Date: Thu, 5 Sep 1996 10:45:17 -0400 From: "Flynn Mclean" Subject: CDC AIDS Daily Summary 09/05/96 AIDS Daily Summary September 5, 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 ****************************************************** "The New 'Miracle' AIDS Drugs: A Dose of Hope and Hard Reality" "2 More Groups to Forgo Next 'AIDS Ride'" "Red Cross Lax in Screening, Court Told" "The Ride of Their Lives" "Zambian Sex Workers Reform" "Attenuated AIDS Vaccine Candidate Reported" "China Attacks AIDS Explosion" "Saving Children From Sex" "CMV Retinitis Monoclonal Antibody Trial Halted" ****************************************************** "The New 'Miracle' AIDS Drugs: A Dose of Hope and Hard Reality" Washington Post (09/05/96) P. A1; Kastor, Elizabeth While protease inhibitors--the new AIDS drugs being touted as a near-miracle cure--are restoring strength to many patients, they are expensive and difficult to take, and they do not work for everyone. The level of optimism in the AIDS community is the highest it has ever been, however, due to studies that show the drugs can lower the level of HIV in the blood to undetectable levels. The new drugs were approved by the Food and Drug Administration quickly, under pressure from AIDS activists, with less long term study. AIDS experts warn that the drugs could fail in the long term, but as scientific discussions play out among the public rather than among scientists themselves, subtleties and caution can be lost. "2 More Groups to Forgo Next 'AIDS Ride'" Philadelphia Inquirer (09/05/96) P. B1; Collins, Huntly Two of the three Philadelphia AIDS service organizations that shared money raised by the recent Philadelphia-to-Washington, D.C. bicycle ride announced Wednesday that they will not participate in the ride planned for next year. Paul Scoles, director of the board for Philadelphia Community Health Alternatives, said the group would not take part due to projected high overhead costs for the ride. Meanwhile, a representative for The AIDS Information Network explained that organization had decided to pursue "other development opportunities." The June AIDS ride was criticized recently for not fulfilling its fund-raising goal. Of the $1.6 million raised by riders, $1.3 million went to cover expenses. "Red Cross Lax in Screening, Court Told" Toronto Globe and Mail (09/04/96) P. A3; Downey, Donn The Canadian Red Cross (CRC) is being sued for failing to properly screen two blood donors who had sexual histories that should have made them ineligible to donate blood according to common precautions. The estates of Alma Walker and Ronald Osborne, who received blood donated by the two men in 1983 and 1985, respectively, and died of AIDS-related illnesses, are alleging that the CRC was late and ineffective in implementing proper donor-screening measures. One of the blood donors was openly gay and the other had been sexually active for eight years before 1982. Kenneth Arenson, lawyer for the estates, said the CRC was more concerned about not appearing homophobic or racist than about protecting the blood supply. "The Ride of Their Lives" Boston Globe (09/04/96) P. B1; Jacobs, Sally Of the more than 4,000 bicycle riders participating in the second annual 300-mile Boston-to-New York AIDS Ride, about 50 have HIV or AIDS. The riders, known as Positive Pedalers, are taking part in the ride for personal reasons and in an attempt to help change attitudes about people who have AIDS or HIV. "I want to show that people with full-blown AIDS can ride this kind of distance and lead active, healthy lives," said Jeff Brooks, who was diagnosed with AIDS two years ago. The Positive Pedalers are all male, in varying degrees of health. The ride has also led some people to disclose that they have HIV. "Zambian Sex Workers Reform" Africa News Service (09/05/96) A group of prostitutes in Zambia have turned from the sex trade to more productive roles through a project established by an AIDS expert. The women receive counseling and training in various skills, including tailoring. Dr. Nkandu Luo, the only Zambian female professor, explains that she started the project to provide a positive contribution to the fight against the disease, and she continues to recruit prostitutes with the help of reformed women. "Attenuated AIDS Vaccine Candidate Reported" Reuters (09/04/96) A potentially safe and effective AIDS vaccine candidate is described in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. H.W. Kestler and colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation report that results of animal studies suggest that a live vaccine of HIV, attenuated in the nef protein, is the best candidate for a vaccine. "China Attacks AIDS Explosion" United Press International (09/04/96) Chinese health officials promised on Wednesday to increase funding for HIV prevention to help slow the rapid spread of the virus. The number of HIV cases in China has tripled each year since 1994. The Ministry of Health will "upgrade laboratory testing techniques and carry out extensive publicity to increase public awareness of the risks," said Dai Zhicheng, director of the ministry's disease control department. Only half of the 30 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities have laboratories for confirming HIV, he said. The ministry will hold a national conference in October to increase awareness among local officials, and the government has tripled its AIDS budget to $1.8 million this year. "Saving Children From Sex" Economist (08/31/96) Vol. 340, No. 7981, P. 17 The first World Congress Against the Commercial Exploitation of Children, held in Stockholm recently, focused the world's attention on the widespread prostitution of children. Reports from the meeting revealed that more than 1 million children are forced into the global sex trade annually and that one-third of child prostitutes in Asia are HIV-positive. Although many countries have passed laws that would allow their governments to prosecute citizens for child exploitation in other countries, these laws are difficult to enforce. To end child prostitution, both poor and rich countries need to establish and enforce laws against child exploitation. Many poor countries have inadequate laws and ignore the problem because it offers a boost to tourism. Wealthier countries can help by providing assistance and training to police and children. "CMV Retinitis Monoclonal Antibody Trial Halted" Lancet (08/31/96) Vol. 348, No. 9027, P. 603; McCarthy, Michael A monoclonal antibody has been found to be ineffective against cytomegalovirus (CMV) in a U.S. trial in AIDS patients. A safety monitoring board halted the trial of MSL 109 after determining that the antibody failed to slow disease progression. In the study of 209 patients, those taking MSL 109 in addition to their primary treatment showed no added benefit and had a higher mortality rate than those taking a placebo. MSL 109 is still being tested in a treatment trial for AIDS patients with newly diagnosed CMV retinitis and in a prevention trial for bone-marrow transplant recipients.