Date: Thu, 2 Mar 1995 09:37:42 +0500 From: ghmcleaf{CONTRACTOR/ASPEN/ghmcleaf}%NAC-GATEWAY.ASPEN@ace.aspensys.com AIDS Daily Summary March 2, 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 1995, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD ************************************************************ "Chiron's IL-2 Boosts Cells Hurt by AIDS, New Study Reports" "Gingrich Sister, AIDS Lobbyist" "Advertising: From Nike, a Real World Ad with an H.I.V.-Positive Runner" "Bennett Nabs Top Grammy" "Across the USA: Mississippi" "Serious Ethical Concerns in Coercive HIV Tests" "CTC, Inc. Named Investor Relations Counsel for Medizone International Inc." "Management of Occupational Exposures to Blood-Borne Viruses" "Control of Posture in Patients with Neurologically Asymptomatic HIV Infection and Patients with Beginning HIV-1-Related Encephalopathy" "San Francisco Area: Computerized Search for Local Clinical Trials" ************************************************************ "Chiron's IL-2 Boosts Cells Hurt by AIDS, New Study Reports" Wall Street Journal (03/02/95) P. B6; Waldholz, Michael A new study, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, has found that Chiron Corp.'s IL-2 (interleukin-2) significantly increased the level of immune system cells that were attacked by HIV in some patients tested at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. IL-2, an natural substance produced through genetic engineering, boosted the number of CD4 cells by an average of 50 percent for two years in six of ten patients whose CD4 level was above 200. The researchers, however, also found that IL-2 benefitted only 2 of the 15 patients with CD4 counts below 200. Further tests must be conducted to determine whether the increased number of immune system cells produced health benefits for the patients. Related Stories: Washington Post (03/02) P. A3; New York Times (03/02) P. A18; Washington Times (03/02) P. A3 "Gingrich Sister, AIDS Lobbyist" New York Times (03/02/95) P. B9 Candace Gingrich, sister of Speaker Newt Gingrich, will be among the gay and lesbian lobbyists on Capitol Hill next Monday to seek support for AIDS programs. Ms. Gingrich, whose homosexuality became public after the elections last fall, will be lobbying her own member of Congress, Rep. George W. Gekas (R.-Pa.), to fight cuts in federal funding of AIDS programs. She will take with her the results of a new poll that indicates that most voters want to keep the same level of support for AIDS programs, or increase it. The House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to vote on a number of AIDS programs on Thursday. "Advertising: From Nike, a Real World Ad with an H.I.V.-Positive Runner" New York Times (03/02/95) P. D19; Elliott, Stuart As AIDS continues its attack into a second decade, the issues evoked by the disease are slowly, and carefully, beginning to be addressed by mainstream advertising. For example, a television commercial for Nike Inc. features a runner named Ric Munoz. In the spot, Munoz is described as someone who runs "80 miles every week" and "10 marathons every year," and then matter-of-factly, as someone who is HIV-positive. Joe McCarthy, advertising director for Nike in Beaverton, Ore., said that the company was not making a statement about HIV or AIDS. "We wanted to tell an inspirational 'Just do it' story, and this seemed like a story that could appeal on a very emotional level. And it's grounded in sports, making it a story appropriate for Nike to tell," he explained. Calling it "very healthy," Sean Strub, publisher and executive editor of Poz--a magazine about HIV and AIDS--compared Munoz's appearance to the inclusion of the disabled in mainstream commercials and catalogues. While some people "who have opinions on HIV" have complained about the commercial, "Eighty, 85 percent of the comments are positive, applauding Nike for having the courage to make this statement," said McCarthy. "Bennett Nabs Top Grammy" Washington Post (03/02/95) P. D1; Harrington, Richard Bruce Springsteen won four times Wednesday night at the 37th annual Grammy Awards, all for "Streets of Philadelphia," his theme song for the 1993 film "Philadelphia." The song was named song of the year, best rock song, best song written specifically for a motion picture or television, and best male rock vocal. The song also won an Academy award last year. In accepting the award, Springsteen gave a special thanks to "the folks who have come up to me in restaurants or on the street who've lost their sons or their lovers or their friends to AIDS and said this song meant something to them." "Across the USA: Mississippi" USA Today (03/02/95) P. 9A In what represents Mississippi's first case in which HIV was considered to be a deadly weapon, Willie Palmer--who is infected with the virus--was sentenced to eight years in prison for biting a store clerk. "Serious Ethical Concerns in Coercive HIV Tests" Houston Chronicle (03/01/95) P. 21A; Harrington, Eugene M. Although its intentions are good, the recent proposal that would mandate that prenatal care in Texas include an HIV test raises serious ethical concerns about the use of coercive confidential HIV testing as a medical tool, writes Eugene M. Harrington in the Houston Chronicle. The simplicity of the requirement is deceptive, he says, because a Texas woman would have to undergo an HIV test--without the safeguard of anonymity--or face serious consequences. With confidential testing, the individual is tested and the results are divulged to the laboratory, doctor, hospital, clinic, and other medical personnel. Under penalty of law, all HIV results are restricted, but a confidential test result is only as confidential as those having the information decide it to be, Harrington says. Some people may argue that the proposed legislation is not coercive because it contains a provision for women to refuse. Many women, however, depend of the public health system for prenatal care, and understand the negative impact a "refusal to be tested" medical file notation can have for any woman. Texans should use every possible means to protect unborn children from HIV infection, but a system can be developed that does not mandate that a child's health be paid for at the expense of the mother's self-interest, Harrington concludes. "CTC, Inc. Named Investor Relations Counsel for Medizone International Inc." PR Newswire (03/01/95) CTC, Inc. announced on Wednesday that it has become the Investor Relations counsel for Medizone International Inc.--the developer of Medizone, an ozone-based treatment for diseases caused by lipid enveloped viruses, such as AIDS, hepatitis B, and herpes. "It is a privilege to assist the management of Medizone International, Inc., in getting their story known by a broader number of investors as they pursue their proprietary therapeutic approach," said William H. Roberts, president of CTC, Inc. "Management of Occupational Exposures to Blood-Borne Viruses" New England Journal of Medicine (02/16/95) Vol. 332, No. 7, P. 444; Gerberding, Julie Louise Exposure to blood-borne pathogens, such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HIV, poses a serious occupational risk to health care workers. While prevention of such infection is possible, it is dependent upon the integration of three strategies: avoidance of exposure, immunization, and post-exposure prophylaxis. The risk associated with occupational exposure to HIV is low--about 0.2 percent for percutaneous injuries involving needles and other contaminated devices and 0.1 percent for mucocutaneous exposures. Although several highly speculative preventive treatments have been proposed, there is no evidence that such approaches would be of any benefit. Reverse transcriptase inhibitors, such as zidovudine, are the only drugs that have clinical benefit in HIV-infected humans. Uncertainties about zidovudine, including resistance and toxicity, however, suggest that the drug should not be seen as the standard of care. Still, more than 40 percent of health care workers reporting HIV exposures to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1992 elected such treatment. The Public Health Service recommends periodic testing for HIV antibody for at least six months after exposure. If HIV infection is suspected, the Western blot or p24 antigen test should be performed to detect evidence of early infection. "Control of Posture in Patients with Neurologically Asymptomatic HIV Infection and Patients with Beginning HIV-1-Related Encephalopathy" Journal of the American Medical Association (03/01/95) Vol. 273, No. 9, P. 682e Researchers observed stance control measurements--such as sway velocity, sway area, and postural reflexes--in patients with neurologically asymptomatic HIV infection and in patients with beginning HIV-1-related encephalopathy. They concluded that because posture control is well-preserved in early HIV infection, it is not an appropriate measure of detecting subclinical deficits. However, damage to postural control appears to be one of the first neurological abnormalities in patients with beginning HIV-1-related encephalopathy. "San Francisco Area: Computerized Search for Local Clinical Trials" AIDS Treatment News (02/10/95) No. 216, P. 7; Smith, Denny The Community Consortium, an organization of HIV care providers in the San Francisco Bay area, offers HIV-positive people a quick and easy way to find out about local clinical trials. "Trials Search" is a free service to any Bay Area resident. The data offered by Trials Search is the same as that contained in the Consortium's published directory of trials, but the computer search is more current since new trials are available as soon as they are entered. The results of the search are specific to the needs of the inquirer. The patient's health history and lab work are entered into the computer. The data is then compared to the entry criteria of all local clinical trials, and the resulting printout matches the patient with those trials for which he or she is eligible.