AIDS Daily Summary November 16, 1993 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National AIDS Clearinghouse makes available the following information 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, and the CDC Clearinghouse should be cited as the source of this information. Copyright 1993, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD "AIDS Among the Elderly" Washington Post (Health) (11/16/93) P. 10 (Clay, Rebecca A.) One in 10 reported cases of AIDS involves an infected individual over the age of 50, according to the Centers for Disease Control. An AIDS diagnosis in an elderly patient is often surprising to health care givers, and often overlooked. "Physicians aren't sufficiently aware of the risk of AIDS in older people, but they should be," says Robert N. Butler, chairman of Mount Sinai Medical Center's geriatric unit in New York. He notes that stereotypes about the aging process can prevent doctors from suspecting the true cause of a condition. For example, health care providers may mistake dementia and other AIDS-related symptoms, which can be cured, for age-related conditions like Alzheimer's Disease, which cannot be cured. And because an older person's immune system is already compromised by age, the disease progresses more rapidly. Early intervention, therefore, is critical. Misdiagnosis also can keep doctors and family from taking precautions to protect themselves. Older people tend to feel that they are not at risk for AIDS if they are heterosexual and drug-free. But because there is no longer a need for contraception, older couples are less likely to use condoms. The leading cause of HIV transmission in the elderly, however, is actually blood transfusions, according to studies at Mount Sinai. "Federal Suit Pits a City Law Firm Against a Lawyer with AIDS" Philadelphia Inquirer (11/16/93) P. A1 (Goldman, Henry) In a case that has captured the attention of activists, academics, and legal voyeurs, a federal lawsuit charges that a lawyer, identified as John Doe, was fired from the prominent Philadelphia law firm of Kohn, Nast & Graf solely because he has AIDS. John Doe accuses firm member Steven Asher of rifling through his desk to discover medical bills and a letter from Doe's physician discussing his condition, which Asher allegedly photocopied. Doe had, in fact, tested HIV-positive in January 1993. Soon after, he claims he was ostracized, deprived of work assignments, relieved of his secretary, then fired. Kohn, Nast & Graf contend that Doe's dismissal was appropriate and cite improper misconduct, although not specified. "At no time has the law firm taken any action whatsoever with respect to 'Doe' based on any factor except job performance," stated the firm. The suit is bound to attract even more attention as a film paralleling Doe's experience debuts. "Philadelphia" chronicles the lawsuit of a lawyer who is fired from his firm because he has AIDS. The movie is scheduled for release in Philadelphia in January, several months before Doe's May court date. The case is an opportunity for civil rights attorneys to test the climate for such cases. "The outcome will say a lot to people with HIV about how well they are protected," says Scott Burris, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union. "Rebuff for AIDS Vaccine" New York Times (11/16/93) P. C3 Congress is allowing government scientists six more months to form a case against clinical trials of gp160, an experimental AIDS vaccine that received special consideration for testing last year. The drug's manufacturer, Connecticut-based MicroGeneSys, was rebuffed by the National Institutes of Health when it hired lobbyist Russell Long, who persuaded Congress to slip a $20-million appropriation for clinical testing of gp160 into a military spending bill. "Congress should not be in the business of picking commercial products to test, especially in a situation as critical as the AIDS epidemic," lambasted Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.). "Schroeter, Goldmark & Bender: Jury Finds for HIV Plaintiff Who Was Discriminated Against and Harassed in the Workplace" PR Newswire (11/15/93) Seattle--A King County Superior Court jury decided in favor of a former Washington State Ferry employee with HIV who sued the Ferry and the Department of Transportation for discrimination and harassment. The jury found that Matthew Gruber was indeed discriminated against and harassed, but also that the Washington State Ferry System failed to reasonably accommodate him when he was diagnosed as HIV-positive. Furthermore, the jury said the ferry system was negligent in the supervision of its workers. The plaintiff was awarded $105,000. "AIDS Dispute Over Black Blood in South Africa" Reuters (11/15/93) (Tucker, David) Johannesburg, South Africa--A report suggesting that black South Africans would no longer be accepted as blood donors because of their apparent high risk for AIDS sparked heated dispute Monday. As quoted by the Sunday Times newspaper, South African blood transfusion service director Anton Heyns said, "We will soon reach the stage when we will have to consider whether to use blood from black donors." Figures calculated by the service, which has more than 50,000 regular donors, indicate that HIV infection has skyrocketed among potential black donors. Although Heyns was not available for comment, service deputy head Robert Crookes said that "among first-time donors about one in 70 blacks have been found to be HIV-positive compared to one in 4,000 whites." Crookes said the service had no plans to reject donations from blacks, who account for some 80 percent of the population, but only 8 percent of donors. "Germany Drafts New Rules to Rid Blood of AIDS Risk" Reuters (11/12/93) (Christie, Michael) Bonn--German Health Minister Horst Seehofer Friday introduced new guidelines to guarantee HIV-free blood products and prevent another AIDS scandal from occurring. "HIV risks only occur through human misdeeds or technical failure," said Seehofer. "Unfortunately, we have seen in recent weeks that some firms failed to comply with safety standards." At least two German pharmaceutical companies, UB Plasma and Haemoplas, have been shut down. Donor records have been seized, company officials have been fired, and licenses have been revoked. Under the health minister's plan, all batches of certain blood products will have to be certified by inspectors as being free of viruses. Every batch of plasma should be traceable, said Seehofer. Lax procedures have made it near impossible to track patients who may have been exposed to contaminated blood, he said. Seehofer also said he would ask doctors to reduce the amount of blood used in hospitals. In addition, the health minister agreed to raise the government's annual contribution to a fund for those who have been infected through tainted blood. "Scare Over Babies as German AIDS Alarm Spreads" Reuters (11/12/93) Bonn--Over 100 infants and young children have been treated with blood products from a German firm accused of inadequate HIV screening, disclosed German officials Friday. Haemoplas, the second German firm to be shut down in the midst of national hysteria over AIDS-contaminated blood products, specialized in the manufacture of small plasma portions for children, according to a spokesperson for the Lower Saxony Social Affairs Ministry. The state-run hospital in Bamberg, Bavaria, announced that at least 60 babies, shortly after birth, received blood preparations sold by Haemoplas. The children's clinic at Munich University said that 30 children had been treated over the past two years with plasma derivatives supplied by Haemoplas. And in the children's clinic in Passau, near the Austrian border, 27 children so far are known to have received Haemoplas products. The firm's license was revoked on Wednesday, and officials have confiscated donor records and initiated an investigation. "France Ends Ban on Two Blood Products" Reuters (11/13/93) Paris--France has lifted the ban on two Austrian-manufactured blood products, which were temporarily recalled under suspicion that they might have been made from German blood plasma tainted with the AIDS virus. The products, Feiba and Tissucol, are made by Immuno and imported into France. Wolfgang Biering, president of Immuno's French unit, said that no plasma from UB Plasma, the German firm at the heart of the HIV scandal, was ever used to make Feiba. Although one lot of Tissucol was derived from a UB Plasma product, it was withdrawn by Immuno France last Sunday, confirmed Biering. He said that the ban was protectionist, and had cost the French firm several million francs in lost sales. "BC Sophomore Uses Logo as Aid to Selling Condoms" Boston Globe (11/12/93) P. 26 (Whalen, Tom) A sophomore accounting major at Boston College has for the past six weeks been selling condoms, packaged in a shiny paper matchbook which bears the university's eagle logo. John Pappas, who claims to have designed the condom package, said he is selling the condoms to promote safe sex and to protest against the long-held policy of the Jesuit-operated school against condom distribution. "I definitely feel condoms should be supplied at the health center," said Pappas. He is selling his condoms for $1.00--a 50-cent profit, and without the permission of Boston College. University spokesperson Doug Whiting called Pappas' actions "an inappropriate response." "We don't feel it's Boston College's place to be distributing condoms or allowing the sale or distribution of condoms on campus," he said. Whiting also noted that Pappas was violating several university rules, including a possible trademark infringement of the school logo. The university plans to ask Pappas to stop selling the condoms on university grounds, according to Whiting. "State AIDS Institute Director Dead of AIDS" United Press International (11/11/93) New York--Dr. Nicholas Rango, director of New York state's AIDS Institute, died Wednesday of AIDS at the age of 49. Rango, a pioneer in HIV treatment and education, worked intensely to create new medical treatment models, new housing and community care programs, and legislation protecting the rights of infected persons. "Unorthodox, impatient and courageous in his public fight against the disease, he was equally valiant in his personal struggle," commented Dr. Mark Chassin, New York State Commissioner of Health. Mayor David Dinkins acknowledged that "our city and state has lost a great battle captain in our fight against HIV infection." Rango is survived by his mother, brother, and sister. ------- End of Forwarded Message