Date: Wed, 11 Jan 1995 10:08:44 +0500 From: awilson@smtpinet.aspensys.com (Wilson, Anne) AIDS Daily Summary January 11, 1995 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 1994, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD *********************************************************** "FDA Uncovers Flaws in Abbott Labs' Diagnostic Devices, Including AIDS Kit" "Judge Rules AIDS Case to Be Heard" "Researcher Reports Evidence of a New Type of Hepatitis Virus" "Across the USA: Connecticut" "Medivators, Inc. Develops Medical Waste Disposal Machine" "Crystal Structure of the Catalytic Domain of HIV-1 Integrase: Similarity to Other Polynucleotidyl Transferases" "Corporate Response to AIDS" "Mood Swings" A Guide to Your Sexual Health: HIV" "Addressing AIDS" ************************************************************ "FDA Uncovers Flaws in Abbott Labs' Diagnostic Devices, Including AIDS Kit" Wall Street Journal (01/11/95) P. B8; Burton, Thomas M. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has discovered several flaws in Abbott Laboratories' quality-assurance procedures used in assembling medical-diagnostic products, including hepatitis and AIDS test kits. Because of the findings, the FDA has delayed approval of some new medical diagnostic devices made at the company's Chicago manufacturing plants. During the next few weeks, the agency will re-inspect Abbott's facilities to determine if the problems highlighted in recent correspondence have been corrected. The blood-test kits at issue are used by blood banks to ensure that hepatitis and HIV do not contaminate blood donations used in surgery and transfusions. Doctors also use the kits to test individual patients. Some of the criticisms stemmed from the larger-than-normal numbers of false positive results produced by some production lots of the blood tests, and from the quality-assurance procedures used to ensure that each of the plastic beads used Abbott's blood test kit, called HIVAB, is uniformly coated. The FDA also questioned both Abbott's "inadequate" efforts in checking the coating of the beads for the Auszyme hepatitis B test kit, as well as the company's "failure to adequately investigate and follow up device failures," including one with the HTLV-1 leukemia test. "Judge Rules AIDS Case to Be Heard" Philadelphia Inquirer (01/11/95) P. B5; Roche Jr., Walter F. A federal judge has refused to throw out a lawsuit filed by a Philadelphia man claiming he was denied medical services in the state and federally financed HealthPass program because he tested HIV-positive. The judge concluded that a jury must decide whether a city doctor and the operators of the HealthPass program violated federal laws designed to protect the handicapped. Attorneys for the defendants had asked that the case be thrown out, claiming that the federal Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act did not apply to medical benefits. They also said that the patient, John Woolfolk, had failed to prove he was denied care solely because of his disability. U.S. Judge John R. Padova ruled that a physician "who receives federal funds to provide health-care benefits may not withhold medical benefits without reasonable accommodation." He also noted the key role played by a primary-care physician in a managed-care program. "Researcher Reports Evidence of a New Type of Hepatitis Virus" New York Times (01/11/95) P. A15; Altman, Lawrence K. Dr. Harvey J. Alter of the National Institutes of Health announced on Tuesday that his research team had found preliminary evidence of a new virus that is believed to cause a new type of hepatitis. The newly reported virus apparently can be transmitted through blood transfusions. Alter said that particles of the possible new virus were detected in one of the unexplained cases of transfusion hepatitis in the institutes' collection. The researchers are now trying to further identify the virus by using the latest molecular biology techniques on blood and other tissues from additional cases. Alter disclosed the information reluctantly because he was addressing a federally appointed panel that had been summoned to hear all information concerning infectious agents that could be spread through blood transfusions. "It is not a proven virus, and the finding could fall through," said Alter. Although it is not definite because no test has been developed yet, preliminary evidence suggests that the newly reported virus is not a large public health threat. "Across the USA: Connecticut" USA Today (01/11/95) P. 8A Although denying the charges, a Connecticut dentist accused of refusing treatment to an AIDS patient has agreed to pay $20,000 to the man's estate. The dentist must also pay a $9,000 federal fine. "Medivators, Inc. Develops Medical Waste Disposal Machine" Business Wire (01/10/95) Medivators, Inc. announced on Tuesday that it has developed a biomedical disposal machine that destroys contaminants and creates an environmentally friendly package. The DSI System 2000 offers hospitals and medical centers the opportunity to reduce costs while increasing safety. The dangers of handling the waste include possible contact with AIDS, hepatitis, and tuberculosis. More than 1 million needle injuries are reported by health care workers each year. The DSI System 2000, an on-site disposal system that eliminates the removal and incinerating of hazardous waste, heats waste to temperatures greater than 500 degrees Fahrenheit. AIDS and hepatitis are killed at less than 200 degrees Fahrenheit. In 105 minutes, the system compacts contaminated needles, blood-stained sharps, and hospital gowns into harmless bricks of solid waste. No longer "infectious," the bricks can be recycled on thrown away. "Crystal Structure of the Catalytic Domain of HIV-1 Integrase: Similarity to Other Polynucleotidyl Transferases" Science (12/23/94) Vol. 266, No. 5193, P. 1981; Dyda, Fred; Hickman, Alison B.; Jenkins, Timothy M. et al HIV integrase, the enzyme responsible for inserting the viral DNA into the host chromosome, is necessary for HIV replication. The central feature of the crystal structure of the catalytically active core domain of HIV-1 integrase is a five-stranded Beta sheet with two helical regions. The topology shows that the domain of integrase is part of a superfamily of polynucleotidyl transferases that contains ribonuclease H and the Holliday junction resolvase RuvC. The position of two of the conserved carboxylate residues critical for catalysis, which are found in similar positions in ribonuclease H, indicate the active site region. The structure of the catalytic domain of HIV integrase should aide in the development of HIV integrase inhibitors. "Corporate Response to AIDS" American Management Association (01/95) Vol. 84, No. 1, P. 6; Jacobs, Heidi Representing an increase of 15 percent from 1991, 38 percent of 794 companies polled in the American Management Association's (AMA) 1994 Survey on HIV- and AIDS-Related Policies reported having dealt with at least one case of HIV infection in 1994. While 26 percent of the companies who have dealt with HIV or AIDS in the workplace have specific AIDS policies, only 17 percent of the respondents who have not faced the issue have implemented a policy. "People wait until the first instance of AIDS or HIV infection before putting together policies," explains Eric Rolfe Greenberg, AMA's research director. A majority of companies in either category, however, do not have a specific AIDS policy in place. Compared to 42 percent in 1991, 53 percent of the respondents feel their companies are equipped to handle future HIV or AIDS cases. The increase may be due to success in past cases. "Mood Swings" Advocate (01/24/95) No. 672/673, P. 35; Bull, Chris Tim Westmoreland, former counsel to Rep. Henry Waxman's (D-Calif.) subcommittee on health and the environment, is just one example of the tremendous changes that Republican domination will mean for gays and lesbians in the nation's capital. After House speaker Newt Gingrich ordered the dismissal of every Democratic staffer, Westmoreland and other key gay and lesbian Democratic congressional employees suddenly found themselves out of work. "I've worked very hard for a long time to make AIDS a nonpartisan issue and get Republican support," says Westmoreland, an expert on AIDS-related legislation. The mass dismissals, however, betray the spirit of bipartisanship, says Westmoreland. "I don't see this as a productive way to change power in this country," he adds. A. Cornelius Baker, an AIDS activist who served as a political appointee in the Bush administration from 1989 to 1991, says that the political problems facing gay rights and AIDS lobbying groups are linked to the arrogance Democrats displayed when they controlled the House. Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, however, disagrees. "We have talked to Republicans for years on any number of issues. This is just Republicans engaging in victim blaming," he said. "A Guide to Your Sexual Health: HIV" Longevity (01/95) Vol. 7, No. 2, P. 37; Ganske, Mary Garner A new type of HIV-fighting agents called sulfated polymers are being studied at the Population Council in New York City. Researchers hope that they will eventually supplement the spermicides on the market, which destroy healthy vaginal and cervical cells as well as HIV. The sulfated polymers prevent HIV-infected cells from clinging to and infecting healthy cells. Although animal studies seem promising, it may take a decade for the product to reach the market. "Addressing AIDS" Internet World (01/95) Vol. 8, No. 1, P. 57; Uretsky, Sam In 1986, when an AIDS patient began searching the Internet for information about the disease, he only found advice about a macrobiotic diet. To fill the gap, several computer bulletin board began to offer information to the public. One of the challenges revealed was that both true and false information can be transmitted. While it is generally accepted that HIV causes AIDS, theories and cures such as ozone therapy and heat treatment of blood have also been spread. The Usenet newsgroup sci.med.aids is an open forum for discussion of AIDS treatment, news, and social issues. The group, which is moderated by four volunteers, all of whom are experts in the field, is the only sci.med. newsgroup that focuses on a disease rather than a healthcare occupation. As interest in the Internet and AIDS has increased, a growing number of FTP sites and discussion lists have appeared. Many of the services are provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Recently, the U.S. Department of Commerce opened a text and image database of 1,500 AIDS-related patents. An initial report said that 400 people had been accessing the database an hour. There are now dozens of resources available to anyone with a computer and modem.