Date: Wed, 22 Nov 1995 09:43:01 +0500 From: ghmcleaf{CONTRACTOR/ASPEN/ghmcleaf}%NAC-GATEWAY.ASPEN@ace.aspensys.com Subject: CDC AIDS Daily Summary 11/22/95 AIDS Daily Summary November 22, 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 ************************************************************ "City Plan to Revamp AIDS Services Unit Draws Fire" "Chronicle: A Generous Producer Expects Hundreds for Thanksgiving" "Kids with AIDS Need Equal Rights, Conference Told" "Beatles Donate Money for Romania's AIDS Children" "ChemTrak Expands Product Development and Sales..." "HIV-Blood Scientist Defends Reporting Delay" "AIDS Intervention in Uganda" "Good-Bye, Mr. Studds" ************************************************************ "City Plan to Revamp AIDS Services Unit Draws Fire" New York Times (11/22/95) P. B2; Alvarez, Lizette Some advocates of people with AIDS claim that New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's proposal to rework the Division of AIDS Services may further complicate these patients' efforts to obtain critical services. Giuliani vowed not to reduce the number of workers or financing in the unit, yet heads of AIDS-related community groups voiced concerns Tuesday that the plan did not adequately deal with the needs of the increasing number of infected individuals who depend on the government. "I think this model is really about saving money, not about getting people what they need," commented Theresa McGovern, director of the HIV Law Project. The newly announced reorganization is meant to increase the division's efficiency by involving community groups and creating a team of people responsible for providing essential services to AIDS patients. Case managers will be paired with social workers, and once a patient has stabilized, his or her case will be passed to an AIDS community-based organization for follow-up care. However, the AIDS advocates noted that the community groups will receive no extra funding for the increased workload, and some wondered whether the city had gathered enough data on the resources of such organizations, who are often themselves plagued by the city's red tape. "Chronicle: A Generous Producer Expects Hundreds for Thanksgiving" New York Times (11/22/95) P. B7; Brozan, Nadine Theater and film producer Marty Richards has invited every Equity actor in a Broadway or Off Broadway show, ballet, or opera to join him for Thanksgiving dinner at New York City's Arcimboldo restaurant. Richards explained his actions by noting that many performers are busy during the holiday and are not able to be with their families. Richards and Arcimboldo owner John Miller have also invited the staff and clients of God's Love We Deliver, a food-delivery service for AIDS patients, the Gay Men's Health Crisis, and the Actors Fund to the holiday meal. "Kids with AIDS Need Equal Rights, Conference Told" Reuters (11/21/95); Charles, Deborah At the opening ceremony of an Asia-Pacific program on AIDS and child rights on Tuesday, health care, child rights, and international law experts said that children are becoming increasingly vulnerable to HIV and AIDS. "The pandemic shows no sign of abatement, particularly here in Asia," explained Dr. Brian Doberstyn, World Health Organization representative in Thailand. "All population groups are affected, including children, the segment of the population most requiring protection and support." In addition, K.B. Kothari--deputy regional director of UNICEF's regional office--said that up to 2,000 of the 5,000 new HIV infections each day are in people under the age of 25. Doberstyn further noted that there is widespread discrimination of people with HIV and AIDS and that "it is clear that the pandemic cannot be controlled without overcoming [such] discrimination and protecting the rights of those with HIV infection, suspected of being infected, or particularly vulnerable to infection." The experts noted that under the Convention of the Rights of Child, which was approved by more than 150 governments, children have equal rights, whether or not they are ill. "Beatles Donate Money for Romania's AIDS Children" Reuters (11/21/95); Popescu, Karin Olivia Harrison, wife of Beatle George Harrison, said Tuesday that some royalties from the Beatles' new song "Free as a Bird" will go to a Romanian AIDS charity established by the singers' wives and rock star Elton John. Harrison was in Bucharest as part of her work with the five-year-old "Romanian Angel Appeal," a charity set up by herself, Barbara Bach Starkey, Linda McCartney, Yoko Ono, and John. "We spent some $4 million over the past five years in many projects," Harrison noted. The founding group was inspired by the disturbing images of Romanian orphanages after the 1989 revolution which overthrew communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. The Romanian Angel Appeal has focused on renovating the filthy buildings that house children who have AIDS or are disabled. "ChemTrak Expands Product Development and Sales..." Business Wire (11/21/95) ChemTrak, Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif., has named Rodger J. Richeal as Vice President of Scientific Affairs and Christopher P. Matoske as Director of Trade Sales and Marketing. Company CEO Prithipal Singh said the two men will be key in the marketing process of ChemTrak's newest items--a home HIV test service and H. pylori test, which are both pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. ChemTrak's PMA application for the home HIV test and counseling service has been accepted for FDA review and is currently awaiting clearance, Singh added. "HIV-Blood Scientist Defends Reporting Delay" Nature (11/02/95) Vol. 378, No. 6552, P. 9; Appel, Adrianne Alfred Prince, head of the laboratory of virology and parasitology at the New York Blood Center, claims that the 1985 decision of Armour Pharmaceutical not to withdraw HIV-infected blood products and not to inform the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the contamination was justified considering the HIV-related uncertainty at the time. At least six hemophiliac children became HIV-infected after Armour continued to manufacture Factorate for two years despite Prince's research which showed the potential inadequacy of the company's HIV-killing heat treatment process. Prince noted that "we pointed out at the time that the relatively modest virus inactivation resulting from the Armour heating process did not necessarily imply that their actual product was unsafe." However, both U.S. and Canadian hemophiliacs contend that documents recently made public indicate that Armour was also motivated by the desire to avoid delays and additional investment needed to launch an extended heat treatment. Some critics claim that Prince should have gone directly to the FDA and been more aggressive about his findings. Still, virologist Mark Feinberg, who is a member of a committee at the Institute of Medicine which conducted a study of the U.S. blood system, argues that even if Prince had informed the FDA, other blood products companies and the public would likely not have been told about the research in order to protect Armour's proprietary interests. "AIDS Intervention in Uganda" Science (10/27/95) Vol. 270, No. 5236, P. 564; Wawer, Maria J.; Gray, Ronald H.; Quinn, Thomas In a letter to the editors of Science, Wawer et al. respond to Rachel Nowak's recent claim that their study in Rakai, Uganda, "runs counter to internationally accepted guidelines." International guidelines urge that should a therapy tested during a study be proven effective, it should "be made reasonably available to the inhabitants of the host community or country." However, many of the drugs used in the Rakai study--which examined the impact of intensive control of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) on HIV incidence and attempted to identify which STDs are most strongly linked to HIV transmission--are inexpensive and available in Uganda, the authors contend. Azithromycin, for example, currently costs about $9.50 per course of treatment, a price which is similar to that of other recommended prescription therapies for chlamydia and chancroid. In sum, Wawer et al. feel that the scientific conclusions of the Rakai study will likely be useful in intervention programs both in Uganda and other locations.. "Good-Bye, Mr. Studds" Advocate (11/28/95) No. 695, P. 20; Moss, J. Jennings The impending retirement of Rep. Gerry Studds (D-Mass.), along with that of Rep. Steve Gunderson (R-Wisc.), could reduce gay representation in Congress to one man, Rep. Barney Frank, who is also a Massachusetts Democrat. "It is simply time to...start afresh in some new endeavors," Studds explained. "Certainly, we'll be as active as possible in the things we've been fighting for all along, particularly in the fields of civil rights and the fight against HIV." Although anticipated, Studds' decision not to seek a 13th term in Congress was still a setback for gay political operatives, who see him as one of the country's most influential voices for gay causes. Kate Dyer, who worked for the Democratic lawmaker from 1986 to 1991, said that Studd's effect on gay issues increased as he worked the House floor and lobbied his heterosexual colleagues each time a bill concerning gays, lesbians, and HIV-infected persons came to vote. "He had a polite and effective way of getting in their faces and letting them know that a vote for an antigay measure was a vote against people like him, their fellow member of Congress," Dyer noted. AIDS Daily News will not publish Thursday, November 23 or Friday, November 24, in observance of Thanksgiving. Publication will resume on Monday, November 27.