Ä Area: Internet : Health -> AIDS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 7 Date: 14 Oct 95 04:13:02 From: robert@spirit.reno.nv.us Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Alternative Healing Formula ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ From: robert@spirit.reno.nv.us (Robert Roy) Subject: Alternative Healing Formula Organization: Spirit Technology Inc. COMPOUND X HEALING FORMULA has been used successfully by tribal people,and now modern americans for moles,warts,skin tags,sun skin damage,liver detox, malignancies, chronic fatigue syndrom,allergies, viral deseases, tumors, yeast and fungal infections, herpes, parasites,lupus,AIDS related symptoms,gum disease, and much more. Completely herbal, with no toxic side effects. Call Robert at (702) 324-4889 or 800-320-4884 or fax at (702) 324-4884, look up our Web page at: http://www.lablinks.com/sumeria/spirit/stidx.html or send an e-mail note to robert@spirit.reno.nv.us. -- Let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food. (Hippocrates) http://www.lablinks.com/sumeria/spirit/stidx.html -!- ! Origin: Usenet:Spirit Technology Inc. (11:1/1) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Related ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 89 Date: 16 Oct 95 01:18:01 From: Chris Dennis Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: AIDS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ A-I-D-S Analy Inflicted Death Sentence! All of 'em must die! -!- HyperMail! v1.20 ! Origin: Sophisticated Software Home of VERIFIX CBV (1:273/215) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Related ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 112 Date: 17 Oct 95 08:20:34 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: Michael Clayton Mark: Subj: RE: EXCOMMUNICATED? ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ You will find quite a few articles on both DHEA and DNCB in the AEGIS database. AEGIS can be reached at (714) 248-2836. Communications protocols are 8N1/Full Duplex, and AEGIS supports all modem speeds from 1200 to 33,600 bps. Databases to check out are: MEDICAL LIBRARY/AIDSLINE and PUBLICATIONS/PERIODICALS in the keyword searchable database area. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Related ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 151 Date: 18 Oct 95 11:06:12 From: Thomas Jean Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Re: Future Shock ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ * Reply to msg originally in GAYNEWS Quoting... Richard Kinz said Future Shock To All On 16 Oct 95 10:58:23 What Does Tommy Say? From The Advocate, Issue 691, October 3, 1995, "Last Word," Page 80: FUTURE SHOCK, by Patricia Nell Warren The America of 2001 is just five years away. What will it be like for gay people? I guess I missed that article in our Group's copy of The Advocate. This story really touched home seeing that I myself if a member of that small 10% of you gay americans, a Gay Youth. I have tried and tried to try and unite the gay people here in my area as the Gay Youth Rep for Central Texas to fight for a change but my efforts have shown little evidence of improvement . There has to be some way for us to unite as a nation, not just a city or a town, and fight for our rights as homosexuals or this story my just come true. I have devoted a majority of my life to gay youth and gay rights but I know I can do more to try and help out my fellow gays. If you are interested in helping me form a nationwide "group" that will lobby congress and the house as well as flood radio stations, groups, television stations, newspapers, etc with mail either positive or negative (Towards their projected views of homosexuals and PWA's) please send me NetMail. Together, we can make a real difference. Power comes in numbers. If you want to join our fight or you know of a gay friendly company or group that wants to join our fight, then please contact me ASAP. I am going to cross-post this message in EVERY gay echo and a few selected Non-Gay Echos. My NetMail address is 1:395/100. I can give you any info you may need via Netmail. Lets not make this story come true. Protect yourself, protect our future, protect our Gay Youth! With Pride--- __Thomas Gerald Jean \/CenTex Gay Youth Rep ... InterNet: thomas.jean@f100.n395.z1.fidonet.org -!- Blue Wave/Max v2.12 [NR] ! Origin: CC Maximus OS/2 BBS (1:395/100) ... InterNet: thomas.jean@f100.n395.z1.fidonet.org -!- Blue Wave/Max v2.12 [NR] ! Origin: CC Maximus OS/2 BBS (1:395/100) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Related ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 29 Date: 11 Oct 95 10:58:15 From: Norman Brown Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: GOOD NEWS TONIGHT!! ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ All ... I read this recently in another Aids conference, and thought it worthy of sharing with all of you. The original message itself, and the comments by Johnny Chased, just about says it all, folks. I hope it makes your day ... as it did mine! Huggers, Norman * Originally By: Johnny Chased * Originally To: All * Originally Re: GOOD NEWS TONIGHT!! * Original Area: AIDSTALK * Forwarded by : Blue Wave v2.12 Hi, The following goes to show that being there and speaking out--every now and then people CAN change....rare, but every step along the way... JC * Originally By: Damon@dorsai.dorsai.org * Originally Re: GOOD NEWS TONIGHT!! ( * Original Area: Internet_Mai Date: 7 Oct 1995 08:53:09 -0400 A remarkable thing happened on a health-oriented mailing list this week, and I would like to share it (warm and cuddly feelings strictly optional) with Gaynet: A young man posted that he was setting up a web page for PWA's and wondered what specific AIDS information the group had. He shared his own orientation and his sig file mentions a gay newsletter he publishes. His post brought forth a response from one poster that mentioning his "lifestyle" was way off topic and how sick this poster gets of having gay stuff shoved at him and blah blah blah. Lots of responses followed telling this characer where to put it -- the usual heartwarming response of mostly straights on the net when outright homophobia rears its ugly asshole. I always love it when this happens (especially in the sex groups: "You're calling him a pervert and you're reading this group???"), but this is not the remarkable part. Within a day later, the "homophobe" posted the following extraordinary apology: =========================================== [name of gay target ommitted], In the last 24 hours I have spent much time yesterday and last night taking a look at myself and trying to determine why the hell I had such a big cow over the simple, peaceful words in your message. There was absolutely no logical reason I could think of to provoke such a reaction in me. I did not understand it. Then in the middle of the night the lesson was unfolded to me. This new insight compels me to write and apologize to you and explain what I learned. I realized that as I was growing up, numerous times, men of the gay persuasion tried to force themselves on me against my will. I have forgotten about this. As I was typing the message to you yesterday, for a few minutes, you became these people to me. I began to unload the pain and anger that I am carrying on you, I guess trying to rid myself of it or get even with those guys. Anyway, I can clearly see the self perpetuating cycle of pain inflicting more pain inflicting more pain and so on and each time humanity takes one more tiny step as a whole into a more painful, fearful, dark world. In the dark as I realized what I had done to you and could see that I do the same to others because of my accumulated baggage, I wept. I have inflicted pain on another human. It didn't take away any of my pain. It only added to my baggage so *IT DOESN'T WORK*. It only perpetuates the cycle. I could see that the only way out of my pain is to recognize that the cycle exists and that I am feeding it, to forgive those who I got the pain from and let go of it, and to love instead. I have learned some valuable lessons (for me) from this experience. I am sorry you had to be exposed to my anger for me to learn. In this way you have served me and I am grateful to you for it. I noticed that my chords of attack and disharmony did not resonate and produce similar attack thoughts in you which speaks to your peaceful nature. [name omitted], I honor your choice in the path you have taken in live and I can understand your concern about AIDS and how it is affecting you and your friends and all of us for that matter. Please accept my heartfelt apology for any sadness or concern I have caused you. Thanks to the group for enduring my "stuff". Bye for now, [sender's name omitted] ============================== Part of the reaction from the list had to do with how impossible it is to ever change someone's mind in such arguments. We quickly saw that that is not _always_ the case. You may pick this letter apart if you will, but frankly I think this is about as good as it gets. And now back to grim, average reality... DY ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12 -!- TMail v1.31.5 ! Origin: The Backroom BBS, New York, NY (718)951-8256 (207:1/1) ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12 -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Related ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 74 Date: 11 Oct 95 18:46:00 From: schippers Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: How reliable is an hiv-test? ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ From: schippers@rt.el.utwente.nl (Ronald Schippers) Newsgroups: hiv.aids.hiv Message-ID: <9510111450.AA02767@rt.el.utwente.nl> ---------- X-Sun-Data-Type: text X-Sun-Data-Description: text X-Sun-Data-Name: text X-Sun-Content-Lines: 0 ---------- X-Sun-Data-Type: default X-Sun-Data-Description: default X-Sun-Data-Name: reliable X-Sun-Content-Lines: 56 How reliable is an hiv-test? ============================ As a researcher I am involved in a research project related to Aids at the University for Humanist Studies, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Research often produces more questions than answers. Also in this project. Here follows my question: How reliable is an hiv-test? The answer is NOT "100% reliable"; that is simply not possible. I collected some information on the notions "sensitivity" and "specifity", which characterize hiv-tests *quantitatively*. So I am looking for a *quantitative* answer, for example: "99,5% reliability" where the notion "reliability" should be defined precisely (otherwise the number 99,9 would be meaningless). For most hiv-tests the sensitivity is approx. 90% and the specifity approx. 99%. That implies a reliablity of hiv-tests SMALLER than 100% (sensitivity and specifity always are smaller than 100%). The notions prevalence, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and entropy are known to me. I am looking for a criterion, formulated in terms of statistics/ mathematics (for example based on the notions sensitivity and specifity), that indicates a measure of reliability for an hiv-test AND whether this reliability is acceptable or not. To get an idea of what I mean: Assume a certain test with 99,9% reliability which we find acceptable. Assume another test with only 50% reliability, which is clearly unacceptable. Then, where is the limit between these two extremes? Is 95% still acceptable? Maybe we desire at least 99,99999% reliability? I mean: where is the limit? Anyhow 100% reliability is not possible, except maybe in our dreams (but not in the real world). Thus my question implies a question to the definition of a NORM (or STANDARD) for the measure of acceptable reliability. Which NORM (or STANDARD or CRITERION) do medical professionals apply to determine whether an hiv-test is acceptable for practical purposes (= testing people for hiv)? This question is directed mainly to medical professionals, but also to everybody else who wants to respond. Ronald Schippers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Email to: schippers@rt.el.utwente.nl student/researcher, University for Humanist Studies, Utrecht, The Netherlands -!- rfmail 1.83 ! Origin: HIVNET Internet Gateway (2:280/419) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Related ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 134 Date: 19 Oct 95 00:17:59 From: Ranger Read: Yes Replied: No To: all Mark: Subj: one last visit.. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ * Copied (from: E-mail) by Ranger using timEd 1.01. TO: all! I have just left the hospital room of a friend that is in the final stages of dying. this is so unreal to witness. just a couple of days ago, he could see me, he spoke, he bitched, he understood me. Today, he has brain swelling, more bottles on an IV hanger than I have ever seen, the moluscum on his face looks like it just grew twice it's size in a few days and he is having siezures. His brain is closing down but his heart is banging away like a jackhammer. He looks like shit but I don't remember anyone telling me that dying people had to look good outside of daytime soap operas. I asked his brother and the friend that were there if i could have a second alone with him. I touched his arm, and for a second, I thought he got quiet. up until then, he was making awful asmatic like noises, his eyes were rolled up in his head and he was soaked in sweat. I held him for a second and then told him that if I ever talked more like jerk, this was it. I said that he could forget everything i pinned him on, all the times i said that he was just being afraid and could do something if he REALLY wanted to, and said that if he felt like closing his eyes and letting go, no one would think less of him, least of all me. I told him that for the distance he's gone, he's one of the bravest men I will ever know. i wish this would stop. John R. :(... ---> ..."Goodbye," said Pooh, as he layed a final flower on Tigga's casket ! Origin: :::: LIVE, from......zzzzZzzzz.........The KBC BBS.... (1:260/310.4) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Related ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 5 Date: 09 Oct 95 10:07:29 From: Norman Brown Read: Yes Replied: No To: Hot Boy Mark: Subj: THE MAN IN THE GLASS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Let's return to Hot Boy's and Norman Brown's discussion of "THE MAN IN THE GLASS": HB> But here is another..... HB> Wintry Ice castle. HB> Existence within cold, so cold. HB> Frosted heart with a core of heated passions. HB> No matter what warmth tried, the hearts ice won't melt. HB> Self imposed prison only sometimes a salvation. HB> Pain and shame has built theses icy walls. HB> Terror maintains them. HB> Fear of being comsumed by that which burns within. HB> Looking down from the tower, all seen , nothing felt. HB> How beautiful from without, yet cold to the touch. HB> How much cold can one absorb before freezing over... HB> Now existing only within this domain.. HB> Can anyone ever reach beyond the threshold od this icy domain.. HB> Reflective exterior never to see the terror within... HB> Fire within ice is how it is....... Keep them coming, Hot Boy ... the chorus will put them to music and do a benefit performance one of these days! Huggers, Norman -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Related ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 170 Date: 22 Oct 95 16:45:28 From: Texas Cowboy Read: Yes Replied: No To: Foo Dog Mark: Subj: Wasting Syndrome - Treatment Advocacy ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Prepared by PoWeR - Program for Wellness Restoration, a non-profit treatment advocacy, information based organization (P.O. Box 980741, Houston, Texas 77098 (713) 862-1243. Offices in Houston, Los Angeles (310) 657-0327, and San Francisco (415) 252-5700. * Wasting is defined as an involuntary loss of >10% of normal body weight. * Wasting is the second largest killer of people with AIDS (PWA's) in the US (Source: CDC 1995) * Wasting is among the top 3 killers of PWA's in the world (Source: WHO) * No effective prophylaxis treatment has been approved for this opportunistic illness. * Dr Donald Kotler has found that once lean body mass (LBM) decreases to 54% of normal, death occurs no matter what the opportunistic infection may be. * Sometimes total body weight does not change even when people are already wasting. Body composition, however, changes dramatically (fat and water content increases while LBM descreases). * The only two drugs approved in the U.S.A. for wasting are Megace and Marinol. Megace is a progesterone (female hormone) based compound. Marinor is a derivative of Marijuana. Megace increases fat weight and can cause impotence in males and sometimes excessive menstrual bleeding in females. Marino has not been shown to increase LBM either. Both drugs are extremely expensive, in the order of $27 to $50 per day. * A lot of ancedotal information about HIV+ bodybuilders and progressive HIV physicians point to the fact that anabolic steroids, an alternative and economical but stigmatized treatment are highly effective to prevent and reverse wasting and improve qualify of live of HIV+ patients. No controlled studies have been performed due to the lack of interest from the pharmaceutical companies (parents have expired in the 1960's for most of these compounds). Only community based trials are the potential source of the data needed to make this treatment approach a standard of care for HIV+'s across the entire country (not only major matropolitan areas). * Women and Children are especially ignored when it comes to wasting. Some anabolics like oral Oxandrin (Oxandrolone) is released on the market on November 1, 1995 by Bio Technology General (BTG), are safe enough when it comes to androgenicity (masculinizing effects) and liver toxicity. Oran Oxandrink ($500-$800/month) is a more economical and safer approach than daily injects of Human Growth Hormone ($4000/month), especially for those two underserved HIV communities. PoWeR also srongly advocates lesislating access to anabolic steroids like Primobolan to the United States due to its safety and low potential to virilize women. Primobolon is available in Mexico and Europe. * Anabolic steroids are still being perceived as illegal drugs by many medical doctors. Although they were banned in the USA by the 1990 Anabolic Steroid Control Act, they ARE STILL PERFECTLY LEGAL and justifiable as an "off-label" use for wasting illness. Some doctors have been known to say that providing anabolics (and, thus, increaseing patients sex drive) is unethical due to the risk of spreading the virus!! Many PWA's are dying of wasting because of these misconceptions. * Specific anabolic steroids, unlike anti-inflammatory corticoid steroids are not immuno-suppressive, can be immuno-potentatiating. There are studies performed on cervican cancer, alcoholic hepatitis, and auto-immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and colities that show improved cellmediated response, weight gain, decrease in motarily and improvements in the overal quality of life in those patients. Studies with PWA's are generally lacking but at least three will start in 1996 in this country. These studies will be community based trials sponsored by PoWeR. These studies will look at not only LBM but also immune markers, while exposing patients to proper nutrition, anabolics, and supervised resistance weight training. Studies including women are also being designed. * Anabolic steroids, even though they are extremely economical and effective, have not been included in any county, city, or state Drug Assistance Programs available to the indigent or those with limited income. Testosterone Cypionate that Deca-Durabolic, the two most common injectable anabolics, cost under $100/month!! However, only patients with insurance and with progressive doctors are getting access to this treatment. Some other HIV+ patients are risking getting potentially dangerous counterfeit anabolics from dealers without medical supervision. * Anabolic steroids are available at a low cost and over the counter in most third world countries. This treatment option is one of the few which does not have to be imported from the industrialized world.. PoWeR: is available to other organizations to conduct workshops and to provide scientific references and literature about the most effective protocols for anabolic steroid therapy to prevent/reverse wasting in HIV disease. PoWeR is an official project of: The Larry Garrett Foundation, Inc. A 501(c)3 Texas Not-For-Profit Corporation (713) 862-1243 -- Ask for Nelson Vergel for more information. -!- Maximus 2.02 ! Origin: Southern Hospitality BBS-Houston,TX[713]522-1515 (1:106/41) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 195 Date: 23 Oct 95 11:48:18 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Conference looks at HIV drug resistance ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0004 DOCN GM950904 TI Conference Looks at HIV Drug Resistance DT 9510 AU Henry E. Chang SO GMHC Treatment Issues; The Gay Men's Health Crisis Newsletter of Experimental Therapies, Vol 9, Number 9 - September 1995; published by Gay Men's Health Crisis, 129 West 20th St., New York, NY 10011 TX The waning effect of antiretroviral therapy over time is generally attributed to the emergence of drug resistant HIV strains. The experts on HIV drug resistance gathered to offer their findings and opinions at the Fourth International Workshop on HIV Drug Resistance from July 6 to 9 in Sardinia, Italy. Many of the researchers hope that combination therapy will increase the time for resistant virus to emerge. In his welcoming remarks, Stefano Vella, M.D., of the Institute Superiore di Sanitˆ in Rome predicted that this may be "the year of constraints," meaning that HIV mutant strains may not be able to develop resistance to certain drug combinations while remaining functional and infectious. Dual Resistance to AZT and 3TC Therapy with the AZT/3TC combination has been reported to cause a substantial and sustained decrease in viral load, and investigators have thought that it might be impossible for HIV to be simultaneously resistant to both drugs (see Treatment Issues, December, 1994, pages 2-4 and February, 1995, pages 3-4). But laboratory and clinical findings presented in Sardinia by researchers from various groups have shown that selection of dual-resistant virus is indeed possible. One such study, from the Medical Research Council Collaborative Center and the Glaxo-Wellcome Medicines Research Center in Great Britain was described at the Sardinia conference by Matthew Goulden, M.D. (abstract 50). That study detected HIV resistant to both AZT and 3TC in cell culture experiments that exposed an AZT-resistant clinical HIV isolate repeatedly to a constant dose of AZT and increasing doses of 3TC. The large amount of AZT required to inhibit this strain of HIV remained unchanged, while the amount of 3TC required increased by more than 1,000-fold. This change indicated the emergence of dual-resistant HIV that could replicate in the presence of both AZT and 3TC. In an effort to determine the genetic basis of the dual resistance, Sharon Kemp, Ph.D., and colleagues at Wellcome Research Laboratories in Britain developed a test to rapidly detect HIV-derived drug resistance patterns (abstract 51). Using the mutant virus provided by Dr. Goulden, the researchers found a total of nine amino acid changes on the viral reverse transcriptase (RT) enzyme that could be responsible for the observed AZT/3TC resistance. Surprisingly, genetic changes responsible for the alteration in reverse transcriptase include ones located further downstream from where most of the "classical" mutations are found in HIV's RT gene. A clinical study from the Antiviral Therapy Laboratory of the University of Amsterdam found further that dual-resistant virus could be detected in people one year after the addition of AZT to the regimen of symptomatic HIV-infected individuals undergoing 3TC monotherapy (abstract 52). This acquisition of AZT/3TC dual-resistant virus may in part account for the rebound of viral load back to pretreatment levels in those treated first with 3TC monotherapy and then AZT/3TC combination therapy. The researchers cautioned that even though AZT/3TC dual resistance can occur and cause a rebound in viral load, this is not a reason to abandon AZT/3TC combination therapy. The development of resistance to one or both of the drugs does not always mean that the combination will lose its antiviral effect. And until the development of the dual-resistant virus, the combination of AZT and 3TC generally does continue to have anti-HIV activity. These conclusions were supported by two presentations. One described the early results of an European Phase II/III trial of AZT/3TC combination therapy in AZT-experienced individuals with CD4 cell counts between 100 and 400 (abstract 54). The other concerned a North American comparative trial of high or low dose 3TC plus AZT versus AZT plus ddC in AZT-experienced individuals with CD4 cell counts between 100 and 300 (abstract 55). Both studies found that the combination therapy still produces moderate suppression of viral load after 24 weeks of therapy despite the rapid emergence of HIV with mutations conferring resistance to 3TC while the resistance mutations to AZT persisted. Viral Resistance to Protease Inhibitors Recent laboratory findings on viral resistance patterns reported at the Sardinia workshop provide some impetus for the design of clinical studies to evaluate "rational" combinations of protease inhibitors. Saquinavir (Invirase): New clinical data suggest that therapy with the experimental protease inhibitor saquinavir (brand name: Invirase), developed by Hoffmann La-Roche does not cause new forms of viruses that are cross-resistant to other protease inhibitors in clinical development. Other data suggest that the combination of saquinavir and AZT or just high dose saquinavir delay the development of viral resistance to either drug. Examination of Phase I/II trial data by Helmut Jacobsen, Ph.D., a senior scientist and group leader at Roche in Basel, found that about 50 percent of patients developed moderate resistance following one year of saquinavir as a monotherapy or in combination with AZT or AZT plus ddC (abstract 68). Genetic analysis of over 1,500 individual viral samples from these patients could discover no HIV that after exposure to saquinavir was cross-resistant to other protease inhibitors. Laboratory studies presented at the workshop by Sarah Wilson of the University of Wales also concluded that saquinavir- resistant viruses do not shrug off the antiviral effects of other unrelated protease inhibitors (abstract 66). Researchers at Stanford University, led by Thomas Merigan, M.D., are completing a high dose saquinavir monotherapy study (abstract 73) in which HIV-positive volunteers are receiving 3,600 and 7,200 mg of saquinavir daily, two- and four-times previous doses of the drug. Jonathan Schapiro, M.D., of Stanford presented clinical data in Sardinia showing immediate and long-term viral load suppression with sustained CD4 cell increases through one year. This dose-dependent enhancement of viral load suppression correlates with a reduction in the frequency of mutations. A mixture of drug- sensitive virus and drug-resistant virus is present in patients receiving the higher doses of saquinavir even after one year of therapy. There is, however, a lack of correlation between the appearance of drug-resistant mutations and loss of antiviral effect, which appears sooner than the mutations. The Stanford group is still looking into the causes of this phenomenon but thinks that the rebound in viral activity is related to a lack of drug reaching HIV-infected cells somewhere in the body. The researchers are convinced, based on the comparative performances of the two doses in their trial, that genetic mutations are at the root of HIV drug resistance and that higher doses retard the emergence of those mutations. They plan to release more detail and the latest data at September's Interscience Conference on Chemotherapy and Antimicrobial Agents. VX-478: Data from cell culture experiments on resistance patterns with different protease inhibitors may provide clues for selecting inhibitors that are suitable for combination therapy. Margaret Tisdale and colleagues at Wellcome Research Labs examined the resistance patterns with five different protease inhibitors and their potential implications for combination therapy (abstract 61). The researchers reported that some viral mutants showed cross-resistance to all the protease inhibitors examined, a finding somewhat in contradiction to the saquinavir studies noted above. Other mutant virus had increased susceptibility to certain inhibitors. For example, some HIV strains resistant to VX-478 (the Glaxo-Wellcome-Vertex protease inhibitor) were two- to five-fold more sensitive to saquinavir and to Merck's indinavir (brand name: Crixivan). To further understand the interactions of protease inhibitors, the researchers employed another HIV strain carrying three point mutations that confer resistance to VX- 478. They subjected the virus to increasing concentrations of saquinavir. This treatment unexpectedly led to the selection of a virus that is highly resistant (50-fold decrease in susceptibility) to saquinavir but fully sensitive to VX-478. In contrast, the same VX-478 resistant virus exposed to increasing concentrations of indinavir became resistant (ten- to twenty-fold) to indinavir while maintaining resistance to VX-478. Indinavir (Crixivan): John Mellors, M.D., of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and colleagues at Merck Research Laboratories analyzed the waning effect of indinavir in HIV- infected individuals who have received either 200 mg or 400 mg indinavir four times daily over 24 weeks (abstract 71). Thirty-three of 40 patients experienced a rebound in virus levels to pretreatment levels 24 weeks after initiating indinavir monotherapy. Increasing the dose of indinavir to 600 mg four times daily did not prevent this rebound. It was later found that 30 of the 40 treated patients had developed resistance to indinavir by changing two particular amino acids on the protease enzyme. The appearance of these mutations coincided with a rise in viral load toward pretreatment levels. In addition, alterations were detected in at least seventeen other amino acids in the protease enzyme. The findings provide direct evidence that the waning effect of indinavir monotherapy in patients is associated with the specific resistance patterns (specific changes in the protease's amino acid sequence). Ritonavir: Svan Danner, M.D., and colleagues of the European- Australian Collaborative Study Group presented data on the safety and short-term antiviral activity of ritonavir (or ABT-538), an experimental protease inhibitor developed by Abbott Laboratories, in HIV-infected people (abstract 75). Eighty-four volunteers with CD4 cell counts above 50 were enrolled and randomized to receive one of four regimens of ritonavir or placebo. Trial participants on placebo were reassigned to a ritonavir regimen after four weeks. Investigators noted a median increase of 230 in CD4 cell count after 32 weeks of treatment. At this timepoint, HIV levels in the blood were still 0.81 log (84.5 percent) below baseline in those individuals receiving the highest dose regimen (600 mg twice daily). The researchers reported that ritonavir was generally well tolerated. However, some side effects were associated with ritonavir treatment, specifically, nausea, burning or tingling sensations in the tongue and mouth, and elevated blood levels of liver enzymes (indicating some liver impairment) or triglycerides (a sign of altered fat metabolism). Daniel Norbeck and colleagues at Abbott Laboratories reported on a second trial (abstract 70) of individuals receiving different doses of ritonavir (300, 400, 500, or 600 mg twice daily). All trial participants experienced mean reductions in HIV plasma RNA of at least one log (90 percent) and CD4 cell count increases of at least 75 during the first two weeks of treatment. The immunologic response and reduction in viral load was greater and more sustained in those on the higher doses. Failure to maintain at least an 80 percent decrease from pretreatment HIV levels occurred at approximately five, seven, eleven and nineteen weeks in the trial participants receiving doses of 300, 400, 500 or 600 mg of ritonavir, respectively. Genetic analyses of the HIV sequentially isolated from patients with waning responses to treatment revealed ritonavir-resistant mutations. Copyright (c) 1995 - GMHC Treatment Issues. Distributed by AEGIS, your online gateway to a world of people, knowledge and resources. 714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex * v.34+ -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 64 Date: 16 Oct 95 08:49:14 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Death Frees Parents to Talk About Son's ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1953 DOCN AD951953 TI "Death Frees Parents to Talk About Son's Struggle With AIDS" DT 951013 AU Malone, Roy SO St. Louis Post-Dispatch (10/13/95) P. 1A AB Mark Czapla's family was forced to flee Jefferson County, Mo., two years ago due to a rumor that a student at Hillsboro Elementary School had AIDS. Czapla, who was born three months prematurely, contracted the disease from a blood transfusion when he was about five weeks old. His family survived five attempts to burn down their house; furthermore, words such as "AIDS," "Burn," and "Leave" were scrawled on the outside of their home. The Czapla family believes the harassment was due to bitterness over a soured business deal with Mark's father. When Mark Czapla began school in Hillsboro, his parents informed school and health officials of his disease, although they were not legally required to do so. The officials guarded the Czaplas' privacy, but a television newscast reported the story in 1992, which resulted in bomb threats and arson attempts against the family. The Czaplas finally found refuge in Washington County, but Mark died in October 1995. A Mark Czapla Fund has been established to defray funeral costs and contribute money for AIDS research. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: Internet : Health -> AIDS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 1 Date: 13 Oct 95 04:50:38 From: jscutero@panix.com Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Re: CONDITIONS WHICH CAUSE TEST POSITIVITY ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ From: jscutero@panix.com (James Scutero) Subject: Re: CONDITIONS WHICH CAUSE TEST POSITIVITY Organization: Panix Public Access Internet & Unix, NYC In article californ@netcom.com writes: [snip] >HIV debate (Continuum, vol. 3, no. 3, p. 14) >False Positivity of ELISA and Western Blot HIV-antibody tests > [snip] > >What is meant by "actually positive" is that other tests can supposedly >show that HIV virus is present, though Eleni Papadopulos-Eleopulos >and Stefan Lanka have eloquently shown that HIV has never been >isolated. The phenomenon said to be the "genetic sequence of the >retrovirus HIV" has most certainly been misinterpreted, and is probably >an expression of processes occurring within the body. > HIV has been isolated. Here is just another example: Functional Domains of the Capsid Protein of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type I, Dorfman T et al. Journal of Virology, Dec. 1994, p. 8080-8187 In this paper, proviral HIV-1 DNA (gee, where did they get that?) was transfected (inserted) into a cell line and allowed to grow. It was then analyzed after sucrose density gradient equilibrium centrifugation. Viral proteins were analyzed by electrophoresis. Electron microscopy was performed after DNA was taken from the SAME original plasmid stock. The DNA was transfected into the SAME type cell line as the one used above, allowed to grow and was pelleted (centrifuged) at 20,000 rpm for 1 h. On page 8185 (Fig. 8 [A]) you will find the result: extra-cellular HIV-1 virons with a lentiviral morphology (conical core etc..) They are pictures of HIV-1. >The following things can cause a cross-reaction on the ELISA and >Western Blot tests and give a false positive result: I'll just pick one for now: [snip] >Malaria: 75-80% of malaria patients test false positive > This is unconditionally false. Malaria does not cause a positive result on an HIV antibody test. Here is why: In the Papadopulos-Eleopulos paper "Is a Positive Western Blot Proof of HIV Infection?", Bio/Technology Vol. 11 June 1993 on page 701, the authors state: **...Rodriquez and his colleagues(75) found that Amazonian Indians who have no contact with individuals outside their tribes and have no AIDS have a 3.3-13.3% HIV WB seropositivity rate depending on the tribe studied. In another study(76) they found that 25%-41% of Venezuelan malaria patients had a positive WB but no AIDS. The above data means either that HIV is not causing AIDS *even in the presence of the severe immuno-regulatory disturbances characteristic of acute malaria,* as Rodriguez et al. concluded, or the HIV antibody tests are non-specific.** I think it is important to note that Rodriguez et al. did *NOT* conclude that the HIV antibody tests were triggered positive by malaria. References: 75. Rodriquez L, et. al. 1985 (notice the date). Antibodies to HTLV-III/LAV among aboriginal Amazonian Indians in Venezuela. Lancet II: 1098-1100. *.....The virus(es) which provoked antibody responses without producing lasting health problems in Amazonian Indians in South America and Africa may be a nonpathogenic ancestor of the AIDS-related HTLV-III/LAV...Another explanation for our findings may be that infections with HTLV-III/LAV-like viruses are benign until influenced by co-factors. Or, finally, the virus against which antibodies were detected in Amazonian Indians might be another new member of the family of human retroviruses.* 76. Volsky, D.J. et al. 1986. Antibodies to HTLV-III/LAV in Venezuelan patients with acute malarial syndromes. NEJM 314:647. *...Positivity for the HTLV-III/LAV antibody seems to be an indicator of viral infection in most patients with AIDS and most healthy persons who are exposed to the virus. Recently, a retrovirus resembling HTLV-III/LAV has been isolated from cultured lymphocytes from a Venezuelan patient with malaria (Volsky DJ, et al.: unpublished data). Since acute malaria does not evolve into an AIDSlike syndrome, our results indicate that in some cases, exposure to HTLV-III/LAV or the related retrovirus and the occurrence of severe immunoregulatory disturbances may not be sufficient for the induction of AIDS.* Here is more evidence that refutes the false notion that malaria causes a positive HIV antibody test: Here are the results of a study of 2931 women who had malarial antibodies: *...Records were available for 2931 (72%) of the 4097 patients collected in 1990...Of these 2931 patients, 13 (0.4%) were HIV-1 positive...* REFERENCE: Chrystie I. L., et al. HIV seroprevalence among women attending antenatal clinics in London. The Lancet Vol. 339; Feb 8, 1992 *...Serum samples from 51 patients with malaria, 35 patients with hepatitis B virus infection, 111 patients with tuberculosis, and 166 health controls were studied to determine any associations between tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis B, and AIDS in Nigeria, West Africa. All serum samples were examined for the presence of HIV-1/HIV-2, hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), and malaria antibodies. Only one patient was HIV-1 antibody-positive and none HIV-2 antibody-positive...* REFERENCE: Adebajo AO, et al. Seroepidemiological associations between tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis B, and AIDS in West Africa. J Med Virol 1994 Apr;42(4):366-8 *...An anonymous HIV seroprevalence survey was performed in conjunction with a population-based malaria surveillance progamme...Participants included 4044 healthy and 979 febrile individuals (i.e., suspected of having malaria...RESULTS: Sixty of the 5023 blood specimens were confirmed to be HIV-1-antibody positive by Western Blot, an overall prevalence of 1.2% (95% confidence interval, 0.9-1.5). None of the specimens was positive for HIV-2 antibodies.* REFERENCE: Abdool Karim Q, et al. Seroprevalence of HIV infection in rural South Africa. AIDS 1992 Dec;6(12):1535-9 *...These findings point out that antimalarial antibody does not influence the serological positivity for HIV infection...* REFERENCE: Chattopadhya D, et al. Antimalarial antibody in relation to seroreactivity for HIV infection in sera from blood donors. National institute of Communicable Diseases, Delhi. *In 1986-1987 a consecutive sample of 3702 women...The prevalence of HIV antibodies were more prevalent in women from the urban center than in those from the outskirts(31% vs 20%, P less than .001), and malaria parasites showed the opposite prevalence pattern (8% vs. 15%, P less than .001); after stratifying by location, there was no association between HIV and the presence or degree of malaria parasitemia.* REFERENCE: Allen S, et al. Human Immuodeficiency virus and malaria in a representative sample of childbearing women in Kigali, Rwanda. J Infect Dis 1991 Jul;164(1):67-71 *...This study suggests that there seems to be no direct interaction of major clinical importance betwwen HIV infection and malaria...* REFERENCE: Colebunders R, et al., Incidence of malaria and efficacy of oral quinine in patients recently infected with human immunodeficiency virus in Kinshasa, Zaire. J Infect 1990 Sep;21(2):167-73 *Reports exist indicating a correlation between seropositivity for human T-lymphotrophic virus (HTLV) antibodies and certain parasitic infections in some parts of the world. In 274 filariasis and 119 malaria sera examined from Orissa, none was reactive in a test for anti-HTLV-III antibodies* REFERENCE: Filariasis and malaria sera from Orissa lack HTLV-III antibody reactivity. J Commun Dis 1989 Dec;21(4):282-4. [snip] >Source: Christine Johnson, US journalist involved with HEAL, LA, >interviewed on the Matthew Grove NYC Cable TV Show. This list is not conclusive. > There is no evidence that malaria causes a positive HIV antibody test. ***************************************************************** -James M. Scutero, original proponent of misc.health.aids misc.health.aids WWW homepage: http://www.panix.com/~jscutero -!- ! Origin: Usenet:Panix Public Access Internet & Unix, NYC (11:1/1) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 37 Date: 12 Oct 95 08:39:20 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Finding a place of peace ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1934 DOCN AD951934 TI "Finding a Place of Peace" DT 951011 AU Noriyuki, Duane SO Los Angeles Times (10/11/95) P. E1 AB Volunteers at the Carl Bean AIDS Care Center in Los Angeles focus on providing comfort for the dying. Cassandra Christenson founded Project Nightlight, which provides these volunteers, four years ago so that people would not have to die alone. Most of the 25 residents at the hospice have been diagnosed as "actively dying"--that is, doctors have determined they have fewer than six months to live. The volunteers work in shifts--holding patients' hands, playing soft music, meditating, or praying. They have not been trained following a step-by-step process of what to do. Instead, each volunteer is told to approach each patient and encounter as an empty vessel, not imposing their own agendas or belief systems, but honoring the clients'. "In general," says Christenson, "we cannot be effective unless we totally honor the people we serve, where they're at, and only respond to life up to the moment of death and never address what goes on afterward." DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 27 Date: 11 Oct 95 08:53:06 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Food notes: Food for charity ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1926 DOCN AD951926 TI "Food Notes: Food for Charity" DT 951011 AU Fabricant, Florence SO New York Times (10/11/95) P. C2 AB On Oct. 19, more than two dozen restaurants will cater a party benefiting the Momentum AIDS Project, which provides meals and companionship to AIDS patients. The event will include a silent auction and a fashion show with commentary by RuPaul. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 119 Date: 18 Oct 95 11:06:16 From: Thomas Jean Read: Yes Replied: No To: Thomas Jean Mark: Subj: Re: Future Shock ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ * Reply to msg originally in GAYNEWS TJ> Quoting... TJ> Richard Kinz said Future Shock TJ> To All TJ> On 16 Oct 95 10:58:23 TJ> What Does Tommy Say? RK> From The Advocate, Issue 691, October 3, 1995, "Last Word," Page 80: TJ> RK> FUTURE SHOCK, by Patricia Nell Warren RK> The America of 2001 is just five years away. What will it be like for RK> gay people? TJ> TJ> I guess I missed that article in our Group's copy of The Advocate. TJ> This story really touched home seeing that I myself if a member of that TJ> small 10% of you gay americans, a Gay Youth. I have tried and tried to TJ> try and unite the gay people here in my area as the Gay Youth Rep for TJ> Central Texas to fight for a change but my efforts have shown little TJ> evidence of improvement . There has to be some way for us to unite as TJ> a nation, not just a city or a town, and fight for our rights as TJ> homosexuals or this story my just come true. I have devoted a majority TJ> of my life to gay youth and gay rights but I know I can do more to try TJ> and help out my fellow gays. If you are interested in helping me form TJ> a nationwide "group" that will lobby congress and the house as well as TJ> flood radio stations, groups, television stations, newspapers, etc with TJ> mail either positive or negative (Towards their projected views of TJ> homosexuals and PWA's) please send me NetMail. Together, we can make a TJ> real difference. Power comes in numbers. If you want to join our TJ> fight or you know of a gay friendly company or group that wants to TJ> join our fight, then please contact me ASAP. I am going to cross-post TJ> this message in EVERY gay echo and a few selected Non-Gay Echos. My TJ> NetMail address is 1:395/100. I can give you any info you may need TJ> via Netmail. Lets not make this story come true. Protect yourself, TJ> protect our future, protect our Gay Youth! TJ> With Pride--- TJ> __Thomas Gerald Jean TJ> \/CenTex Gay Youth Rep TJ> TJ> ... InterNet: thomas.jean@f100.n395.z1.fidonet.org TJ> -!- Blue Wave/Max v2.12 [NR] TJ> ! Origin: CC Maximus OS/2 BBS (1:395/100) ... InterNet: thomas.jean@f100.n395.z1.fidonet.org -!- Blue Wave/Max v2.12 [NR] ! Origin: CC Maximus OS/2 BBS (1:395/100) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 99 Date: 20 Oct 95 09:18:32 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: HIV-positive man sues dental clinic ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1986 DOCN AD951986 TI "HIV-Positive Man Sues Dental Clinic" DT 951019 AU Tedford, Deborah SO Houston Chronicle (10/19/95) P. 33A AB David Keith Slater, an HIV-positive Houston resident, has filed suit against a local dental clinic, two dentists, and his dental insurance carrier, citing Title III of the Americans With Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against the disabled in places of public accommodation. Slater alleges that he arrived for an appointment at Westfield Dental Center and was examined by dentist Linda Newsome instead of David Ashmore, with whom he had the appointment. Newsome allegedly told him that he needed a root canal or tooth extraction and referred him to the Bering Clinic, which provides dental services to individuals with HIV. However, Slater claims that the Bering Clinic refused to perform the root canal, so he was forced to have the tooth extracted. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 116 Date: 19 Oct 95 08:23:44 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: India's population plan falls short--sur ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1981 DOCN AD951981 TI "India's Population Plan Falls Short--Survey" DT 951019 AU Graves, Nelson SO Reuters (10/19/95) AB The National Family Health Survey released on Thursday indicates widespread ignorance of AIDS and modern birth control methods in India. The majority of women in 11 of 13 Indian states said they had never heard of AIDS. Only eight percent of respondents in the state of Assam were familiar with the disease. "If the AIDS virus continues spreading at current rates, an estimated five million persons in India will be infected by the year 2000," said the report, which was funded by a $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development. The World Health Organization estimates that 1.5 million Indians are currently infected with HIV. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 31 Date: 11 Oct 95 09:18:10 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Japan apologies to imported blood AIDS v ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0009 DOCN RE951009 TI (RE) Japan apologises to imported blood AIDS victims DT 951011 SO Reuters NewMedia, Inc. Reston Town Center, 1750 Presidents Street, Suite 250, Reston, VA 22090 - 11 Oct 1995 TX TOKYO, Oct 11 (Reuter) - The Japanese government formally apologised on Wednesday to haemophiliacs who contracted the AIDS virus from imported blood products, six years after patients first filed suit against drug firms and the government. It said delayed government measures increased the number of victims, 91 of whom have already died after developing AIDS. "We would like to sincerely apologise to the families of those who have died and those still fighting the disease," health minister Churyu Mori told a news conference. "We cannot deny that delayed government measures led to the tragic increase of victims," Mori said. Besides seeking compensation, the plaintiffs -- 219 haemophiliacs who contracted the HIV virus which causes AIDS -- had been demanding a straightforward apology from the government. Mori said the government was working towards accepting a landmark out-of-court settlement recommended by the Tokyo and Osaka district courts last week. "We will consider the court recommendation seriously," Mori said. He said the government would try to reach a decision by October 20. The plaintiffs depended on blood products for their survival and became exposed to the AIDS virus through contaminated imports in the 1980s. Blood products have since been rigidly screened. When the lawsuits were filed, the government had claimed there was no proof imported blood products were the cause of HIV contamination among haemophiliacs. Last Friday, the Tokyo and Osaka District Courts recommended a compromise calling for the state and the firms to pay a total of 45 million yen ($450,000) to each plaintiff. They had been demanding 115 million yen ($1.15 million) each. The courts ordered the government to pay 40 percent of the total compensation and to acknowledge its responsibility for failing to take swift action to screen HIV-contaminated blood products. The firms are required to pay the rest, but they have not clearly said whether they would accept the settlement. Firms named in the lawsuit are Green Cross, Chemo Sero Therapeutic Research Institute, Baxter Ltd, an arm of Baxter International Inc, and Bayer Yakuhin Ltd, an arm of Bayer AG, and Nippon Zoki Pharmaceutical Co. The plaintiffs were to hold a meeting next weekend to make a decision about the courts' proposal. Japan's health ministry listed 1,026 patients with AIDS at the end of August and another 2,893 people as infected with the HIV virus. Ministry data also said 1,803 haemophiliacs had contracted HIV and another 530 had developed AIDS. The ministry estimates there are about 5,000 haemophiliacs in Japan. Copyright (c) 1995/Reuters NewMedia, Inc. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, Reuters NewMedia Inc., Reston Town Center, 1750 Presidents Street, Suite 250, Reston, VA 22090. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 109 Date: 19 Oct 95 08:19:24 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Law freeing inmates with AIDS rejected ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1974 DOCN AD951974 TI "Law Freeing Inmates With AIDS Rejected" DT 951019 AU Williams, Daniel SO Washington Post (10/19/95) P. A34 AB The Constitutional Court in Rome has overturned legislation that permitted criminals with AIDS to be freed from jail. The ruling follows a slew of robberies by so-called AIDS gangs this summer in northeastern Italy. The court said that the law "granted a sort of impunity to the ill [inmates] that did not respect the defense of the health of the entire community." Whether or not prisoners infected with HIV or AIDS should be freed will now be decided on a case-by-case basis. Judges will also now be required to determine whether prisoners with the disease are adequately cared for and whether the risk of contagion is controlled. In addition, Thursday's ruling overturns laws that exempted people with AIDS from detention without trial. Now, they are subject to preventive detention if they are suspected of serious offenses. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 41 Date: 12 Oct 95 08:41:08 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Marquee values ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1938 DOCN AD951938 TI "Marquee Values" DT 951001 AU Northrop, Ann SO POZ (10/95-11/95) No. 10, P. 40 AB The current attitude towards HIV in the theater community is mixed, with both positive and negative incidents taking place. AIDS experts often divide AIDS-related issues into prevention of new infections, research for a treatment and a cure, and care, but the theater world has clearly selected the third area as its focus. Compassionate stories abound, including those of actors kept on contract for many months until their deaths, even though they were unable to work, and tireless fundraising. In 1987, Actors' Equity created Equity Fights AIDS (EFA) to raise funds for the care of its members, and the establishment producers started Broadway Cares (BC). The two groups, which formally merged in 1992, have raised more than $7.3 million for the Actors' Fund since 1987. BC/EFA also distributes millions to AIDS service organizations around the country. However, in addition to the fundraising and caretaking are the sentiments of fear and loathing. One musical director, for example, is rumored to have been forced out just before a big opening, while an infected actor's contract was simply not renewed. "AIDS is whispered about, and those who have it are seen as the bad luck people, as opposed to the chosen ones who don't," says actor, writer, and agent Dick Scanlan. Overall, it can be said that Broadway does and does not care--the fundraising and care given are in many ways extraordinary, but it is still very difficult for a member to disclose his or her illness. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 82 Date: 16 Oct 95 23:10:23 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: New therapy for Shingles released ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0015 DOCN PR951015 TI (PRn) New Therapy for Shingles Released for Marketing by U.S. Food & Drug Administration DT 951012 SO PR Newswire 12 Oct 1995; 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019. TX RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- A new therapy for shingles (herpes zoster), a painful and potentially debilitating disease that affects hundreds of thousands of older Americans each year, has been released for marketing by the Food & Drug Administration. Valtrex(R) brand valacyclovir HC1, indicated for the treatment of shingles in otherwise healthy (immunocompetent) patients, becomes the newest treatment option for this disease. Valtrex represents the next generation of antiherpetic medication to be developed and marketed by Glaxo Wellcome Inc. The company also developed and markets Zovirax(R) brand acyclovir, the world's most widely prescribed antiherpetic medication and still the only therapy in the U.S. indicated for the treatment of genital herpes. "Valtrex offers us an important new treatment for managing patients with shingles, and it provides a more convenient dosing regimen when compared to Zovirax," said Karl Beutner, M.D., Ph.D., associate clinical professor of Dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco, and a lead clinical investigator for Valtrex. The efficacy of Valtrex was studied in the largest controlled study for antiviral treatment of herpes zoster to date. The study, involving 1,141 immunocompetent patients over 50 years of age (median age of 68), showed that the time to cessation of new lesion formation in patients receiving Valtrex was comparable to those receiving Zovirax. Data from the clinical trial of immunocompetent patients over 50 years of age also suggest that Valtrex may shorten the duration of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), the severe pain which often persists after the shingles rash has healed. Although the trend was not statistically significant, Valtrex shortened the median duration of PHN by 19 days compared to Zovirax. In a separate clinical trial which compared Valtrex to placebo in patients 18 to 49 years of age (mean age of 35), the median time to cessation of new lesion formation was two days for those treated with Valtrex compared to three days for those treated with placebo. Valtrex delivers three to five times higher blood levels of acyclovir than oral Zovirax and therefore offers substantial dosing convenience when compared to Zovirax. Labeled dosing of Valtrex for the treatment of shingles is two 500 mg caplets three times daily for seven days. By comparison, Zovirax is dosed at 800 mg five times daily for the treatment of shingles. "Improving on a drug that has been as phenomenally successful and well received as Zovirax was a challenge, but we feel we have done that with Valtrex," said Richard S. Kent, M.D., director of worldwide clinical research and chief medical officer for Glaxo Wellcome. "I expect Glaxo Wellcome to continue to expand upon Wellcome's reputation as the leader in antiviral research." In clinical trials, Valtrex was shown to be effective when administered within 72 hours of the onset of the shingles rash. Valtrex, like Zovirax, was generally well tolerated by study participants in the shingles trials. The most common adverse events experienced by patients over 50 years of age consisted of nausea (16%), headache (13%), vomiting (7%), diarrhea (5%), constipation (5%), asthenia (4%), dizziness (4%), abdominal pain (3%) and anorexia (3%). The incidence of these adverse events was comparable to the incidence in patients taking Zovirax. Valtrex is not indicated for the treatment of patients with compromised, or weakened, immune systems (immunocompromised). Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura/hemolytic uremic syndrome (TTP/HUS), in some cases resulting in death, has been reported in patients with advanced HIV disease and also in bone marrow transplant and renal transplant recipients participating in clinical trials of Valtrex. This syndrome has not been observed in immunocompetent (otherwise healthy) patients treated with Valtrex in clinical trials. Shingles is a painful viral disease that affects as many as 750,000 people each year in the United States. The condition is most commonly experienced by older Americans and is caused by a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same herpes virus which causes chickenpox. A major challenge for physicians in managing patients with shingles is alleviating the severe pain associated with an active shingles rash, as well as postherpetic neuralgia (long-term debilitating pain) which may occur following rash healing. Valtrex has already been approved as a therapy for shingles in 19 other countries including the United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Sweden and South Africa. Valtrex caplets became available by prescription to consumers in the U.S, in early October. The Glaxo Wellcome price to wholesalers for a seven-day course of therapy with Valtrex to treat shingles is $96.60. This price represents a cost-of-therapy savings compared to treatment with Zovirax, which can range from approximately $107 to $154 depending on the duration of therapy. These figures reflect prices to wholesalers and may not be the price actually paid by pharmacies or patients. Glaxo plc recently acquired and has merged with Wellcome plc to create the leading pharmaceutical company in the world. A strength of the new company is the pharmaceutical industry's leading antiviral research program. The efforts of scientists at Glaxo Wellcome have resulted in treatments for smallpox, herpes eye infections, HIV infection and AIDS, shingles, chickenpox, genital herpes, herpes encephalitis and hepatitis. CONTACT: Ramona Jones of Glaxo Wellcome, 919-248-2839 COMPANY NAME: GLAXO WELLCOME INC. PRODUCT: MEDICAL SCIENCE, PHARMACEUTICALS (MTC) DESCRIPTORS: NEW PRODUCTS & SERVICES (PDT) STATE: NORTH CAROLINA (NC) SECTION HEADING: BUSINESS; HEALTH Copyright (c) 1995/PR NewsWire. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, PR Newswire, 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 162 Date: 21 Oct 95 23:58:26 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Nutrition and HIV ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0812 DOCN M95C0812 TI Nutrition and HIV. DT 9512 AU Lichtenstein BS; Natural Health Clinic of Bastyr University, Seattle, WA. SO STEP Perspect. 1995 Spring;7(1):2-5. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE AIDS/95700424 AB Nutritional status directly affects immune competence; therefore, dietary supplements can be beneficial. Vitamin A, a fat-soluble nutrient obtained exogenously from animal protein or synthesized endogenously from carotenoids, is important in vision, epithelial tissue maintenance, reproduction, and growth. It is also an antioxidant, and can interfere with HIV-related oxidative destruction. Vitamin C, a water-soluble antioxidant important in hydroxylation reactions and required by erythrocytes for retrieving stored iron, can suppress HIV in vitro. However, this requires long-term administration, and its effect ceases upon termination of treatment. Vitamin E, fat-soluble tocopherols, can be found in plants, vegetable oils, milk, eggs, fish, meats, and cereals. A potent antioxidant because of its electron-donating ability, vitamin E reduces HIV replication. Deficiency reduces inhibition of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) and protein kinase C, therefore limiting immunocompetence. Additionally, damaging side effects of AZT, normally reversed or minimized by vitamin E, may induce low leukocyte counts and anemia. Vitamin E acts synergistically with selenium, another antioxidant, to block the rate of lipid peroxidation. Its administration may reduce diarrhea, cramping, and weight loss, and may improve epithelial conditions and reduce the frequency of illness. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a sulfur-containing amino acid, inhibits HIV replication by raising serum glutathione levels through inhibition of TNF-a. Finally, HIV-infected patients should consider gluten-free diets during times of acute gastric distress. DE Acetylcysteine/THERAPEUTIC USE Carotene/THERAPEUTIC USE HIV Infections/*DIET THERAPY/IMMUNOLOGY Human *Nutrition Nutritional Requirements Selenium/THERAPEUTIC USE Vitamins/THERAPEUTIC USE NEWSLETTER ARTICLE SOURCE: National Library of Medicine. NOTICE: This material may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code). -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: Internet : Health -> AIDS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 31 Date: 14 Oct 95 19:22:26 From: Uschukle@arts.cc.monash.edu.au Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Re: DELTA / ACTG 0175 ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ From: Uschukle@arts.cc.monash.edu.au Subject: Re: DELTA / ACTG 0175 Organization: Monash University In article <1995Oct13.124047@mcrcr0.med.nyu.edu> holzmr01@mcrcr0.med.nyu.edu (ROBERT S. HOLZMAN) writes: >From: holzmr01@mcrcr0.med.nyu.edu (ROBERT S. HOLZMAN) >Subject: Re: DELTA >Date: 13 Oct 95 12:40:47 EDT Robert Holzman wrote: >I agree with you about the nature of the substitution but I think that, with >the limitations on all such generalizations, the current knowledge of the >effects of AZT are appreciated in NYC by physicians and patients alike. I >don't advcate physicians subtituting their judgement for that of their >patients, although they should (IMO) be making their informed (?) judgements >clear to the patients. That's great, if a majority of physicians and PWAs in NYC at least are aware of such things. In Australia, until a couple of weeks ago (literally) it was official state of the true believers in the research/activist/gay editor establishment that AZT confers survival benefits if given early. Largely due to the influence of David Cooper and his gang. I couldn't even express my doubts in a little Letter to the Editor of the _Medical Journal of Australia_ about a year or two ago, because one of these 'experts' (any guess who sponsors the research of these oh so independent scientists?) rejected it :-). While you talk about informed judgements. I remember my GP who once admitted that he has really not more time than to read the letters pages of the _Medical Journal of Australia_. I doubt that these judgements are in many cases informed. Then, ethicists (and legal ppl) have this funny 'reasonable physician' standard which probably means knowing what's in the letters pages of the professional paper of your respective medical association :-). Anyway, if they don't have more time (and I believe that many really don't have), there's a problem with the level of information physicians have and with the level of information patients have who depend on their physicians as the only relevant source of treatments related information. >It is important to reflect that there may not be a >consensus on what is or is not established and that results in differences >about what is and is not ethical. Why not use the concept of professional community equipoise as an alternative to consensus. If a large number of professionals believes/thinks that there is an equipoise between active agent and placebo, then the placebo is ethically justifiable. Naturally, I don't think this is the answer and in the end it doesn't make placebo controlled trial designs more ethical per se, but at least there's a reasonable response to this objection. While I am at it ... and conceding that I am *not* a statistician ... I just read in SCIENCE that a remote number (pun intended) of 54% of the ACTG 175 cohort dropped out of the trial (i.e. discontinued study treatment). If more than every second trial participant walks out of a trial, how can one seriously assert that such a trial found anything? Did they follow-up those who discontinued? I found this high number very disturbing and wonder now how reliable the claims in the end are which were made by the PIs? Any comments on this one? Udo -!- ! Origin: Usenet:Monash University (11:1/1) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 60 Date: 16 Oct 95 08:47:12 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Philadelphia AIDS Walk ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1949 DOCN AD951949 TI "Across the USA: Pennsylvania" DT 951016 SO USA Today (10/16/95) P. 10A AB Organizers of the Philadelphia AIDS Walk said that more than 25,000 people participated in the event and raised $1.1 million for research and treatment. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 78 Date: 16 Oct 95 21:57:01 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Philadelphia AIDS Consortium looking for ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0005 DOCN PR951005 TI (PRn) Philadelphia AIDS Consortium Looking for Volunteers to Serve as Review Panelists for Funding Applications DT 951004 SO PR Newswire 04 Oct 1995; 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019. TX PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The Philadelphia AIDS Consortium is now building a pool of volunteers willing to serve as review panelists for funding applications. In particular, the Consortium is looking for persons living with HIV disease, people familiar with HIV/AIDS issues, and people familiar and experienced with grant proposal reviewing to serve as panelists. In addition to travel reimbursement, some stipends will be available for persons living with HIV/AIDS for service as panelists. If you are interested in serving as a panelist, you may call Marie Malloy at 215-985-6200 for a short application and more information as soon as possible. Once applicants are selected and agree to serve on the panel, the pool's names, but no other identifying information, will be public knowledge. The Philadelphia AIDS Consortium exists to create a broad-based community response to the HIV epidemic in the Philadelphia region, and to ensure the availability and coordination of high quality, comprehensive health and social services to individuals who are infected with or affected by HIV or whose behavior puts them at risk for HIV infection. CONTACT: Marie F. Malloy of The Philadelphia AIDS Consortium, 215-985-6200, or fax, 215-985-6212 COMPANY NAME: THE PHILADELPHIA AIDS CONSORTIUM PRODUCT: HEALTH CARE, HOSPITALS (HEA) STATE: PENNSYLVANIA (PA) SECTION HEADING: CITY Copyright (c) 1995/PR NewsWire. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, PR Newswire, 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 137 Date: 21 Oct 95 23:44:17 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Speaking to children about AIDS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0785 DOCN M95C0785 TI [Speaking to children about AIDS] DT 9512 AU Brooks G SO Sidahora. 1995 Winter;:11. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE AIDS/95700485 AB Children are usually the last to know that a family member has AIDS. Parents may fear that the children will discover how they became infected, that the children will ask questions difficult to answer, or will feel responsible. A child may perceive a situation, but not understand it. How to discuss this topic with children is difficult, and professional help may be beneficial. Children need emotional support when they learn that AIDS has affected a family member. They will ask questions and need honest answers. Answer what they ask but avoid giving too much information. Feelings should be shared openly and honestly, admitting anger, sadness or fear. Include children in family discussions, as they too feel responsible for taking care of the ill relative. They need praise for their efforts. Open communication either with the affected person or another supportive adult is helpful. Above all, they must know and be told how much they are loved. DE Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*PSYCHOLOGY Child Communication Emotions *Family Human *Interpersonal Relations NEWSLETTER ARTICLE SOURCE: National Library of Medicine. NOTICE: This material may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code). -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 150 Date: 21 Oct 95 23:53:02 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Treatments for weight loss ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0800 DOCN M95C0800 TI Treatments for weight loss. DT 9512 SO Notes Undergr. 1995 Apr/May;(no 30):4-7. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE AIDS/95700443 AB Between 95 and 100 percent of persons with AIDS report unwanted weight loss, which can occur at any stage of infection and can get progressively worse. A list of eleven approved drugs and a few that are in development, intended as treatments for weight loss, is provided. The drug name, description, selected study data, side effects, availability, and cost are given. DE Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*COMPLICATIONS Cachexia/COMPLICATIONS/*DRUG THERAPY Drug Therapy/ECONOMICS Drugs, Investigational/*THERAPEUTIC USE Human NEWSLETTER ARTICLE SOURCE: National Library of Medicine. NOTICE: This material may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code). -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 163 Date: 21 Oct 95 23:58:52 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Vitamins and HIV therapy ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0813 DOCN M95C0813 TI Vitamins and HIV therapy: a naturopathic perspective. DT 9512 AU Culp TM SO STEP Perspect. 1995 Spring;7(1):1, 7. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE AIDS/95700423 AB During the early 1900s, scientists learned that accessory nutrients were needed in diets to maintain health; hence, during World War II the government developed the Recommended Daily Dietary Allowances (RDAs). Although intended to prevent nutritional deficiency diseases, the RDA is often used, incorrectly, as the optimum nutrient recommendation for a particular individual. RDAs do not take into account the effects of lifestyle (stress, smoking, etc.), nor do they consider nutritional needs associated with other disease processes (AIDS, cancer, etc.). The question of what the optimal dosages are for various vitamins and minerals boils down to the individual. Many nutrition studies research the specific effects of individual nutrients. However, nutrition study results often do not look at long term effects, nor at effects on other nutrients or other systems in the body. Nutritional studies should, therefore, be read with caution. Keep in mind that nutrient supplementation cannot take the place of a well-rounded diet. DE Alcohol Drinking Antioxidants/THERAPEUTIC USE HIV Infections/*DRUG THERAPY/IMMUNOLOGY Human Metals/THERAPEUTIC USE Smoking Vitamins/*THERAPEUTIC USE NEWSLETTER ARTICLE SOURCE: National Library of Medicine. NOTICE: This material may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code). -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 48 Date: 13 Oct 95 09:07:01 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Washington Whispers: Chimps and AIDS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1945 DOCN AD951945 TI "Washington Whispers: Chimps and AIDS" DT 951009 SO U.S. News & World Report (10/09/95) Vol. 119, No. 14, P. 30 AB A teenage chimpanzee has contracted HIV, say sources within the scientific world. Until now, it was thought that chimpanzees were immune to the deadly effects of the virus that causes AIDS, though researchers have infected more than 100 in the hope that the animals would and therefore could become models for the human version. Jerome, as the chimp is called, lives in Atlanta's Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center, and was first infected with HIV 10 years ago. Tests two years later reveal that Jerome's immune system underwent changes similar to those seen in HIV-infected humans, yet he exhibited no signs of disease. Now it seems that Jerome has developed AIDS, and although Yerkes scientists refused to comment, it is known that they are conducting additional tests to confirm that the chimp has the disease. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 136 Date: 21 Oct 95 23:43:47 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: When a child has HIV ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0784 DOCN M95C0784 TI [When a child has HIV] DT 9512 AU Parks V SO Sidahora. 1995 Winter;:19-20. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE AIDS/95700486 AB When a child is diagnosed with AIDS, the parents should seek others in the same situation to discuss their fears. Parents should discuss the situation honestly with their children and keep explanations simple. Reassure the affected child that everything possible is being done on his or her behalf. Also reassure non-affected siblings that they are not to blame and that all are loved the same, regardless of the extra attention the AIDS child will require. Siblings may help and give support to their ill brother or sister. Teach basic hygiene, such as frequent hand washing and covering of wounds, to avoid the spread of infection. Parents and pediatricians must have open dialogue. Parents need to make sure they understand instructions, and have accurate records of lab reports and diaries to discover any important changes over time. An older child may keep his own diary. Be certain to be familiar with all of the child's medications and their possible side effects. Call the doctor if there are noticeable changes in activity level, appetite, or weight. Pay attention to breathing, pain, diarrhea, skin irritations, white blotches in mouth, frequent nose bleeds, or slow development in walking, speaking or learning. Insist that the doctor provide pain medication if other remedies are not providing relief. To protect the HIV-positive child from new infections, check skin for sores, keep mouth and teeth clean, maintain a healthy diet, and plan an exercise regimen. DE Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/DRUG THERAPY/PHYSIOPATHOLOGY/ *PSYCHOLOGY Child Human Hygiene Interpersonal Relations Oral Hygiene Parents Sibling Relations NEWSLETTER ARTICLE SOURCE: National Library of Medicine. NOTICE: This material may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code). -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 128 Date: 18 Oct 95 09:11:39 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Women at a STD clinic who reported same- ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1965 DOCN AD951965 TI "Women at a Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic Who Reported Same-Sex Contact: Their HIV Seroprevalence and Risk Behaviors" DT 951000 AU Bevier, Pamela Jean; Chiasson, Mary Ann; Heffernan, Richard T.; et al. SO American Journal of Public Health (10/95) Vol. 85, No. 10, P. 1366; AB Bevier et al. compared the characteristics, attitudes, and HIV-infection status of women at a New York City sexually transmitted disease clinic who reported same-sex contact with those who were exclusively heterosexual. Of the 9 percent who reported having same-sex contact, more than 90 percent said they also had contact with men. Overall, the women who had same-sex contact were more likely than the women who only had sex with men to be HIV seropositive, to trade sex for money or drugs, to use intravenous drugs, and to use crack cocaine. HIV infection in these same women was generally associated with a history of syphilis, exchanging sex for crack, and injection drug use. The researchers concluded that women reporting same-sex contact had greater HIV risk behaviors and were thus more likely to be seropositive for HIV than exclusively heterosexual women, although there were no instances of female-to-female HIV transmission. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 53 Date: 13 Oct 95 20:44:56 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: "Robust" Anti-HIV Activity in AG1343 Tri ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0008 DOCN AW951008 TI Conference Coverage (ICAAC): "Robust" Anti-HIV Activity in AG1343 Trial DT 951016 AU Daniel J. DeNoon, Senior Editor SO AIDSWEEKLY Plus, October 16, 1995 issue; Published by Charles Henderson, Publisher. Editorial & Publishing Office: P.O. Box 5528, Atlanta, GA 30307-0528 / Telephone: (800) 633-4931; Subscription Office: P.O. Box 830409, Birmingham, AL 35283-0409 / FAX: (205) 995-1588 AB The promising new HIV protease inhibitor AG1343 is effective and well tolerated at all doses studied in Phase II clinical trials. The drug, developed by Agouron Pharmaceuticals and Japan Tobacco Inc. under the trade name Viracept, has been the subject of intense interest since the 1994 2nd National Conference on Human Retroviruses. It was announced at that conference that some patients receiving the drug in early clinical trials had a 94 percent reduction in viral burden. The new studies show that after receiving AG1343 some patients' plasma HIV RNA became undetectable (below the 500 copies/ml limit of the test used) with mean maximum decreases of 1.4 to 1.7 logs. CD4 counts in some patients increased by 100 cells/(micro)L or more. "There was marked improvement and/or resolution of several HIV-related conditions by day 28 in many patients," reported M. Markowitz of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center in a presentation to the 35th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), held September 17-20 in San Francisco, California. "This study of twice daily dosing with AG1343 reveals both safety and robust antiretroviral activity and supports further controlled clinical trials." The peak antiviral effect of AG1343 occurred after about two weeks of treatment. However, 21 of 30 trial participants sustained at least a 1-log decrease in plasma HIV RNA after 28 days of treatment and met the criteria for study extension. Although nearly half of the study participants experienced mild-to-moderate diarrhea after taking AG1343, there was no increase in symptoms with increased dose and no dose adjustments were necessary. Because protease inhibitors will be used in combination with other antiretroviral agents, the failure of AG1343 to achieve sustained inhibition of HIV does not worry its developers. Markowitz argued that the intensity of antiviral effect, rather than its duration, is the most important factor in clinical trials of single-agent therapy. "One should not look at a single drug for a sustained effect, but an antiviral punch that could contribute to combination therapy," Markowitz said at the 1994 Retrovirus conference. "ABT 538 has a 10 to 20 times better antiviral punch than AZT. ... Let's start making the drug available to people in combinations that make sense. Rather than use a single-drug model, we should move to the [multidrug] model used in leukemia." Copyright (c) 1995 - Charles Henderson, Publisher. All rights Reserved. Permission to reproduce granted to AEGIS by Charles W. Henderson. Authorization to reproduce for personal use granted granted by C. W. Henderson, Publisher, provided that the fee of US$4.50 per copy, per page is paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center, 27 Congress Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970, USA. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 178 Date: 22 Oct 95 12:04:39 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: 100,000 Zimbabweans face AIDS deaths in ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0015 DOCN RE951015 TI (RE) 100,000 Zimbabweans face AIDS deaths in 18 months DT 951022 SO Reuters NewMedia, Inc. Reston Town Center, 1750 Presidents Street, Suite 250, Reston, VA 22090 - 22 Oct 1995 TX HARARE, Oct 22 (Reuter) - At least 100,000 Zimbabweans will die of AIDS-related diseases within the next 18 months, Health Minister Timothy Stamps said at the weekend. "I am not trying to be alarmist, but this is the reality we are facing. We are burying them (AIDS victims) at a rate of 300 every week," Stamps told the independent Sunday Gazette newspaper. "At least 100,000 people will die of this disease within the next 18 months. At present... 25 to 30 bodies of victims of AIDS are put (daily) into mortuaries of Harare and Mpilo (in Zimbabwe's second city of Bulawayo) hospitals where authorities are now failing to cope with the congestion," he said. The minister said Zimbabwe had become one of the world's top countries with new infections with the Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) which causes AIDS. Health officials estimate that up to one million Zimbabweans are infected with the virus. Copyright (c) 1995/Reuters NewMedia, Inc. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, Reuters NewMedia Inc., Reston Town Center, 1750 Presidents Street, Suite 250, Reston, VA 22090. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: Internet : Health -> AIDS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 25 Date: 15 Oct 95 03:00:23 From: jscutero@panix.com Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Re: FDA looks at "viral load" ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ From: jscutero@panix.com (James Scutero) Subject: Re: FDA looks at "viral load" Organization: Panix Public Access Internet & Unix, NYC In article <45m3hu$7on@miasun.med.miami.edu> tmiller@newssun.med.miami.edu (Todd Miller - Pharmacology) writes: > > AIDS Daily Summary > October 11, 1995 > >"Viral Load: To Treat or Not to Treat?" >Nature Medicine (10/95) Vol. 1, No. 10, P. 980; Steele, Fintan >R. > A procedure called "viral load assay" was a major subject of >discussion at a joint U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and >National Task Force on AIDS Drug Development-sponsored meeting in >September... >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >Why should "such simple ailments as cold sores" affect this >test? What other "simple ailments" can affect this test? The appearance of cold sores could be a sign of impaired immunity due to HIV. >If this test is specific for HIV, why are all these other >"simple ailments" a problem? And people are acutally using >this test to decide whether or not to start or continue with >anti-retrovirals? Wow! Talk about faith and religion... > >Todd Miller, PhD The test is still in the experimental phase. That is why the FDA did not approve it yet. The discussions about the test are open and being published in peer-reviewed journals such as NATURE Medicine. Even Duesberg was offered a 500 word reply to viral load in NATURE magazine. He held his breath and refused this offer. There have been studies done that have shown that viral load assays are a better predictor of disease progression than CD4 counts. If people are making treatment decisions based on this test, they are doing so on a merely experimental basis. Experiments, Todd, are things we do in science and medicine. ****************************************************************************** -James M. Scutero, original proponent of misc.health.aids (HIV/AIDS talk only) misc.health.aids homepage: http://www.panix.com/~jscutero -!- ! Origin: Usenet:Panix Public Access Internet & Unix, NYC (11:1/1) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 185 Date: 23 Oct 95 09:19:03 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: 100,000 Zimbabweans face AIDS deaths in ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1997 DOCN AD951997 TI "100,000 Zimbabweans Face AIDS Deaths in 18 Months" DT 951022 SO Reuters (10/22/95) AB According to a statement made to the independent Sunday Gazette newspaper by Zimbabwe Health Minister Timothy Stamps, at least 100,000 Zimbabweans will die of AIDS-related diseases over the next 18 months. "I am not trying to be alarmist," he said, "but this is the reality we are facing." Stamps added, "At present ... 25 to 30 bodies of victims of AIDS are put [daily] into mortuaries of Harare and Mpilo hospitals where authorities are now failing to cope with the congestion." Stamp noted that Zimbabwe is now one of the world's top countries in terms of new HIV infections. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 147 Date: 21 Oct 95 23:51:33 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: 3TC rules change again ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0797 DOCN M95C0797 TI 3TC rules change again. DT 9512 SO GMHC Treat Issues. 1995 May;9(5):2. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE AIDS/95700450 AB Last month Glaxo limited the number entering the expanded access program for its experimental anti-HIV drug 3TC to only 350 participants per week. This change was made after Glaxo announced supply problems. In addition, individuals must now have a CD4 count of 100 or less, and their count must be verified by a copy of a laboratory report. These changes give priority to those with the greatest need for new therapy. DE Antiviral Agents/SUPPLY & DISTRIBUTION/*THERAPEUTIC USE CD4 Lymphocyte Count HIV Infections/*DRUG THERAPY *Health Care Rationing Health Priorities Human *Pharmaceutical Services United States Zalcitabine/ANALOGS & DERIVATIVES/SUPPLY & DISTRIBUTION/ *THERAPEUTIC USE NEWSLETTER ARTICLE SOURCE: National Library of Medicine. NOTICE: This material may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code). -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 9 Date: 09 Oct 95 08:39:34 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: A gathering storm ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1910 DOCN AD951910 TI "A Gathering Storm" DT 950921 AU Fairclough, Gordon SO Far Eastern Economic Review (09/21/95) Vol. 158, No. 38, P. 26 AB In Thailand, the first Asian nation to be affected by the AIDS epidemic, HIV is taking its toll on those populations least able to afford it--poor families who lose their primary wage-earners and must then pay for their care. The country's five-year-old AIDS education campaign has stemmed the spread of HIV, but the effort came too late for the many who are already infected. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 3.5 million Asians are infected with HIV--about 750,000 of whom are in Thailand. The disease is also spreading rapidly through Burma and Cambodia, though public health specialists say the worst case could be in India, where an estimated 1.5 million people are HIV-positive. Meanwhile, Thailand is already dealing with a labor shortage, and AIDS-related deaths could increase the problem. According to one study, the number of Thai workers was initially expected to increase 7.8 percent between 1993 and 2000, but will now rise just 6.7 percent. This will not only make the Thai economy less competitive, but it will also obstruct efforts to increase the education and skills of the working population. Still, the Thai government has been relatively lucky in that its prevention efforts have been facilitated by a fairly efficient and extensive government bureaucracy, a powerful media, and an educated and literate society. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 110 Date: 19 Oct 95 08:20:30 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: A marathon man with HIV ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1975 DOCN AD951975 TI "A Marathon Man With HIV" DT 951019 AU Painter, Kim SO USA Today (10/19/95) P. 3D AB This Sunday, Dave Sherrell, a 32-year-old man who has been infected with HIV for at least nine years, will run the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. As of the last time his doctor checked, Sherrell had only four T4 cells per cubic millimeter of his blood, but his disease has not prevented him from running marathons in cities including Athens, Berlin, and Helsinki. "I have a lot of patients like this, people who have dramatically low [immune cell counts] who are lifting weights, running, doing their thing," said Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Fauci added that he encourages his patients to "do whatever your body tells you that you can do." Meanwhile, Sherrell counsels, "I do want to say to other people with HIV, 'Go out and live your life ... You can still live a full life for a long time.'" DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 14 Date: 10 Oct 95 09:06:10 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Across the USA: Indiana ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1914 DOCN AD951914 TI "Across the USA: Indiana" DT 951010 SO USA Today (10/10/95) P. 6A AB The fifth annual Indiana AIDS Walk and Festival drew 7,000 participants and raised $215,000. Organizers of the five-kilometer walk estimate that late pledges will account for another $15,000 to $20,000. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 57 Date: 14 Oct 95 22:16:56 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: AIDS in Namibia ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0266 DOCN M95C0266 TI AIDS in Namibia. DT 9512 AU Slotten RA; Department of Family Medicine, St Joseph Hospital, Chicago, IL; 60657, USA. SO Soc Sci Med. 1995 Jul;41(2):277-84. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/95397205 AB The purpose of this article is to examine the AIDS epidemic in Namibia, a country for which little data currently exists. An examination of published and unpublished literature about the historical, socioeconomic and health factors as well as an analysis of updated data from other sub Saharan countries presented at the IXth International Conference on AIDS in Berlin may shed light on the pandemic as it relates to Namibia. Despite inadequate data, it is clear that the AIDS epidemic has already reached Namibia, though the country has not been afflicted as severely as some of its neighbors. Because of 75 years of apartheid, the new government is faced with a formidable array of problems, both in health care and in the economic domain. The strategies being adopted to confront the AIDS epidemic will take years to evolve, a period of time the nation can ill-afford if it is to wrest control over a virus that is relentlessly spreading into susceptible populations. DE Adult Delivery of Health Care/ORGANIZATION & ADMIN Female Health Policy Human HIV Infections/*EPIDEMIOLOGY/TRANSMISSION Infant, Newborn Male Namibia/EPIDEMIOLOGY Population Surveillance Risk Factors JOURNAL ARTICLE SOURCE: National Library of Medicine. NOTICE: This material may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code). -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 73 Date: 16 Oct 95 21:45:48 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: ALRT1057 Topical: Positive Interim Resul ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0015 DOCN PR950915 TI (PRn) ALRT1057 Topical: Positive Interim Results in Kaposi's Sarcoma DT 950928 SO PR Newswire 28 Sep 1995; 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019. TX SAN DIEGO, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Allergan Ligand Retinoid Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALRIZ) today announced interim results of controlled Phase I/IIb human clinical trials indicating that ALRT1057 Topical (9-cis-retinoic acid) induced a partial or complete response in one or more treated lesions in 65 percent of 20 patients with AIDS- related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) evaluated to date by AIDS Clinical Trial Group criteria. Data were presented on the first 20 of 44 patients who entered into the multi-center trial as of September 15. These patients had received treatment for at least two months with ALRT1057 Topical. Average duration of therapy in the trial has been over four months with the longest patient use more than 11 months. Most patients had at least two treated and two untreated (control) lesions. Of 59 treated lesions, 44 percent showed evidence of complete or partial response. A partial response (PR) was noted in 37 percent of treated lesions compared with 5 percent of untreated (control) lesions. Classification as a PR requires a decrease of 50 percent or more in the total area of the tested lesion or a complete flattening of a previously raised lesion and in either event the improvement must persist for a minimum of four weeks. A complete response (CR) was noted in 7 percent of treated lesions compared with none for control lesions. CR means absence of any detectable residual disease persisting for a minimum of four weeks. "The early results clearly indicate that ALRT1057 Topical has a positive impact on cutaneous Kaposi's lesions," according to Marvin E. Rosenthale, PhD, ALRT President. "With patient accruals increasing in the ongoing trials, our task now is to expand our efficacy data and begin the dialogue with the FDA regarding the registration track for this promising new topical treatment for cutaneous KS which may offer patients a positive new therapeutic index." These interim data will be described to investors attending the Cowen & Company Biotechnology Conference in San Francisco today. Interim clinical data are not necessarily indicative of final results. STUDY DESIGN The controlled, multi-center trial was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of two concentrations of ALRT1057 Topical applied two to four times daily to KS lesions in HIV-positive patients who have biopsy- proven KS and are not using concomitant KS therapy. The study design specifies four weeks of active therapy which can be continued in four- week increments if the treatment is judged by the investigator to be of clinical benefit to the patient with no unacceptable toxicity. Most patients had at least two treated and two untreated (control) lesions. Evaluations of safety and efficacy have been made at four-week intervals throughout the study. ALRT1057 TOPICAL: INTERIM RESULTS Data are presented on the first 20 of 44 patients entered into the trial as of September 15, and represent 59 lesions treated with ALRT1057 Topical and 57 untreated (control) lesions.< 1. Of 59 treated lesions, 44 percent achieved complete or partial response versus 5 percent of control lesions. 2. 65 percent of patients treated had one or more lesions respond. 3. Average treatment duration was 4+ months. 4. Longest patient use was 11+ months. 5. Topically administered ALRT1057 is well-tolerated. 6. No systemic absorption of the drug has been detected. 7. Time to CR ranged from 2 to 28 weeks. 8. PR by flattening of the lesion usually occurred by week 8. 9. Responses have occurred in patients with a wide range of CD4 counts including counts under 50. 10. Increased concentration/frequency of ALRT1057 Topical appears to give more rapid response. KS is a tumor first described in l872 by Austro-Hungarian dermatologist Moritz Kaposi. It was initially reported to be associated with certain ethnic groups; however, with the advent of the AIDS epidemic, the populations at risk have broadened and the proportion of AIDS patients with KS is estimated to be 20 percent. The immunological deficiency typical of most AIDS patients predisposes them to a variety of opportunistic infections and certain malignancies including KS. Over 25,000 new patients are diagnosed with AIDS-related KS each year in the United States. Eventually, almost all patients with AIDS-related KS develop disseminated disease, progressing to numerous lesions involving lymph nodes, the gastrointestinal tract and other organs. ALRT1057 Oral and Topical are products being developed by ALRT. ALRT1057 Oral is beginning international Phase IIb clinical trials for the treatment of various cancers, including renal cell carcinoma (in Canada and the U.S. in combination with interferon alpha), KS, non- Hodgkin's lymphoma, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, and acute promyelocytic leukemia. In addition, ALRT1057 Oral will be evaluated in HIV-positive patients later this year in a trial planned by the National Cancer Institute to examine its ability to help sustain helper T-cell (CD4) levels. ALRT1057 Oral and Topical are expected to enter cancer trials in Europe later this year, and trials for psoriasis began in the U.S. this month. ALRT's drug development pipeline includes six additional retinoid compounds in preclinical evaluation, one of which is scheduled for submission of an Investigational New Drug application in the second half of 1996. Allergan Ligand Retinoid Therapeutics, Inc. is a company whose primary purpose is to discover and develop drugs based on retinoids. Retinoids have a broad range of biological actions, and evidence suggests that retinoids may be useful in the treatment of skin diseases, a variety of cancers, including kidney cancer, certain forms of leukemia and other cancers, as well as eye diseases. NOTE TO EDITORS: Allergan Ligand press releases are available at no charge through PR Newswire's Company News On-Call fax service and on PR Newswire's Web site. For a menu of Allergan Ligand press releases or to retrieve a specific release, call 800-758-5804, extension 509313, or http://www.prnewswire.com on the Internet CONTACT: Susan Atkins of Allergan Ligand Retinoid Therapeutics, 619-550-7687 (ALRIZ) COMPANY NAME: ALLERGAN LIGAND RETINOID THERAPEUTICS INC. TICKER SYMBOL: ALRIZ (NDQ) PRODUCT: MEDICAL SCIENCE, PHARMACEUTICALS (MTC) STATE: CALIFORNIA (CA) SECTION HEADING: BUSINESS; HEALTH Copyright (c) 1995/PR NewsWire. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, PR Newswire, 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 179 Date: 22 Oct 95 13:16:01 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Antisense drug stumbles in early trial ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0011 DOCN AW951011 TI Conference Coverage (ICAAC): Antisense Drug Stumbles in Early Trial DT 951023 AU Daniel J. DeNoon, Senior Editor SO AIDSWEEKLY Plus, October 23, 1995 issue; Published by Charles Henderson, Publisher. Editorial & Publishing Office: P.O. Box 5528, Atlanta, GA 30307-0528 / Telephone: (800) 633-4931; Subscription Office: P.O. Box 830409, Birmingham, AL 35283-0409 / FAX: (205) 995-1588 AB An antisense molecule targeted against HIV failed to show signs of efficacy in an early clinical trial. Although the trial was not designed to test the efficacy of the drug, the lack of evidence of antiviral effect was discouraging. The drug, code named GEM 91, is the first antisense oligodeoxynucleoside (ODN) to reach clinical trials. The drug is manufactured by Hybridon Inc., Worcester, Massachusetts. ODNs are short, nuclease-resistant nucleoside strands that can be arranged in configurations that mimic (homo-oligomers), copy part of (sense oligomers), have no relation to (non-sense oligomers), or are complementary to (anti-sense oligomers) various polymer sequences of the HIV genome. As they work against the genes that express viral proteins, rather than against the proteins themselves, ODNs represent a new and potentially more efficient approach to chemotherapy. But sensitive tests to measure the amount of HIV in a person's blood showed no evidence that GEM 91 was active against the virus. "We have not yet been able to demonstrate efficacy," said researcher D. Sereni of Cochin Hospital, Paris, France, in a report to the 35th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), held September 17-20, 1995, in San Francisco, California. Nevertheless, investigators remain convinced that the antisense approach is valid and intend to press on with further studies of GEM 91. Participants in the open-label, dose-ranging study of GEM 91 had CD4 counts of 100 to 500 cells/mL, no previous antiretroviral therapy, and plasma HIV RNA levels (as measured by the Chiron branched DNA assay) of 25,000 copies/ml. GEM 91 was administered at doses of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/kg as an intravenous infusion every other day for 27 days. There were nine subjects in each of the two lower dosage groups and 12 subjects in the 2.0 mg/kg group. The pharmacokinetics of GEM 91 were similar to those seen in previous trials, with no evidence of drug accumulation despite repeated dosing. The drug was well tolerated although transient elevations in serum transaminases and platelet counts occurred. However, no significant changes in viral load or CD4 count were seen at any dose studied. "Assuming continued tolerance, dose escalation will continue," Sereni said. "We think GEM 91 remains a promising new therapy." Hybridon is developing a newer, more potent ODN code-named GEM 92. Copyright (c) 1995 - Charles Henderson, Publisher. All rights Reserved. Permission to reproduce granted to AEGIS by Charles W. Henderson. Authorization to reproduce for personal use granted granted by C. W. Henderson, Publisher, provided that the fee of US$4.50 per copy, per page is paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center, 27 Congress Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970, USA. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 29 Date: 11 Oct 95 08:54:04 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Around the nation: Washington ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1928 DOCN AD951928 TI "Around the Nation: Washington" DT 951003 SO Advocate (10/03/95) No. 691, P. 14 AB Washington state's King County Metropolitan Council has approved an AIDS prevention campaign that pays former prostitutes to distribute condoms to working prostitutes. An $80,000 federal grant will provide funding for the program. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 193 Date: 23 Oct 95 11:47:36 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Beyond Hydroxyurea ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0002 DOCN GM950902 TI Beyond Hydroxyurea DT 9510 AU Theo Smart SO GMHC Treatment Issues; The Gay Men's Health Crisis Newsletter of Experimental Therapies, Vol 9, Number 9 - September 1995; published by Gay Men's Health Crisis, 129 West 20th St., New York, NY 10011 TX Hydroxyurea may simply be the first of a series of compounds that inhibit cellular enzymes to suppress HIV and increase the antiviral activity of nucleoside analogs such as AZT or ddI. Some of these other drugs also inhibit ribonucleotide reductase (RR), but a few have other mechanisms of action. Like hydroxyurea, most of these drugs are cytotoxic. Two newer drugs, didox and trimidox, are much more potent inhibitors of RR than hydroxyurea. The published data on didox and trimidox largely concern retrovirus models in mice, including the murine Immunodeficiency Model (MAIDS). In one model, trimidox inhibited reverse transcriptase activity by 90 percent. In the MAIDS model, the compound significantly extended mouse survival as compared to placebo.1 Trimidox is not yet in clinical trials, but didox has been well tolerated in phase II clinical trials for breast and other cancers. The drug has not been given to people on a daily chronic basis, but chronic use is well tolerated in baboons with sickle cell anemia. Molecules for Health, developer of these two drugs, plans to conduct soon a Swedish trial of daily didox monotherapy in ten people with HIV. It will then proceed to combination therapy trials if the results are encouraging. Another approach is to inhibit thymidylate synthetase (TS), which plays a major role in the synthesis of thymidine, the nucleoside that AZT and d4T mimic. Two cancer drugs are known to inhibit TS: fluorouracil (5-FU or Efudex), and floxuridine (FUdr). Researchers at the National Cancer Institute have shown in vitro that FUdr has significant anti-HIV activity at doses currently used in chemotherapy. Better, doses almost one-ninth as much increase the amount of d4T's triphosphated active metabolite in the cell ten-fold. At the same low dose of FUdr, the amount of d4T required to inhibit HIV decreases eight-fold.2 All these cancer chemotherapeutics, including hydroxyurea, are very toxic drugs that cause bone marrow toxicities and can kill activated lymphocytes. However, if extremely low doses are sufficient to provide a competitive advantage to the nucleoside analogs, clinical investigation of these compounds is more than justified. Other, safer drugs may also increase the activity of the nucleoside analogs. Ribavirin has long been known to increase the formation of ddI's active metabolite (again, the triphosphate) and to boost the effect of ddI in cell culture studies, probably by inhibiting other cellular enzymes (such as 5«-monophosphate dehydrogenase).3 In an NIH-sponsored pharmacokinetic pilot study of the combination of ribavirin and ddI (ACTG 231), the ribavirin/ddI combination was shown to be well tolerated. Further, the fifteen study participants exhibited a median 1.1 log (92 percent) viral load reduction at week twelve.4 The researchers argued that further study of ddI plus ribavirin is merited since the combination proved to have greater antiviral activity than is normally reported for ddI monotherapy. Ribavirin, which has had a controversial history as an anti-HIV agent, is approved in an aerosolized form for respiratory syncytial virus infections in children. An oral formulation is currently in phase III studies for hepatitis C. It is also available from the PWA Health Group in New York. Dipyridamole (Persantine), a blood thinning drug long used in heart disease, has also been shown to potentiate the activity of nucleoside analogs by reducing the entry of competing natural nucleosides into the cell. A five-day American study of the combination of two doses of dipyridamole (600 mg or 450 mg a day) plus AZT (600 mg a day) in eleven people with HIV took place in the early nineties.5 The combination caused moderate, transient headaches and nausea which went away in most patients within four days, although the nausea was considered severe enough to preclude use of the higher dose. The dipyridamole concentrations attained in the study participants' blood with the lower dose were comparable to levels that increased AZT's effect by ten fold in the test tube. A fourteen-day French study in twelve people with HIV, using 600 mg a day of AZT and 450 mg of dipyridamole reported similar findings.6 The American researchers concluded that the further studies are needed to establish the long-term safety and activity of the AZT plus dipyridamole. Such studies may be long in coming since the researchers have been unable to secure financial support from the dipyridamole's manufacturer, Boehringer Ingelheim. The drug's patent has expired, which may be the reason for Boehringer's lack of interest. 1. Elford H et al. AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, Aug 1 1995; 11(supplement 1, abstract 384):160. 2. Wen-Yi G et al. AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, Aug 1 1995; 11(supplement 1, abstract 387):161. 3. Balzarini J et al. Journal of Biological Chemistry, Nov 15, 1991; 266(32):21509-14. 4. Japour AJ et al. Second National Conference on Human Retroviruses and Related Infections. January 29-February 2, 1995; (abstract 266):103. 5. Hendrix C et al. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapies, May 1994 38(5):1036-40. 6. Livrozet JM et al. Tenth International Conference on AIDS. Aug 1994; 1(abstract PB0250):205. Copyright (c) 1995 - GMHC Treatment Issues. Distributed by AEGIS, your online gateway to a world of people, knowledge and resources. 714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex * v.34+ -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: Internet : Health -> AIDS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 19 Date: 14 Oct 95 10:23:52 From: gangbang@ix.netcom.com Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Mad Miller, Californicate, Johny Blackdog et al ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ From: gangbang@ix.netcom.com (gangbang ) Subject: Mad Miller, Californicate, Johny Blackdog et al Organization: Netcom I'm sorry I had to resort to this. But the question needs to be asked. What is the motive of these people and others who choose to reject everything science has taught us about this disease? Even when we're at the point of irrefutable evidence regarding the role of HIV in HIV AIDS, these people (and others, eg.Phillpot the Crackpot) appear to desire a complete shift in the direction of research. Maybe they just don't want any research in this area (they surely don't come up with any alternatives which have merit)? Now that we're on our way with an animal model (see posts on KU HIV and the following from US News & World Report), I would have thought that Duesberg and his ilke would have gone out and buried themselves! My guess is they're not in this to save lives - please convince me otherwise ! I can understand hate. But these people are fixated on this (have you guys been reading the Unabomber's manifesto, or something?). Anyway, to restore order to this post, the animal model report in today's CDC Daily Summary is particularily noteworthy. It follows directly after the Kansas University KU HIV results and means we're well on the way to that long sought after animal model: AIDS Daily Summary October 13, 1995 Washington Whispers: Chimps and AIDS US News & World Report (10/09/95) Vol. 119, No. 14, P.30 A teenage chimpanzee has contracted HIV, say sources within th scientific world. Until now, it was thought that chimpanzees were immune to the deadly effects of the virus that causes AIDS, though researchers have infected more than 100 in the hope that the animals would and therefore could become models for the human version. Jerome, as the chimp is called, lives in Atlanta's Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center, and was first infected with HIV 10 years ago. Tests two years later reveal that Jerome's immune system underwent changes similar to those seen in HIV-infected humans, yet he exhibited no signs of disease. Now it seems that Jerome has developed AIDS, and although Yerkes scientists refused to comment, it is known that they are conducting additional tests to confirm that the chimp has the disease. -!- ! Origin: Usenet:Netcom (11:1/1) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS / HIV ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 13 Date: 16 Oct 95 05:28:00 From: Lionspirit Read: Yes Replied: No To: Pleasure Slave Mark: Subj: *sigh* ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Thanks a lot for your kind words. It is late at night now, I can tell by the postion of the moon. My knees are hurting quite a bti these days, and I am finding myself drinking more ensure than eating food. It's always interesting to notice how other people see you who haven't seen you for years. I recently saw a teacher of mine that I hadn't seen for a few years. It was like looking into a mirror, as we both met each other's eyes, and reconized each other only by our smiles. Our faces had changed so much since we knew each other last..we had both lost weight and aged what seems like a hundred years. I didn't get the opportunity to tell her all the things that I wanted to. I didn't get to say to ther that I knew she had beaten her head against a brick wall just like me, until she burned herself out doing it, and that I appreciated the lessons and the open-miondedness she taught me. I knew, from the moment I saw her, that she was thinkng the same thing I was.."my God...I don't even recognize her...she's changed so much..." And I was scared. Is this what happens when people see me now? Is this why I am met with the suprised looks, and the silence? Is this why people stammer over their words or avoid me altogether, or, when I tell them I am moving out of town, either don't believe it will happen, or change the subject so they don't have to deal with it? I am 24 years old, yet my Spirit is ageless. My body feels over a hundred. Soemtimes, I just wish I were free from all this pain, and all this that comes with AIDS. And sometimes, I am not so regretful of what having this disease has taught me. I hate it, of course, and it frustrates me to no end, but it has also taught me that there is more to life than what most people see. It has taught me that power is the wind itn the tres, aor the crash of an ocean wave...that power is not money, and that money is pulp and pressed cotton. Thru having AIDS, I learned to live, instead of merely existing. I'm not sure I would have learned that had I not become infected. -!- PCBoard (R) v15.21/10 ! Origin: TLOTC BBs (1:243/31) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS / HIV ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 6 Date: 16 Oct 95 02:27:00 From: Tall Paul Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: New Organizations - 1/2 ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ CDC National AIDS Clearinghouse Resources and Services Database NEW ORGANIZATIONS The Clearinghouse's Resources and Services Database contains information about over 18,000 organizations that provide HIV/AIDS- related services. These include a variety of organizations and services, ranging from national associations to community-based organizations. NAC ONLINE users can search this database by selecting "Clearinghouse Databases" from the NAC ONLINE main menu. When asked to enter a databases name, specify "RDIR" (which stands for resources directory). Information can also be obtained by calling a Clearinghouse Reference Specialist at 1-800-458-5231 or 1-800- 243-7012 (deaf access/TDD). If your organization is not currently listed on the database, please contact us so that it might be added. The past two weeks, information about 47 organizations was loaded to the RDIR Resources and Services Database. This brings the total number of organizations on the Database to 18,872. The following organizations attracted the attention of the Resources and Services Database Staff: AN S 30802 CN Support Centers of America Washington Office AD 2001 O St., NW. Washington, DC 20036 PR (202) 833-0300 PO (202) 223-8048 - Workshop Hotline. DE The Support Centers of America (SCA), founded in 1971, provide management training, consulting, and information services for nonprofit organizations. Its goal is to increase the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations. The Support Center of Washington is one of thirteen centers located nationwide. Workshops are available on proposal development, organizational development, and fund raising. AN S 30962 CN United Methodist Church Western Kansas Mexican - American Ministries AD 224 Taylor Garden City, KS 67846 PR (316) 275-1766 PX (316) 275-4729 DE The United Methodist Western Kansas Mexican-American Ministries (UMWKMAM), established in 1974, offers a variety of services through its health clinic and its care center. The Health Clinic offers confidential HIV-antibody testing, test-related counseling, primary care, substance abuse treatment, and referrals. The Care Center offers emergency assistance, food and clothing banks, transportation, job referrals and training, translation and interpretation services, citizenship counseling, learning skills classes, and youth camping opportunities. UMWKMAM assists with the organization or community meetings, and promotes cultural acceptance and understanding through Human Relations Seminars and intercultural workshops. AN S 30965 CN Glen Ridge Congregational Church Ecumenical and Outreach Program AIDS Team Mission AD 195 Ridgewood Ave. Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 PR (201) 743-5596 DE The Glen Ridge Congregational Church, AIDS Team Mission runs a drop-in center, Vivians Place, for people living with HIV/AIDS (PWAs). The Center offers social support and products for PWAs, including hygiene product kits, school kits, kitchen start-up kits, and cleaning supply kits. Members of the congregation make meals and provide materials for residents of Broughton House and Integrity House. The Church raises money for the homes, and constructs memorial quilt panels for HIV/AIDS awareness. AN S 30967 CN Federated Church of Orleans AIDS Committee AD 162 Main St. Orleans, MA 02653 PR (508) 255-3060 DE The Federated Church of Orleans, AIDS Committee offers practical support to persons living with HIV/AIDS (PWAs), primarily homosexuals. Volunteers prepare meals, provide transportation, companionship, financial assistance, and respite for primary caregivers. The Committee also networks with AIDS service organizations and offers educational workshops and meetings. AN S 30968 CN North Metro Interfaith AIDS Ministry AD 3755 Sandy Plains Rd. Marietta, GA 30066 PR (404) 565-9755 DE The North Metro Interfaith AIDS Ministry is a network of eight churches and synagogues in the North Fulton and Cobb County areas. Their primary concern is to have volunteers available to help those living with HIV/AIDS (PWAs), their families, and caregivers. The Ministry trains Care Team to work with clients. Volunteers provide transportation, housework, yardwork, and meal delivery. AN S 30973 CN Catholic Social Services HIV Programs AD 400 Wyoming Ave. Scranton, PA 18503-1272 PR (717) 346-8936 PX (717) 341-1293 DE Catholic Social Services (CSS), HIV Programs offers case management; a buddy program; transportation; respite care; referrals for support groups, legal assistance, housing and counseling; and financial assistance for counseling and pharmacy fees. CSS also offers home health aides to persons living with HIV/AIDS (PWAs). ... Best argument for gay rights: who its opponents are! ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12 -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: HTG/Outreach BBS : 415.572.9594 : San Mateo CA (1:204/462) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS / HIV ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 7 Date: 16 Oct 95 02:28:00 From: Tall Paul Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: New Organizations - 2/2 ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ AN S 30975 CN Lutheran Ministries of Georgia Open Arms AD 756W Peachtree St., NW Atlanta, GA 30308 PR (404) 875-0201 PE (800) 875-5645 PX (404) 875-9258 DE The Lutheran Ministries of Georgia (LMG), Open Arms program offers foster care to medically fragile infants and children who are wards of the state. Other services include primary care and support. AN S 30994 CN Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations Latino AIDS Outreach Program AD 520 E. 4th St. Bethlehem, PA 18015 PR (610) 868-7800 PO (610) 861-6845 PX (610) 868-4096 DE The Latino AIDS Outreach Program (LAOP) was created in 1990 by the Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations of the Lehigh Valley, Inc. (CSSOLV) to provide support services to Latino people living with HIV/AIDS (PWAs), and their families. Services include financial assistance, counseling, support groups, case management, hospital and home visits, transportation, and social activities. Referrals to legal assistance, housing, and food banks are also available. LAOP educates the community about HIV/AIDS through outreach programs, distribution of prevention information, and production of a newsletter. AN S 30995 CN Coalition for Hispanic Family Services Proyecto Familia AD 315 Wyckoff Ave., 4th Fl. Brooklyn, NY 11237 PR (718) 497-6090 PX (718) 497-9495 DE The Coalition for Hispanic Family Services, Proyecto Familia, initiated in 1993, is an AIDS support program for families with parents who are HIV-positive or are living with AIDS (PWAs). It offers comprehensive case management, advocacy, bereavement counseling and early permanency planning services. The Coalition, established in 1990, is a community-based family service agency which serves Latino children and families in North Brooklyn. It addresses problems such as child abuse and neglect, substance abuse, homelessness, school failure and dropout, unemployment, AIDS, and teen pregnancy. The Coalition provides comprehensive services either directly or through referral and coordination of services with local agencies. The Coalition provides community-based foster care and adoption and independent living services for children ages birth to 21 and their families. Its teen program provides outreach to teen parents and at-risk teenagers. Other services include education, information, referrals, support groups, and home visits. AN S 30996 CN Association San Martin de Porres, Inc. AD 155 Crescent St. Brockton, MA 02402 PR (508) 584-2241 PX (508) 583-6339 DE The Association San Martin de Porres, Inc. offers case management, clothing, employment and legal assistance, and referrals to housing assistance and HIV-antibody testing sites to the Hispanic community. The organization also has men's' gay outreach programs and a gay and lesbian support group. Its outreach program includes condom distribution. To educate the community about HIV/AIDS, it offers prevention education seminars, workshops, and pamphlets. Its outreach program includes condom distribution. AN S 31000 CN Washington State Migrant Council Hispanic Male Health Program AD 301 N. 1st St., Ste. 1 Sunnyside, WA 98944 PR (509) 839-0700 PX (509) 839-3355 DE The Washington State Migrant Council, Hispanic Male Health Program (HMHP) is designed to bring community resources together to support the health and the quality of life of high-risk Hispanic youth and migrant farmworkers. Through a community-based coalition, HMHP offers a resource center, case management services, and outreach education. The resource center houses technical information on various subjects, including HIV/AIDS and STDs. The Case Management System evaluates and refers clients to prevention and treatment agencies and advocates on their behalf. The HMHP also screens, selects, and trains a group of volunteers to become peer educators. Areas of training for peer volunteers include HIV/AIDS, alcohol and drug abuse, violence (gang, street, and domestic), and community outreach. Peer educators are also trained to recognize crisis cases for referral to case managers. The HMHP also produces a newsletter. AN S 31006 CN Centro Hispano de Dane County AD 1321 E. Mifflin St., #200 Madison, WI 53703-2415 PR (608) 255-3018 PX (608) 255-2975 DE The Centro Hispano de Dane County offers services to Hispanic residents. Its teen peer education program offers HIV/AIDS education in schools. HIV/AIDS education seminars are held in homes, offices, and community buildings. Its outreach component targets high-risk individuals, providing referrals to HIV-antibody testing sites and distributing condoms. The organization also produces educational materials and a newsletter. ... I have no problem with a god. It's the pushy followers I can't stand! ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12 -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: HTG/Outreach BBS : 415.572.9594 : San Mateo CA (1:204/462) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 36 Date: 12 Oct 95 08:38:59 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Blood safety record bad in Canada, study ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1933 DOCN AD951933 TI "Blood Safety Record Bad in Canada, Study Says" DT 951011 SO Toronto Globe and Mail (10/11/95) P. A6 AB Canada has the fifth-worst record among 12 industrialized nations in dealing with the spread of HIV into its blood supply, says a new study submitted to the federal inquiry into Canada's contaminated blood scandal. In terms of efficacy in protecting its blood supply, Canada came in eighth--behind the United States, Switzerland, Spain, Denmark, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Canada, however, fared better than Australia, France, Belgium, and Germany. According to the study, the rate of AIDS among Canadians who have received blood was 1.8 percent as of March. With a figure of nearly 5 percent, the worst rate was found in Belgium, while the best was in Spain, which came in at the 0.9-percent mark. Robert Remis, the Montreal epidemiologist who conducted the study, also found that there are about 170 Canadians who have received tainted transfusions of whom the Canadian Red Cross is not aware. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 59 Date: 15 Oct 95 23:19:14 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Chimpanzee Families Studied ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0013 DOCN AP951013 TI (AP) Chimpanzee Families Studied DT 951015 AU Richard Benke; Associated Press Writer SO The Associated Press - 15 Oct 1995 TX ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) -- Jeb bangs indignantly on the steel door of the cage, where he's been banished for hogging bananas. The 25-year-old chimpanzee is the graying patriarch of an experimental family unit at Holloman Air Force Base's primate lab, operated by the Coulston Foundation, which uses chimps in AIDS research. In the chimp pecking order, Jeb feels entitled to as many bananas as he can get -- notwithstanding hopeful looks from the rest of his clan, including Penny, 37; the wild-caught Olida, 21; Liza, 14; Gabriella and Marissa, both 8; and the 4-month-old Ace. Ace and Marissa are Olida's offspring. The tiny Ace is almost invisible, clinging to his mother's belly as she swings from bar to bar. Scientists here hope, through these family experiments, to find better ways to care for large numbers of chimps, to diversify the gene pool and to breed new subjects for medical testing. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires animal tests before any new medicine can be used on humans. Researchers emphasize that the chimps are not harmed. Chimps cannot get AIDS, but are good hosts in which to observe the human immunodeficiency virus, HIV, which causes AIDS. Frederick Coulston and Travis Griffin, president of the Coulston Foundation, say they're testing two AIDS vaccines, and continue working on other AIDS and hepatitis research. Coulston, an 81-year-old retired professor of pathology, pharmacology and toxicology, has more than 50 years' experience conducting research with primates. His foundation employs 155 people and has an annual budget of $10 million. "We do have a couple of ongoing studies that look promising in the way of vaccine development," says Griffin. One is for a private company, the other for the National Institutes of Health. "I would say within six to eight months, we'll probably have an answer" regarding the viability of HIV vaccination, Coulston says. Rules of confidentiality preclude the release of details, although Griffin says both vaccines show promise, "at least in our chimpanzee model." NIH researcher Alan Schultz agrees: "We're seeing some protection in chimpanzees. What Dr. Griffin said was we're seeing some impressive immune responses. We have seen better immune responses from other vaccines; however, we're getting better protection from these experiments." But scientists aren't ready to test AIDS vaccines on people. "If you try to do that with HIV and it somehow reverts back to the wild type, then you have the fear that somebody is going to get AIDS from the vaccine," Schultz says. He says animal testing is "absolutely essential" in AIDS work. "It's the only way you're going to find whether your predictions are right or wrong. ... You cannot just use computers," he says. Pat Frost, principal investigator for the National Chimpanzee Breeding and Research Program, says the lab has been successful in breeding chimpanzees. "In fact, we're very proud to be able to say that we've put them in family configuration -- and they're clearly families," Frost says. The family program also seems to help new chimp mothers learn to care for their young -- something that did not always happen when chimps, brought to Holloman for the U.S. space program, were kept surrounded by a moat. "What they found was, number one, they couldn't define the father because they had a certain incidence of inbreeding, a certain incidence of loss of infants because the parents just didn't know how to take care of them. The moat didn't keep them in," Frost says. "They found some way to jump over the moat in order to run around the desert." On a recent tour of Holloman's lab, in a nursery near the indoor-outdoor family cages, three diaper-clad baby chimps were playing with toys before their afternoon bottle feeding. Outside, older juveniles played in innertube swings in a huge cage that resembles play areas at fast-food restaurants. Coulston's facilities on and off the base care for 540 chimpanzees, all in family configurations, and 800 rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys. In addition, Coulston recently assumed management of 225 to 250 chimps at New York University Medical School. NYU awarded Coulston custody of the chimps despite protests from animal rights advocates and British chimpanzee researcher Jane Goodall, who wants to ensure that research chimps are retired to humane sanctuaries. She is considering building such a facility in the United States. Coulston's family experiment began with pairs in the 1970s. The larger family configurations were achieved last year after a new Holloman chimp facility opened in 1993. Not all chimps took to the initial families they were assigned to. Some began making menacing gestures, called "displays." No chimps were injured, and the staff simply moved various chimps around until all were in groups where they could get along, says Frost. In recent months, Coulston has been negotiating with the U.S. Department of Agriculture over alleged violations of the Animal Welfare Act that resulted in seven primate deaths in the past two years. Coulston complains that he's also distracted by ceaseless criticism from animal rights activists, including a California group called In Defense of Animals. "We're sick and tired of always being attacked by these antivivisectionists. I'm a scientist. I run a big facility. I've got to get back to work," he says. In Defense of Animals has said the USDA allegations against Coulston are "the tip of the iceberg." He emphatically denies that. "We don't kill the chimps," says Coulston. "It's a tragedy to lose a chimp." Coulston, who assumed full control of the primate facility last October, says most of the USDA allegations predate his takeover. The facility was formerly operated by New Mexico State University. However, he acknowledges that last December, four rhesus monkeys died when a central water line was shut off at Holloman. Coulston suspects sabotage. Lab spokesman Don McKinney says Coulston had just taken over, and the alleged saboteur's motive is believed to be revenge to embarrass Coulston. In October 1993, three chimps died when a thermostat failed, allowing the temperature in a sheltered housing facility to reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Coulston says his predecessors knew thermostats were defective. The lab also was accused of keeping primates in undersize cages. Coulston says the cages were two inches shorter than USDA requirements issued three years ago. The USDA accused Coulston of having 37 non-complying cages in June 1994. By last month, however, all were in compliance and inspected, McKinney says. Copyright 1995/The Associated Press. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, The Associated Press, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 47 Date: 13 Oct 95 09:06:39 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: China: AIDS programme ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1944 DOCN AD951944 TI "China: AIDS Programme" DT 950928 SO Far Eastern Economic Review (09/28/95) Vol. 158, No. 39, P. 15 AB Beginning this year, China's nearly 3 million college students will take AIDS prevention courses, according to the State Education Commission. There have been 1,774 cases of AIDS reported in China, more than half of which are among people between the ages of 20 and 29. DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 180 Date: 22 Oct 95 13:16:38 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Combination Therapy, MAC Prophylaxis inc ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 0012 DOCN AW951012 TI Conference Coverage (ICAAC): Combination Therapy, MAC Prophylaxis Increase AIDS Survival DT 951023 AU Daniel J. DeNoon, Senior Editor SO AIDSWEEKLY Plus, October 23, 1995 issue; Published by Charles Henderson, Publisher. Editorial & Publishing Office: P.O. Box 5528, Atlanta, GA 30307-0528 / Telephone: (800) 633-4931; Subscription Office: P.O. Box 830409, Birmingham, AL 35283-0409 / FAX: (205) 995-1588 AB A new study suggests that AIDS survival can be prolonged by the aggressive use of currently available drugs. The findings are based on a retrospective study of survival trends, not on clinical trials designed to provide proof of drug efficacy. But the data, from the Adult/Adolescent Spectrum of Disease Project conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provide tantalizing insights into factors associated with AIDS survival. The data shows that improved survival after an AIDS diagnosis was associated with two main factors: use of a combination of anti-HIV drugs, and use of drugs to prevent Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection as well as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) infection. "The greatest benefit was seen with AZT/ddI combination therapy," reported CDC researcher John W. Ward in an address to the 35th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), held September 17-20, 1995, in San Francisco, California. Ward said that there was an 83 percent reduction in the relative risk of death after an AIDS diagnosis for patients receiving the AZT/ddI combination: better by half than monotherapy with any single drug. "This study is observational and is not designed to evaluate specific interventions," Wade warned. The Spectrum of Disease Project evaluates data from 100 AIDS-care facilities in 10 cities in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. At the time of Ward's report, the study had examined the medical records of 9,520 patients. The study population was 87 percent male and 57 percent homosexual/bisexual; 15 percent of the patients were identified as intravenous drug users. Since their AIDS diagnosis in the years 1990 to 1994 (based on the 1993 AIDS-case definition), 31 percent of the subjects died. The study showed that the median survival after an AIDS diagnosis was 27 months. Ninety percent of patients received recommended PCP prophylaxis when their CD4 counts declined to 200 cells/(micro)L. Use of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) is increasing, Wade noted, while use of aerosolized pentamidine is decreasing. Use of clarithromycin or rifabutin for MAC prophylaxis increased from zero use in 1990 to use by a third of the subjects by 1994. "The prescribed use of PCP prophylaxis is high, but a lower proportion of eligible patients get MAC prophylaxis," Wade noted. In a separate report to the ICAAC conference, Abbott Laboratories researcher M. Pierce reported results from a clinical trial showing that clarithromycin reduced risk of MAC and improved survival in patients receiving the drug. All of the 682 study participants had CD4 counts of less than 100 cells/(micro)L and were serologically negative for MAC at entry. Half the patients received 500 mg clarithromycin twice daily and half received placebo. "One hundred six patients in the clarithromycin group died compared to 136 patients in the placebo group," Pierce reported. "Median survival was more than 700 days for clarithromycin recipients compared to 573 days for placebo recipients." Among placebo recipients, the risk of death was 2.6 times higher for those who developed MAC than for those who did not. Clarithromycin use resulted in a 69 percent reduction in the incidence of disseminated MAC. "The increased mortality attributable to MAC is proportional to the decreased mortality associated with clarithromycin use, supporting the obvious hypothesis that clarithromycin's favorable effect on survival in advanced AIDS is due primarily to prevention of MAC," Pierce concluded. However, Pierce noted that in 50 percent of the cases in which MAC developed despite clarithromycin prophylaxis, the mycobacteria had developed clarithromycin resistance. He therefore warned that MAC prophylaxis with clarithromycin should be reserved until the late stages of AIDS. In a poster presentation to the ICAAC conference, Johns Hopkins researchers Richard D. Moore and Richard E. Chaisson reported re-analysis of two clinical trials of rifabutin prophylaxis for MAC including longer-term follow-up data. The data included 1,146 AIDS patients with CD4 counts of less than 200 cells/(micro)L enrolled at 73 facilities in the U.S. and Canada. Moore and Chaisson found that rifabutin use was significantly associated with an overall 30 percent reduction in risk of death, and with a 40 percent reduction in risk of death in patients with CD4 counts greater than 50 cells/(micro)L. However, they found that the survival benefit associated with rifabutin use was not fully accounted for by MAC prevention. "Part of the association of rifabutin prophylaxis with survival is mediated through effects other than a reduction in MAC," they noted. Copyright (c) 1995 - Charles Henderson, Publisher. All rights Reserved. Permission to reproduce granted to AEGIS by Charles W. Henderson. Authorization to reproduce for personal use granted granted by C. W. Henderson, Publisher, provided that the fee of US$4.50 per copy, per page is paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center, 27 Congress Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970, USA. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: FidoNet AIDS Information ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 124 Date: 18 Oct 95 09:09:35 From: Mary Elizabeth Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Condom ad barred over Jersey stadium ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Document 1961 DOCN AD951961 TI "Condom Ad Barred Over Jersey Stadium" DT 951017 SO St. Louis Post-Dispatch (10/17/95) P. 4B AB An air traffic controller prevented a plane towing a condom advertisement from flying over Giants Stadium during a football game, causing the plane's owner to complain that his right to free speech was violated. Spokeswoman Arlene Salac for the Federal Aviation Administration conceded, "Agency policy on access to airspace is not based on an advertiser's message." The advertisement is a 25-foot high silhouette of an unrolled condom with the brand name in the middle and the slogan "roll one on." Marsha Wenk, legal director of the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said, "It's not just up to an air traffic controller to decide what the public will be offended by. In light of the AIDS epidemic, there are elements of public service in this message." DISTRIBUTED BY GENA/aegis (714.248.2836 * 8N1/Full Duplex): Copyright (c) 1995 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), National AIDS Clearinghouse as a public service. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. -!- FLAME v1.1 ! Origin: GENA/aegis_World_HQ - 714.248.2836 (1:103/927) Ä Area: Internet : Health -> AIDS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 29 Date: 14 Oct 95 09:09:46 From: uschukle@ARTS.CC.monash.edu.au Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Re: Mad Miller: answer this ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ From: uschukle@ARTS.CC.monash.edu.au Subject: Re: Mad Miller: answer this Organization: Monash University In article <45ijr4$6go$1@mhafm.production.compuserve.com> BRIAN <100012.713@CompuServe.COM> writes: >From: BRIAN <100012.713@CompuServe.COM> >Subject: Mad Miller: answer this >Date: 12 Oct 1995 08:32:35 GMT >(a) Aids is caused by narcotic misuse and is not an infectious disease problem As to this statement. The first part of this sentence is clearly nonsense and the reason why the Duesberg crowd sticks to it is more or less due to the fact that somehow they all managed to have not met PWAs who haven't used such drugs. It only indicates to me that most of em don't know too many gay men. I have argued this case on the rethinking aids reflector and am pretty horrified. The argument goes either that those who say they haven't used such drugs lie or that there *must* be other reasons, preferrably bad nutrition, too much sunshine, too much wanking etc etc. Then they (note, not everybody on the reflector actually buys into that crap, it's only the most frequent contributors of posters to the list) present the Duesbergian proof (see below more on scientific proof) that drugs cause AIDS. His correlation (which is, using his own argument, is no proof of causation :-) says that in excess of 90odd% of all PWAs have used 'drugs'. This includes even one-time users of Marijuana ... a correlation that is not even taking into account quantities of drug use (which drugs? beer?) is not worth the paper it's written on. The second part of the statement fails to distinguish between something that is an infectious disease and something that is sexually acquired which isn't the same. I wonder how one would show to Papadopulos-Eleopulos e.g. that AIDS is infectious and not sexually acquired (as she asserts). >(b) Heterosexual Aids is a myth This is of course utter nonsense, too. If we were to say that there is no tertiary transmitted heterosexual AIDS epidemic in the developed world, I'd have no problems to subscribe to this view, but a statement such as the one you mention is pretty silly. I guess, it's in a way all due to the fact that more and more scientific papers are written with journalists in mind, i.e. they try to reduce complex phenomena to a one-liner. For instance there was, many years ago in SCIENCE this exchange between Gallo/Blattner/Temin on one side (I think they're the authors) and Duesberg on the other side. The first group said: HIV causes AIDS but didn't prove it in the three or so odd pages they wrote at that time. Duesberg's headline said something like HIV is not the cause of AIDS and was similarly unsubstantiated. All he did was to argue against the available evidence. Well, obviously, even *if* he'd have succeeded to kill all of the evidence presented by the pro-HIV camp, from there is no logical way to deduce the conclusion that HIV does not cause AIDS. So, perhaps, it's just a lack of knowledge abt what constitutes scientific proof, or indeed disagreement about what should be accepted as scientific proof of causation. Udo >BRIAN -!- ! Origin: Usenet:Monash University (11:1/1) Ä Area: Internet : Health -> AIDS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 32 Date: 16 Oct 95 07:12:12 From: nicholls@mri.uky.edu Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Neuroscience of HIV Infection Congress in Paris, France ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ From: nicholls@mri.uky.edu (Mat Nicholls) Subject: Neuroscience of HIV Infection Congress in Paris, France Organization: University of Kentucky Neuroscience of HIV Infection Congress, Basic Research and Clinical Frontiers, When: March 6-9, 1996 Where: Paris France. Previous venues : Quebec City 1989, Monterey 1990, Padova 1991, Amsterdam 1992, Vienna 1993 and Vancouver 1994. To register: contact Torrent/Neuroscience of HIV Infection Conference 1996 at 58 Rue Pierre Charron 75008 Paris FRANCE Telephone [33]-1-42-89-43-94 Fax [33]-1-42-89-46-69) email: 102544.2672@compuserve.com Preliminary program includes sessions on: *Viral and immunologic factors involved in HIV neuropathogenesis *HIV infection of the nervous system: pathogenetic mechanisms *Immune interaction at the blood-brain barrier *AIDS Dementia *Parallels between central and peripheral neurological manifestations of HIV infection *Clinical care at the end of life and euthanasia -!- ! Origin: Usenet:University of Kentucky (11:1/1) Ä Area: Internet : Health -> AIDS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 36 Date: 20 Oct 95 01:29:54 From: info@tstradio.com Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Gay talk radio at http://www.tstradio.com ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ From: info@tstradio.com Subject: Gay talk radio at http://www.tstradio.com Organization: Internet Oklahoma The very issues being discusses in this thread can be found on a new unique web site which broadcasts talk radio shows over the internet. While there are many other subjects discussed at this site, they do offer one unique show not offered any where else on the 'net. And for that matter, try finding a similar show in any local market on the air, save maybe a very few. Now the Gay Community has an INTERNATIONAL voice in talk radio...on the World Wide Web. Introducing "The Gay 90's with Buck Harris" "The Gay 90's with Buck Harris" represents the diversity of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. Buck has interviewed people who have shaped America's gay history. In his program, he makes you laugh, all while talking about oft times very serious subjects which shape our very existence. Finally, the World AIDS Conference will be 'broadcast' live on the World Wide Web at this web site in the first week of December. If you happen to miss it, it will be archived so you can hear it later at your convenience. This will be the first time an event like this has EVER been broad cast live on the internet. Stop by the web site for more information. You can hear Buck and the Conference on your Mac or your multimedia equipped PC using your Web Browser and the RealAudio software, which you can download for free. Stop by and visit for a free demo. That WEB address is http://www.tstradio.com. -!- ! Origin: Usenet:Internet Oklahoma (11:1/1) Ä Area: Internet : Health -> AIDS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Msg#: 33 Date: 17 Oct 95 07:32:13 From: gangbang@ix.netcom.com Read: Yes Replied: No To: All Mark: Subj: Re: New Results to Support Auto-Immune Characteristics of HIV Infect ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ From: gangbang@ix.netcom.com (gangbang ) Subject: Re: New Results to Support Auto-Immune Characteristics of HIV Infection Organization: Netcom William, Your pessimism on reports like this is an expected reaction. I reported these results because they *do* describe a mechanism which is not fully described with the existing model(s). However, I would not write-off claims like these merely due to a 'gut-feel' or over the financial situation. Unfortunately, almost everyone involved in this research has a financial stake - that includes the motives for government sponsored efforts.These claims should be further examined closely in a controlled environment - science usually requires such claims to be either supported or refuted by an independant third party. (Innocent until proven guilty?) I don't think that there is enough accurate information in the account I posted for you to cast doubt over this research. That's unfair judgement for this researcher and for the people looking for answers. I look at this kind of research as rather like landing a hang-glider. If you don't get it the first-time, it makes it a bit more difficult thereafter! In ALEXANDERW@cber.cber.fda.gov (William Alexander) writes: > >In Article <45t85i$orp@ixnews5.ix.netcom.com>, gangbang@ix.netcom.com >(gangbang ) wrote: >>The following is based on a report in the B.A.R (Bay Area Reporter), >>October 12, 1995, page 20. It sounds like a key human protein can >>significantly alter the immune response in the presence of HIV >>infection. I'd like to add the comment that this study, while it >>shows dramatic results, did not appear to offer a control for >>comparison. Dr. Holms is however extremely optimistic: >> >>British Biologist, Dr. Rupert Holms says 'Pump Down the Immune System' >>and emphasizes auto immune characteristics of AIDS. >> Dr. Holms is a self-financed scientist who has found that a > >..who is looking to increase his financing... > >>non-toxic and inexpensive therapy, based on a human protein, inhibits >>the replication of HIV and boosts patients' CD4 count. His findings >>support the theory that AIDS is an auto-immune disease (one in which >>HIV triggers the immune system to eventually self destruct) instead of >>the more popular theory of direct viral destruction of cells. He argues >>that a successful therapy may be one which switches the immune system >>off instead of boosting it. > >I think I'll stop my heart to protect from getting a heart attack ;-). >(Please don't move or breath while I switch you immune system off.) > >> Holms has been working on autoimmunity models of AIDS since the late >>'80s. He claims to have discovered the protein responsible for >>triggering the autoimmune process (2 years ago) and now claims to have >>proven the theory in practice! Results from a single patient trial in a >>London hospital apparently have exceeded all expectations. > >Read: The patient is still breathing. >or Read: Wow, that many patients, this MUST be significant. > >> Holms' theory is based on the accepted knowledge that HIV only >>replicates effectively in activated T-cells and that in order to switch >>these T-cells on (and create an environment for replication), the >>virus has encoded a protein sequence very similar to a rare human >>protein. This protein is so rare, that the immune system does not >>recognize it, identifies it as foreign and tries to destroy it. In this >>way, according to the auto-immune theory of AIDS, the immune system >>ends up destroying it's own cells. >> Holms claims to have proven in the laboratory that the controlled >>introduction of the actual human peptide or protein that the virus is >>imitating, induces immunotolerance. This is achieved by 'teaching' > >Autoimmune responses have been reported to be the exact opposite of this. > >>the immune system to recognize it as human rather than foreign. In this >>way, the over-activation of the immune system is halted and renders HIV >>impotent, according to Dr. Holms. >> The single patient who worked with Dr. Holms (a gay man in his early >>thirties) has had HIV for about ten years and was administered the >>peptide in January of this year (initially orally and then by >>injection). The level of virus in this patients blood declined by as >> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >>much as 95% and his CD4 and CD8 counts rose by 50% (before falling away >>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^ >>again) - but the total white cell count fell by 30% (indicating a >>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >>decline in immune activity). There were no adverse side effects. >>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >> Dr. Holms says that these results prove his theory. "If the viral > >If he were a real Dr., he would not say this. > >>models were correct, this shouldn't have worked", he said. "You can't >>explain these results as a powerful immune response to the virus. >>For a start, there shouldn't have been one, because I was injecting a >>human peptide. But also the fact is we recorded immuno-suppression, and >>the virus went *down*. It's totally contrary to the normal way we look >>at this disease". He continued, "It's very significant because it means >>that here we have an immunological process which is rather like a >>vaccine. I can't say that this is definitely the case, because >>I don't have data from a full clinical trial, but my personal > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >He wouldn't tell a fib. > >>conviction is that this is a solution. If there is a key disease >>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >>process for the virus, and when you take it away the virus can't grow, >>it's a choke point where you're stopping the disease developing." >> The next step is a small clinical trial with about 30 patients in >>which the optimum peptide dosage can be found. Dr. Holms said, "We're >>not suggesting someone has to take this all the time for the rest of >>their life. We're hoping we'll achieve a sort of tolerance state where >>the immune system has been educated not to react to this particular >>target, and that will give long-term protection against HIV >>replication." >> Dr. Holms still has to overcome the financial requirements of over >>$750,000 (the peptide itself is relatively inexpensive to produce - >>most of the trial costs are associated with blood tests, eg. viral >>load) obstacle due to the fact that he is a private researcher working >>outside of mainstream AIDS thinking. Grant applications from the >>government's Medical Research Council have been turned down >>and his latest paper detailing the results outlined here was turned >>down by 'the Lancet' because it was not a "high-priority for the >>journal in present circumstances." >> The volunteer in the trial, Petros Protopapas said that the lack of >>funding had little to do with the quality or value of the work, "There >>are many people who aren't interested in a cure for AIDS because >>they want to carry on researching for another 30 years," he said. > >I really love this no one wants to cure it conspiracy. Don't kid yourself, >many would love to cure it because they could help people, become famous and >be assured of funding for the rest of their life. > >Can anyone quote me the fastest length of time between the discovery of a >virus and the production of a working vaccine? Also what other virus can be >successfully treated after a person becomes infected? > >If it sounds to good to be true, it is. This topic really brings them out >of the woodwork. > >>"Other people are guarding their own professional reputations. But the >>treatment of AIDS is far bigger than anyone's ego. Every day we >>delay, there's another thousand dead." >> Dr. Holms has spoke out against animal studies stating "The fact is >>animal studies are irrelevant because this therapy is so closely >>related to the human system. It will only work in human beings, and >>AIDS is a human disease," he said. >> > >Bill Alexander > >P.S. I purify polio virus using a sephadex column followed by Cesium >Chloride banding, no sucrose at all. -!- ! Origin: Usenet:Netcom (11:1/1)