is at risk of contracting the deadly disease. Martyn Evans, a spokesperson for the Body Shop, said that the company feels obliged to contribute to AIDS awareness. "Over 90 percent of our customers are women and they are the fastest-growing group affected by HIV infection," he explained. "They also have the least amount of access to condoms and information." This latest crusade by the Body Shop comes as no surprise, since the company has long prided itself on its social consciousness. Liposome Company's ABLC Available in South Africa * PR Newswire (09/28/93) Princeton, N.J.--The Liposome Company, Inc. has launched a named patient distribution program for amphotericin B lipid complex (ABLC) in South Africa. The traditional form of the drug, without the lipid complex, has been widely used as an anti fungal agent in the treatment of fungal infections in those with weak immune systems, such as AIDS patients. Clinical tests indicate that shaping amphotericin B into a lipid complex may significantly reduce toxicity while improving or stabilizing efficacy. "This is the next step in The Liposome Company's plan to make ABLC available to patients suffering from life-threatening fungal infections, worldwide, " said the company's CEO and chairman, Charles A. Baker. "There are a large number of AIDS patients in South Africa, and therefore cryptococcal meningitis is a serious problem." This infection occurs in as many as 10 percent of AIDS patients, with more than 20 percent dying within a month of diagnosis. Baker said that the named patient distribution will make ABLC available to such patients while allowing the company to quickly gather information on the drug's efficacy and safety. The Liposome Company also plans to market the drug in Europe; it is already available on a compassionate use basis there and in the United States. Thai Private Sector Forms Alliance to Fight AIDS * United Press International (09/28/93) Bangkok--Business leaders launched an anti-AIDS campaign in Thailand, where authorities predict that, by the end of the century, more than one-third of deaths among the work force population will result from the virus. The goal of the Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS (TBCA) is "to provide effective leadership through and beyond the AIDS epidemic to serve business interests by promoting coherent HIV-AIDS policies and work-place education," according to TBCA executive director Prapatsorn Thuranikorn. The TBCA, a non-profit organization, will be funded by membership fees, private donations, and grants. Member companies will receive a manual, a quarterly newsletter, and a training course on AIDS management in the workplace. The coalition has targeted 250 companies for the next year, which means helping to train over 50,000 Thai workers. An official at the Ministry of Public Health, Nantawan Yuntadilok, said that the country officially has 5,624 AIDS cases, but she claims that the actual number is much higher. Experts attribute the explosive growth of AIDS in Thailand to the country's booming sex industry. Study Finds Young Adults Unconcerned About AIDS * United Press International (09/27/93) Washington--Despite years of intense campaigning to deliver AIDS prevention information, less than half of 1,601 young adults claimed to have adjusted their behavior, researchers reported. University of Minnesota researchers surveyed the group of urban heterosexuals between the ages of 21 and 40 and found that only 43 percent made at least one change in sexual behavior due to AIDS. The most common behavior adaptations were more cautious selection of partners, fewer partners, and increase condom use. The study also concluded that blacks were more likely than other ethnic groups to report behavior changes. The researchers were surprised that the group was not more concerned about the AIDS epidemic, since all of the participants were health-conscious enough to take place in a long-term heart disease study. Court Told AIDS Cut Life at Least 8 Years * Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) (09/28/93) P. A9 Downey, Donn A cardiologist testified in Canadian court that a deceased man with a history of heart disease might have lived another 8 to 11 years had he not contracted AIDS. The testimony was delivered in a case brought by the dead man's wife and children, who contend that Kenneth Pittman, who died in March of 1990 at age 59, was infected with the AIDS virus during a 1984 surgery. The suit, which alleges negligence, is being brought against Dr. Stanley Bain, the Canadian Red Cross, and Toronto General Hospital, where Pittman received the surgery. Earlier evidence asserted that the hospital learned that Pittman received a blood product from a donor who later tested HIV-positive and that, although Bain had reason to suspect that the virus had been transmitted to Pittman, the patient was not told. About six months after her husband's death, Rochelle Pittman tested HIV-positive. Graham Says AIDS May Be God's Judgment * United Press International (09/27/93) Columbus, Ohio--In a sermon Sunday, Rev. Billy Graham stated that the AIDS epidemic may be God's punishment on people for the sins they have committed. "Is AIDS a judgment of God?" he asked. "I could not say for sure, but I think so." Graham went on to say that he believes God meant sex to be a part of marriage only. Deputy Dogged * Advocate (10/05/93) No. 639, P. 7 Reports that the former head of the Dallas AIDS Arms Network may be appointed as top deputy to the White House AIDS policy coordinator have raised eyebrows in Texas. Warren Buckingham presided over the network when, in 1991, it was accused of leaving clients in need by delaying grant payouts of $175,000 and using the funds to cover its own expenses. Buckingham claimed ignorance of the misappropriations, and moved on to the Washington state health department to work with Kristine Gebbie, who is now federal AIDS czar. September 30, 1993 Insurance Fund Settles AIDS Health Benefits Suit * Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (09/30/93) P. B7 Boxall, Bettina In a settlement that may have national impact, an insurance provider has decided to withdraw a $5,000 cap on AIDS-related benefits. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) contends that the restriction is a violation of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects disabled citizens--including those with HIV or AIDS--from job discrimination. Allied Services Division Welfare Fund, which services over 20 companies across the country, still asserts that the limit on health insurance benefits is legal, according to the Allied's lawyer, Robert Swetnick. The insurance fund has agreed to drop the cap only to avoid a long legal battle that would probably cost even more than the price of settlement, Swetnick said. A lawsuit was filed against Allied on behalf of two Southern California men whose health benefits were cut to $5,000 compared to a limit of $300,000 allotted for other catastrophic illnesses. World Population Growth Little Affected By AIDS * Reuters (09/30/93) Berlin--A United Nations official has refuted a theory that transmission of AIDS will neutralize the world's population growth and eliminate the need for family planning. This prediction demonstrates a lack of knowledge about family planning and about the impact of the disease on populations, said Nafis Sadik, executive director of the U.N. Population Fund. At a conference in Berlin, Sadik informed attendees that the total number of people who die from AIDS in this decade will amount to less than two months of global population growth. About 14 million people have been infected with HIV so far, and that number is expected to rise to 40 million by the end of the century. While Sadik concedes that the virus will affect global demographics, it will not have significant influence on population growth rates. UCSF Researchers on September 30 to Release Conclusions and Recommendations of CDC-Funded Study on Needle Exchange Programs * Business Wire (09/29/93) San Francisco--At a press conference today in San Francisco, University of California researchers will discuss the results of an 18-month study of needle exchange programs and present recommendations to federal, state, and local government. In the most comprehensive study ever on needle exchanges, investigators evaluated 23 programs in 15 cities in the United States, Europe, and Canada. They reviewed over 2,000 documents and interviewed about 250 people including drug users, community leaders, and public health officials. Needle exchange programs distribute clean syringes to intravenous drug users in return for used needles. While such programs exist in at least 22 other countries, they remain a controversial issue in the United States. AIDS-Stricken Dentist Allegedly Infected Patients * Reuters (09/29/93) New York--A Florida dentist carrying the AIDS virus intentionally infected six of his patients, charged his friend and ex-lover in a television interview. In a segment of the news program "20/20" to air Friday on ABC, Edward Parsons said he believes that Dr. David Acer deliberately infected the patients to demonstrate that AIDS is not just a homosexual disease. Parsons' allegations are based solely on his conversations with the dentist, who he claims never denied infecting the patients and showed no remorse for his acts. Acer caught national interest in 1990 when he revealed that he had the deadly AIDS virus and advised patients to be tested for HIV. The dentist died later that year, but not before six patients diagnosed positive for HIV. Among the infected are a 67-year-old grandmother and a girl who was infected at age 13. "When AIDS finally infects a young person and when it starts hitting grandmothers and people like that, then maybe the government will do something," Parsons recalled Acer as saying. It is still unknown how the dentist infected his patients. Ministers of Health Urge Intensified Fight Against AIDS * PR Newswire (09/29/93) Washington--Health ministers from all of the countries in the Americas emphasized the "imperative need to mobilize all sectors of the society in the campaign against AIDS." The officials were in Washington yesterday for the 37th meeting of the Pan American Health Organization's Directing Council. They reviewed the latest data on the disease, which indicate that more than half of the 700,000 cases of AIDS worldwide are concentrated in the Americas. PAHO experts estimated that there are 1 million HIV-infected persons in North America and 1.5 million in Latin American and Caribbean regions, and that signs indicate continued rapid spread among those populations. In response to that information, the ministers of health asked governments to "intensify national efforts to prevent HIV, AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases" through coordinated actions involving governments and non-government organizations. HybriQuick Amplification Product Detection System for HIV-1, 2 Test Introduced by MicroProbe Corp. * Business Wire (09/28/93) Bothell, Wash.--MicroProbe Corp. announced the availability of the HybriQuick HIV 1, 2 Test Kit for use with its new HybriQuick Amplification Product Detection System and Affirm Processor. Intended for research use only, the test is designed as an adjunct or alternative to other detection methods. The semi-automated test, which is specifically designed to detect HIV, offers fast, sequence-specific, qualitative screening for amplification products generated from samples containing HIV. It offers additional advantages over other methods, including a simplified format, minimal hands-on time, and little risk of cross-contamination. The system can easily be incorporated into a variety of protocols dictating speed, sensitivity, and specificity in the research environment. Good Job Is Leading Concern for World Youth * Reuters (09/28/93) Coolman, Judith) New York--While securing a good job is the leading priority of children and teenagers, today's youth also harbor concerns about AIDS, war, and getting into car accidents, report worldwide opinion polls. Eighty-one percent of children in the United States said that they were concerned about AIDS; the figure was 65 percent in Germany, 72 percent in Italy, 39 percent in Japan, 63 percent in the Netherlands, 57 percent in Sweden, and 65 percent in Great Britain. Swiss City Bans Benetton "AIDS" Advertisements * Reuters (09/29/93) Lausanne, Switzerland--The Swiss city of Lausanne announced that it has banned advertisements by Italian fashion firm Benetton, which has released new ads featuring naked buttocks and other body parts stamped with the words "HIV Positive." "I find it shocking that one can make money out of disease," said Jean-Claude Rosset, head of public works Lausanne. "I consider it a lack of respect to those who are suffering." The country's leading organization in the fight against AIDS, however, expressed regret about Lausanne's decision. "The advertisements are a committed attempt to force the AIDS problem into the public consciousness in an unconventional way," said Bernard Gloor, a spokesman for the government-funded "AIDS-Help Switzerland" agency. While Benetton claims that the posters are meant to show how the AIDS population is ostracized, several European countries have labeled them offensive. Therion Biologics Corporation Completes $4.1 Million Private Placement * PR Newswire (09/29/93) Cambridge, Mass.--Therion Biologics Corporation announced the completion of a $4.1 million private placement. The money from the placement will allow the company to continue preclinical studies in its AIDS program, said Therion president and CEO Dennis Panicali. In March, Therion entered a license and research collaboration with Harvard Medical School for an AIDS vaccine based on work with a HIV-related virus. The company has also filed to conduct Phase I clinical trials of TBC-3B, another Therion vaccine, as a preventative for AIDS. October 1, 1993 Giving Addicts Clean Needles Cuts Spread of AIDS, U.S. Study Finds * New York Times (10/01/93) P. A21 Hilts, Philip J. Trading drug addicts' used needles for clean syringes does help prevent the spread of the AIDS virus, and the government should expand such programs, concluded the first comprehensive study of needle exchange plans. A federal panel found that drug users in the programs were less likely to engage in needle-sharing, and more likely to sterilize their syringes with bleach. Contrary to the beliefs of many church and community organizations, the 18-month study reported that needle exchange programs did not raise the level of drug abuse. The finding is crucial since Congress requires programs to demonstrate that they do "not encourage the use of illegal drugs" before they can be financed. Also before receiving federal funds, needle exchanges must prove that they can reduce the spread of AIDS. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders must decide upon those two requirements before the ban on needle programs can be lifted. Despite state and federal laws prohibiting possession or purchase of syringes without a prescription, there are at least 37 needle exchange programs nationwide, 13 of which operate on an illegal basis. Related Stories: Philadelphia Inquirer (10/01) P. A2; Baltimore Sun (10/01) P. 23A; Los Angeles Times (10/01) P. A1 All U.S. Workers to Get Instruction in 'AIDS 101' * Washington Post (10/01/93) P. A23 Brown, David In the course of the next year, all employees at federal agencies will receive basic instruction about HIV and AIDS. While the military, as well as federal hospital and prison systems, currently teach employees how to prevent infection and what to do if infected, the new plan will require all federal workers to get AIDS education. "We want everyone to have what I call 'AIDS 101,' said Kristine Gebbie, the White House's AIDS policy coordinator. Managers will receive additional training in attitudes toward infected workers, confidentiality, and how to adjust workplace rules to accommodate infected employees. Gebbie noted that because individuals with the AIDS virus are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, amendments to federal personnel guidelines may need to be made. All departments are expected to pay for the plan with their existing budgets, but will be given the flexibility of designing their own AIDS education programs. Instruction may begin as soon as December. Soviets Secretly Tried to Blame U.S. for AIDS--CIA * Reuters (09/30/93) Langley, Va.--For more than five years, the former Soviet Union attempted to blame the AIDS virus on a plot by U.S. military scientists, according to newly declassified CIA documents. The papers reported that the Soviets launched a campaign in 1983 aiming to tie the emergence of AIDS to American biological weapons research. The disinformation was circulated in 25 different languages in over 200 publications, as well as in posters, leaflets, and radio broadcasts, in more than 80 countries before the campaign was finally abandoned by the Soviets, according to a study cited by the CIA in the documents. The Soviets dropped the campaign in 1988 when the United States refused to cooperate with them on a research program on AIDS, which was by then spreading in the U.S.S.R., said the CIA article. The Soviet campaign was apparently retaliation for the Reagan administration's claims of Soviet-produced "yellow rain," or yellow traces found on vegetation due to a Soviet biological weapon. Let HIV-Infected Doctors Operate * United Press International (09/29/93) Trenton, N.J.--A special commission of health experts and Health Department officials from New Jersey is recommending that physicians and dentists with HIV be allowed to perform surgery. If approved, the proposal would overturn a 1991 policy urging HIV-infected workers to refrain from such procedures. The policy would not, however, oblige HIV-infected health care workers to inform patients of their condition. "The fact is ... there are no documented cases of HIV transmission from health care workers," said Health Commissioner Bruce Seigel, noting the sole exception of Kimberly Bergalis, a Florida woman who was infected by her dentist and died as a result. If approved by the state and the Centers for Disease Control, the policy would serve as guidelines only, with no legal enforcement. Researchers Call for Action to Curb Spread of TB * Reuters (09/30/93) London--Swiss researchers have warned that tuberculosis is spreading in Europe in the same manner that it is spreading in the United States, and have called for immediate action to control the disease. The researchers, in the British medical journal the Lancet, attributed the increase in TB to the AIDS virus and immigration. TB had declined sharply in Europe since the 1940s. Celebrity Chair Elizabeth Taylor to Appear at Bullock's 'Passport '93' Fashion Show in Los Angeles * PR Newswire (09/28/93) San Francisco--Elizabeth Taylor, acclaimed actress and AIDS activist, will appear at the country's largest fashion show, which is being presented this year as a money-raising event for AIDS. Passport '93, a San Francisco tradition for more than a decade, has expanded the fashion extravaganza to California, where the Los Angeles premiere hopes to solicit $1 million for the fight against AIDS. This year's production, Passport '93 "Beyond Boundaries", will donate proceeds to the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and AIDS Project Los Angeles. Taylor founded her organization in 1991 to raise money to combat the spread of the deadly virus, and to distribute that money to groups directly involved in caring for AIDS patients. Passport, in its 11th year, is a fast-paced, multi-media fashion presentation featuring live performance, lighting, video, special effects, and top models. "Concierto Por La Vida"--Latin Benefit Concert Slated to Combat AIDS * Business Wire (09/28/93) Los Angeles--International Hispanic singers, actors, and athletes will perform Oct. 16 in "Concierto Por La Vida," [Concert for Life], a benefit concert to raise money for the battle against AIDS in the Latino community. Maria Conchita Alonso, Gerardo, Rudy La Scala, Jorge Muniz, and Alvaro Torres are just a few of the celebrities scheduled to appear. The three-hour production at the Los Angeles Sports Arena is being organized by Artists of Hispanic Origin Respond to AIDS. The event will be broadcast on Telemundo Oct. 23 from 8 to 10 p.m., and will have phone lines available for viewers to call in and pledge contributions. Proceeds will be distributed as grants to Latino organizations across the country. Medical figures indicate that Hispanics make up 9 percent of the U.S. population, and account for nearly 16 percent of all AIDS cases. Blood Sources Stay Secret * National Law Journal (09/27/93) Vol. 16, No. 4, P. 6 It is in the public's best interest to maintain the confidentiality of blood donors, even if they may have been given AIDS-infected blood, a New Hampshire judge has decided. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Shane Devine was delivered in the case of a widower who sued to know the identity of the person whom he asserts donated contaminated blood to his wife. The man's wife died of AIDS, which he believes she contracted from AIDS-infected blood during surgery in 1984. New York: Community-Based Aspirin Study Recruiting * AIDS Treatment News (09/17/93) No. 183, P. 7 The Community Research Initiative on AIDS in New York City is currently recruiting volunteers for a study of aspirin as a potential treatment for AIDS. Researchers hope that aspirin will reduce HIV-related inflammation and, thus, lower the viral burden in AIDS patients. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either aspirin or acetaminophen as a control. The high-dose aspirin will be administered with Sucralfate as a buffer to help prevent stomach irritation. The study will enroll 46 people, and will be spearheaded by Dr. Donald Kotler, Director of Gastrointestinal Immunology at New York's St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center. 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 09.27.93 ]]]===----- .