Date: Mon, 3 Jun 1996 09:59:39 -0400 From: "Flynn Mclean" Subject: CDC AIDS Daily Summary 06/03/96 AIDS Daily Summary June 3, 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 ************************************************************ "2,275 People, 540 Miles, 7 Days, a Single Cause" "State Won't Pay Price for All New AIDS Drugs" "Blood Inquiry Names 17 as Possibly in Report" "Hope, and Pragmatism, for U.N. Cities Conference" "A Straight and Narrow Path" "Thailand Tops List of HIV-Pregnancies in Asia" "Karachi Launches Program to Raise Awareness About AIDS" "Decision Protects AIDS Patient Privacy" "Nova Scotia Pulls Out" "Reality Check" ************************************************************ "2,275 People, 540 Miles, 7 Days, a Single Cause" Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (06/03/96) P. B1; Reed, Mack The California AIDS Ride 3, a 540-mile, week-long trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles, got underway Sunday. The 2,275 riders are expected to raise $6 million for AIDS care and outreach in both cities. Riders participate in honor of loved ones who died of AIDS and in an effort to advance AIDS services. HIV-positive riders participate to prove that they can lead full lives. "State Won't Pay Price for All New AIDS Drugs" Chicago Tribune (06/01/96) P. 1-1; Parsons, Christi The Illinois General Assembly has decided not to provide the additional $3 million needed to make the three new protease inhibitors available to patients who receive AIDS medications through a state program. The Illinois Department of Public Health says it will pay for one drug, saquinavir, for patients in the AIDS Drug Reimbursement Program. However, to provide the drug, which can cost over $500 a month, the state will no longer provide 82 of the 112 other drugs currently available, including antibiotics and drugs for diarrhea and nausea. State officials say the plan is the best they can offer with limited resources. "Blood Inquiry Names 17 as Possibly in Report" Toronto Globe and Mail (05/31/96) P. A1; Picard, Andre The federal inquiry into Canada's tainted blood scandal has identified 14 Red Cross officials and three federal government officials who may face charges of blame. A second list identified 47 individuals who will not be found to have contributed directly to the tragedy, including former ministers of health and federal bureaucrats who received notices of "potential misconduct." The lists could be modified if new evidence is found. The individuals named are among those involved in legal action attempting to disallow findings of misconduct, arguing that they could be used in civil or criminal prosecutions. "Hope, and Pragmatism, for U.N. Cities Conference" New York Times (06/03/96) P. A3; Crossette, Barbara The second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, to address the problems associated with the growth of cities, begins today in Istanbul. Participants will include city mayors, business leaders, scientists, and private organizations. By early in the next century, at least half of the world's population will live in cities, mostly in poor countries. Young, unemployed men make up a large part of the urban populace, leading to increased crime, violence, and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS, according to several UN agencies. "A Straight and Narrow Path" Washington Post (06/03/96) P. B1; Kurtz, Howard Former CNN reporter Edward Alwood has written a book about the history of the media's portrayal of gays, turning up evidence of prejudice across the media spectrum. "Straight News" is a record of television reports, newspaper, and magazine articles that portrayed homosexuals as sick and stigmatized. Coverage began to change in the early 1970s, as the gay rights movement advanced. When openly gay reporters began covering gay issues in the 1980s, it became a popular subject for journalism seminars. AIDS also changed how homosexuality was covered; as journalists began dying of the disease, homosexuality became a more acceptable subject, Alwood notes. "Thailand Tops List of HIV-Pregnancies in Asia" Xinhua News Agency (06/01/96) Thailand has seen a larger rise in HIV-infected pregnant women than any other Asian country, according to an official in the Thai Health Ministry. Wichai Thianthaworn, director of the Health and Family Division of the ministry, said an average of 24.2 percent of HIV-positive pregnant women in the country transmit the virus to their children. An official with the National Development Board predicted that more than 300,000 Thai people would die of AIDS by the turn of the century. "Karachi Launches Program to Raise Awareness About AIDS" Xinhua News Agency (06/02/96) A program designed to increase AIDS awareness has been launched in Karachi, starting with a city-wide survey to determine what is known about the disease. After a second survey to assess how health care providers have dealt with the disease, the Biological Research Council will consult with local and foreign researchers on how to reduce the rate of AIDS in Pakistan. "Decision Protects AIDS Patient Privacy" American Medical News (05/20/96) Vol. 39, No. 19, P. 24 A Connecticut Supreme Court ruling that a doctor can be sued for disclosing that a patient has HIV, even if no harm is intended, sends a warning to health care workers, social workers, teachers, and anyone else entrusted with such knowledge. The case involved a woman who told her doctor she had HIV while she was being treated for a gall bladder problem. The case was the first of its kind to reach the state Supreme Court, two lower courts having ruled that the doctor did not "willfully" disclose the information or intend to harm the woman. The Supreme Court decided, however, that no one should disclose HIV-related information, whether harm is intended or not. The patient settled with Doris Marselle, the doctor's assistant who disclosed the information, and is now planning to sue the doctor. "Nova Scotia Pulls Out" Maclean's (05/20/96) Vol. 109, No. 21, P. 27 Nova Scotia will not participate in the court challenge of the federal inquiry into Canada's tainted-blood tragedy, Health Minister Ron Stewart said. Stewart's announcement followed the news that three former Nova Scotia health ministers were withdrawing from the case. The Canadian Red Cross, seven provincial governments, four pharmaceutical companies and dozens of individuals remain involved in the legal challenge to the inquiry's right to make findings of misconduct in the scandal. Thousands of Canadians were infected with AIDS or hepatitis through contaminated-blood products between 1978 and 1985. "Reality Check" Village Voice (05/21/96) Vol. 91, No. 21, P. 15; Galtney, Smith The female condom is being distributed in San Francisco health clinics for gay men to use as an alternative to male condoms, but the New York City health department does not plan to offer them and says it is not aware of their use for anal sex. A receptive condom for anal sex would provide an option for men who dislike using condoms, but it will not be considered by the Food and Drug Administration as long as sodomy remains illegal in many states. No one knows if the female condom, marketed under the name Reality, is effective against HIV transmission when used anally, but it does offer advantages over the male condom. Reality is made of polyurethane, which is 40 percent stronger than the latex in male condoms, and has been proven to be an effective barrier against HIV and hepatitis. AIDS activists and gay groups have tried to increase awareness and availability of the female condom for gay men, and some groups have offered instructions specifically for anal use. Reality, however, is more expensive than male condoms--one reason why it may not be offered in public health clinics.