Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 12:42:02 -0400 From: "Flynn Mclean" Subject: CDC AIDS Daily Summary 07/17/96 AIDS Daily Summary July 17, 1996 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 National AIDS Clearinghouse, or any other organization. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC National AIDS Clearinghouse should be cited as the source of this information. Copyright 1996, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD ****************************************************** "Arbitrator's Ruling Could Cost J&J a Promising Unit" "Across the USA: Kansas" "Reform Isn't Risk-Free" "Woman With HIV Charged in Sex Assault on Boy, 11" "Group Provides Support, Structure for HIV Workers" "P&U Says Working on More AIDS Drugs" "Good Prenatal Care Linked to Positive Birth Outcomes in HIV-Infected Women" "Executives Participating in Ride to Benefit AIDS" "Olympic Potential" "Health Care/Market Facts: AIDS Cases" ****************************************************** "Arbitrator's Ruling Could Cost J&J a Promising Unit" Wall Street Journal (07/17/96) P. B4; Kuntz, Phil; McGinley, Laurie As the result of an arbitrator's decision in an employment dispute, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) could lose control of Direct Access Diagnostics, the potentially profitable division that markets a home HIV test. Arbitrator John Gibbons said the company made illegal political donations to members of Congress and large contributions to a think tank affiliated with House Speaker Newt Gingrich in an effort to sway Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials. The decision was part of a proceeding in which Gibbons ruled that J&J wrongly fired the test's developer, Elliott Millenson, for reasons related to publicity over the contributions. Millenson developed the test in 1985 and then sold his company to J&J when he could not get the test approved. Millenson's lawyer said that his client's employment contract calls for J&J to return his business to him, and pay him back salary and a $1.5 million bonus because the FDA approved the test kit. "Across the USA: Kansas" USA Today (07/17/96) P. 10A Due to limited funding, the Kansas AIDS Drug Assistance Program is no longer taking applications. Prospective applicants will be put on a waiting list. "Reform Isn't Risk-Free" Washington Post (07/17/96) P. A18 Legislation being considered in Congress to reform the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should not be rushed, a Washington Post editorial asserts, urging advocates of reform to consider the potential risks to privatizing drug reviews. The editors note that the measures would make it easier for drug makers to advertise drugs as safe and effective for uses that have not been approved by the FDA. They also point out that pressure from AIDS activists has affected changes that have cut drug approval time in half since 1987, and that drugs given special priority have been approved in less than than 6 months. In light of the extremely high stakes involved, the authors question whether Americans are ready to accept having the drug approval process shifted primarily to private hands, and conclude that any such change should be made only with caution and deliberation. "Woman With HIV Charged in Sex Assault on Boy, 11" Boston Globe (07/16/96) P. A6 A Florida woman with HIV was charged with second-degree murder and jailed after she had sex with an 11-year-old boy who played baseball with her son. The original charge against the woman, Stacey Renee Jacobs, 32, was for sexual battery on a child under age 12. After tests showed that Jacobs was HIV-positive, she was also charged with attempted murder. The child is being tested for the virus. "Group Provides Support, Structure for HIV Workers" Boston Globe (07/16/96) P. D12; Brudney, Juliet F. Changing Directions, a support group for people who leave work because of AIDS, provides a forum for dealing with the emotional and practical aspects of a problem most AIDS patients eventually face. The group, associated with the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, was founded by Matthew Feldman to help members learn about sources of financial support. Members learn from each other's experiences and help each other cope with similar problems. "P&U Says Working on More AIDS Drugs" Reuters (07/17/96) Pharmacia & Upjohn announced Wednesday that it is developing other new AIDS drugs in addition to Rescriptor, a drug for which it is currently seeking Food and Drug Administration approval. Rescriptor has been tested in more than 2,600 AIDS patients, and company spokesman Soren Densjo said it appears to stop the disease from progressing. "Good Prenatal Care Linked to Positive Birth Outcomes in HIV-Infected Women" Reuters (07/16/96) With adequate prenatal care, adverse birth outcomes can be cut in half for children born to women infected with HIV, researchers at the Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia report. Barbara J. Turner and colleagues reviewed New York State Medicaid records of more than 2,200 HIV-infected women who gave birth between 1985 and 1990. The researchers report that the odds of low birth weight and preterm birth for women with adequate prenatal care were 48 percent and 21 percent lower, respectively, than for those individuals who had inadequate prenatal care. "Executives Participating in Ride to Benefit AIDS" Journal of Commerce (07/17/96) P. 4B Two New York transportation executives will participate in the 3-day, 300-mile Boston-to-New York AIDS Ride fundraiser. Thomas Dierson of Polar Steamship Line and Buck Broker of Lufthansa German Airlines will be among the 4,000 riders raising money in September for people with AIDS in the two cities. "Olympic Potential" Advocate (07/09/96) No. 711; P. 27; Allan, Christina The issue of HIV-positive athletes competing in Olympic events was highlighted by gold medalist Greg Louganis' revelation last year that he is HIV-positive. While HIV awareness has improved, HIV and gay stigmas persist in the Olympic community. Moreover, two Olympic-affiliated associations continue to bar HIV-positive athletes from their competitions, and the Immigration and Naturalization Service requires HIV-positive Olympic athletes and visitors to have special permission to enter the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), however, says there is no public health basis for routinely testing athletes for HIV or excluding them from sports because of their HIV status. But two amateur sports organizations, USA Boxing and USA Wrestling, prohibit HIV-positive athletes from competing, and both belong to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and receive funding from it. Although neither group requires athletes to take an HIV test, USA Boxing recommends yearly tests for its members. The USOC does not have any regulations regarding HIV and does not require disclosure or testing. "Health Care/Market Facts: AIDS Cases" Crain's Cleveland Business Vol. 17, No. 27 (07/01/96) P. M-8 In Ohio, there have been a total of 2,599 AIDS cases documented since 1981, with 1,575 deaths attributed to the disease. The state recorded 350 AIDS cases in 1994, 273 of which were in Cuyahoga County. The number of newly diagnosed cases decreased to 245 in 1995, with 199 in Cuyahoga County. As of March 1996, there were 29 AIDS cases reported in the state, with the majority once again located in Cuyahoga.