Date: Mon, 28 Nov 1994 16:15:57 -0800 From: Paradise Cowgirl Subject: (fwd) Summary of 941119 #aids/hiv IRC Meeting Path: news.teleport.com!rainrgnews0!psgrain!engr.orst.edu!reuter.cse.ogi.edu!uwm.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!ix.netcom.com!netnews From: normanbr@ix.netcom.com (Norman Brown) Newsgroups: alt.christnet.motss,alt.motss.bisexua-l,alt.sex.motss,ba.motss,bionet.molbio.hiv,can.motss,gay-net.aids,manawatu.motss,misc.health.aids,ne.motss,pa.motss,pgh.motss,pnw.motss,sdnet.motss,soc.motss,triangle.motss,triangle.personals.motss,uc.motss Subject: Summary of 941119 #aids/hiv IRC Meeting Date: 24 Nov 1994 16:38:15 GMT Organization: Netcom Lines: 220 Distribution: world Message-ID: <3b2fhn$1mb@ixnews1.ix.netcom.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: ix-sd1-21.ix.netcom.com Xref: news.teleport.com alt.motss.bisexua-l:64 alt.sex.motss:21040 ba.motss:7414 bionet.molbio.hiv:529 misc.health.aids:678 pnw.motss:1658 soc.motss:239283 The second of eight weekly trial Internet Relay Chats (IRC) which are being conducted every Saturday/Sunday from 21:00 UT/GMT - Universal Coordinated / Greenwich Mean Time (NTP) until 23:00 UTC/GMT (NTP), beginning November 12/13 and continuing through December 31/January 1 was held and declared a success by those attending. We have now received responses from the countries of Brasil, Canada, Chile, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Scotland; the states of California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Viginia; the cities of Bowling Green, Burbank, Chicago, Indianapolis, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and Toronto; and Columbia University and Johns Hopkins University, plus other countries, states, cities and universities which have not, as yet, been identified. While everyone was not able to attend this session, they have indicated they will be present for future meetings. If anyone attempted to attend but was unable to make the connection, kindly email normanbr@ix.netcom.com with the particulars. Things got underway promptly at 22:55 UTC/GMT (NTP) and the following items were discussed: 1. Needle-exchange Programs a. Larry David Pasco, the founder and present researcher for Prevention Point of Indiana, explained how a loophole in their state law which says one needs to do research but does not specify who should do the research, permits Prevention Point to operate within their state. Larry further stated the Health Departments in his state have no interest in this subject, or in conducing needle-exchanges. He further related that bleach is not the answer to stopping HIV in the IV drug communities; the only answer being harm reduction, i.e., the right of people to use, and access to clean needles. He further indicated Prevention Point also gives out bleach, water, cotton, band-aids and condoms, but that making sure people have clean needles is the most important. He reported they are user-friendly and they also do education, as well. Mr. Pasco related that many needle-exchanges in America are utilizing the NAC on-line as their means of communication. [In private correspondence during the week between Norman/HIVNET/NAC it was suggested that NAC gate their needle-exchange conference to the Internet; however, it was determined it is a possibility, but NAC has so many current projects getting on line with the Internet that they suggested we form our own needle-exchange newsgroup temporarily until they can make it a reality through NAC.] Mr. Pasco further related that the North American Syringe Network's phone number is 206-272-4857. Larry said he was hopeful that four additional people from his NE project would join in the meeting for November 26th. b. Rod explained that in his city of San Francisco they are able to conduct needle-exchanges due to a state law which permits a city/county to declare a health emergency at which time it supercedes state law. He reported that in SF volunters give out bottles of bleach, and users seem to be quite sophisticated about the use. c. Norman from San Diego further added that the Mayor of Los Angeles had recently declared a health emergency for that city, and they are presently doing needle-exchanges there. 2. Availability of AIDS/HIV Information at Universities a. Dan, a pre-med/pre-public health student at Johns Hopkins University, indicated his interest in discussions of different aspects of HIV/AIDS topics for the science section of his campus weekly newspaper for which he is a writer. He said he was currently trying to put together a series of articles that provide information on different aspects, especially from the professors and doctors at their affiliated medical school, entitled "to be afrAIDS". Dan also indicated he was affiliated with the JHU School of Hygiene and Public Health. He further related that he was looking at working in either International Health, specifically with HIV infection/AIDS, or Epidemiology. Dan indicated that AIDS education on campus was meagre, and only covered during the first week, the same message ... watch out, which is what he wants to change by writing more about it in the campus paper. He said he had taken a class during the past quarter which was excellent in providing a clinical view of HIV infection/AIDS, and he wants to let people know more about that aspect, as well as bring about a response to continued awareness. He further said he has been involved with international study forums which have looked at global issues like AIDS, and can see that people are generally ignorant of very basic facts about AIDS. Dan related that the campus Gay/Lesbian group occasionally does something on AIDS, but presently are involved in a controversy surrounding the ROTC and has not put much effort into AIDS awareness. In fact, he recalls only one article in the past four years dealing with condoms, a notice of National Condom Week. He did indicate, however, that condoms were readily available at the student clinic. 3. Home Pages dealing with HIV/AIDS Norman reported that his surveillance during the week had produced the following WWW home pages: a. World Health Organization: http://gpawww.who.ch/gpahome.htm b. Queer Resource Directory: http://vector.casti.com/QRD/.html/QRD-home-page.html; and http://northstar.otago.ac.nz/QRD/.html/QRD- home-page.html (mirror image of main QRD site); c. French: http://www.ircam.fr/solidarites/sida/ index-e.html; (in mostly French, but some English); and d. War on AIDS: http://www.webcom.com/~feedle/ War_On_AIDS.html (supporting Duesberg theory) (be sure to type this in exactly the upper/lower case as indicated above) 4. Larry Pasco provided the following 800-numbers for free access to HIV/AIDS information: a. HIVNET 1-800-788-4118 b. Computer AIDS Ministries 1-800-542-5921 5. Global AIDS/HIV Project to Increase Education and Awareness: a. The cumulative suggestions are trying to get the students of high schools and universities involved in something like ... (1) Hands-around-the-World; (2) Electronic Quilt; (3) Electronic Mail to the White House (president@whitehouse.gov), and other world leaders on next year's World AIDS Day, December 1, 1995; (4) Something which looks at the current situation and deals directly with it; (5) Something similar to a "universal" playing of "We Are The World." ... to make real the threat in low incidence/prevelance areas. 6. Possible New Agenda Items for Future IRC Meetings: a. Pediatric AIDS; and b. Women and AIDS (Dan will bring his notes on this for the December 3rd meeting). Dan felt that meetings with a specific topic each week would make discussion stronger. If anyone has input as to anything mentioned above, please feel free to reply in this newsgroup -or- in email to me as indicated below ... BUT preferably in the newsgroup in case it engenders further discussion. Matthew Lewis, Chairman of the Board of the HIVNET Foundation, administrator of their Internet gateway and technical coordinator for the group will be our "speaker" for the December 3rd meeting. This should prove to be a very interesting meeting as he will explain how individuals from around the world can become involved in HIVNET. Plan to attend as we extend the conversation across the Atlantic to the Netherlands and beyond! The local times for future Saturday/Sunday meetings until the end of the year are: Hawaii 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., November 26 California 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., November 26 New York 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., November 26 United Kingdom 9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m., November 26 Germany 9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m., November 26 France 10:00 p.m. - 12:00 mid., November 26 The Netherlands 10:00 p.m. - 12:00 mid., November 26 Italy 10:00 p.m. - 12:00 mid., November 26 Western Australia 5:00 a.m. - 7:00 a.m., November 27 Eastern Australia 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m., November 27 The name of the channel is AIDS/HIV, so you will type ... /join #AIDS/HIV (don't forget the "#") ... at your IRC prompt to gain access. A password will NOT be required to attend. Just show up for a nice cup of hot coffee/tea, a sweet roll, and a friendly chat around the fireplace. We never know who will show up!! Did someone say C. Everett Koop? NORMAN R. BROWN normanbr@ix.netcom.com -- _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ INTER- normanbr@ix.netcom.com norman.brown@tde.com _/ _/ NET: norman.brown@f909.n104.z1.fidonet.org _/ _/ FIDONET: 1:104/909 ///\oo/\\\ COMPUSERVE: 74127,324 _/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ -- Darci L. Chapman i love the pounding of hooves, i love engines that roar Senior FW/SW Consultant i love the wild music of waves on the shore Solution Logic, Inc., and the spiral perfection of a hawk when it soars 319 SW Washington #1001 i love my sweet woman down to the core Portland, OR 97204 503/222-0057 -bruce cockburn