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Software Vault: The Diamond Collection
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1995-03-02
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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.