                           AIDS Daily Summary 
                     September 27, 1994

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National AIDS
Clearinghouse makes available the following information as a public
service only. Providing this information does not constitute endorsement
by the CDC, the CDC Clearinghouse, or any other organization. Reproduction
of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC
Clearinghouse should be cited as the source of this information.
Copyright 1994, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD


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"Across the USA: California"
"Doctors Have Lucrative Business Tie"
"Abbott Product's Ad Campaign Targeting People with AIDS Sparks 
Debate"
"Dr. Shalala Calls for Bold Steps on Women, Children and AIDS"
"Increased Cases of AIDS in Washington to Require Greater 
Emotional Support for Children Affected by the Disease"
"Consensus is You Can Bank on Blood"
"Chimp Model Holds Hope for Attenuated HIV-1 Vaccine"
"US Sticks Head in the Sand on AIDS Prevention"
"Old Drug Holds New Hope for Increasing HIV Survival"
"Recognizing Denial Among HIV-Infected Clients"
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"Across the USA: California"
USA Today (09/27/94) P. 4A
       The recently renovated $2.3 million Parker Hotel has opened in 
Los Angeles.  It will house people with HIV and mentally disabled
individuals living on their own for the first time.
 
 
"Doctors Have Lucrative Business Tie"
Boston Globe (09/26/94) P. 1;  Golden, Daniel;  Kurkjian, Stephen
       Two Boston AIDS specialists, Dr. David Russell and Dr. Scott 
Harris, receive almost $200,000 a year from Chartwell Home 
Therapies of Waltham, Mass.  Chartwell is one of the United 
States' 10 largest providers of home infusion services, whose 
clients include people with AIDS.  Since the doctors signed the 
contract, they have referred more of their patients to Chartwell 
than to all of its other competitors combined.  The U.S. 
Department of Justice has subpoenaed Russell to testify about his
Chartwell dealings because federal law bans payment for referral 
of government-insured patients, and because Massachusetts law 
extends that rule to all insured patients.  Chartwell says that 
it pays the doctors at "fair market value" for doing research on 
AIDS patients, as well as for overseeing and monitoring a 
satellite clinic in the South End of Boston.  Last year, federal 
investigators estimated that half of all infusion companies pay 
doctors for referrals through stock giveaways, "research" grants 
that don't require any work, and fees of up to $150 per patient.
        
"Abbott Product's Ad Campaign Targeting People with AIDS Sparks 
Debate"
Chicago Tribune (09/26/94) P. 4-7
       Advera, the first AIDS-specific product to be advertised in the 
mainstream press, has a controversial new ad campaign.  People 
who work with HIV-positive patients are concerned that Abbott 
Laboratories, the makers of Advera, are trying to profit from the
severely ill.  The Advera ad shows a tan, athletic, and handsome 
man who says he has HIV and drinks Advera, a fortified 
nutritional drink designed for people with HIV or AIDS, to 
maintain his energy and strength.  The manufacturers say that 
Advera helps HIV and AIDS patients maintain their weight, 
preserves muscle mass, and possibly bolsters the immune system.  
Dr. John Stansell, medical director of San Francisco General 
Hospital's AIDS Clinic, says that "The advertising gives the 
impression that every HIV-positive person needs to be taking 
supplements," and that is not necessarily true.
        
"Dr. Shalala Calls for Bold Steps on Women, Children and AIDS"
PR Newswire (09/26/94)
       While opening the 24th Pan American Sanitary Conference in 
Washington, D.C., Dr. Donna Shalala, Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, stated that one of the greatest challenges to Pan
American countries is to end the suffering caused by AIDS.  It is
also necessary to provide healthy futures for children and to 
improve the health and safety of women, Shalala said.  The 
conference deals with public health conditions in the Hemisphere 
and meets every four years to set policies for the Pan American 
Health Organization, the regional office for the World Health 
Organization.
        
"Increased Cases of AIDS in Washington to Require Greater 
Emotional Support for Children Affected by the Disease"
PR Newswire (09/26/94)
       A press conference will be held on Sept. 27 by Rise n' Shine to 
address the problems presented by the increase of AIDS cases and 
the its effects on children.  Thirty thousand American children 
have had parents die as a result of AIDS.  In Washington state, 
HIV is growing significantly faster in women than among men.  The
conference is being held to suggest plans for care because the 
need for specialized services for women and children will 
continue to increase.
        
"Consensus is You Can Bank on Blood"
Toronto Globe and Mail (09/24/94) P. A4;  Coutts, Jane
       The consensus on the Canadian blood supply is that it is as safe 
as it was before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 
inspection, and that this safety level has been maintained since 
screening and testing for HIV in blood were introduced.  Canadian
officials say that the United States' standards are different, 
but not necessarily better, than those in Canada.  There is a 
debate among experts on the differences between blood systems; 
for example, the volunteered blood in Canada versus paid 
donations from the poor in the United States.  Douglas Lindores, 
secretary-general of the Canadian Red Cross, acknowledges that 
there may be some benefit from the FDA report and controversy in 
that it convinced people that they cannot avoid the U.S. 
regulations and maintain the former practices.
        
"Chimp Model Holds Hope for Attenuated HIV-1 Vaccine"
American Medical News (09/12/94) Vol. 37, No. 34, P. 20;  
Pinkney, Deborah Shelton
       Researchers, knowing that HIV-1 infected chimpanzees do not 
develop AIDS, exposed two infected chimps to a different HIV-1 
strain with the result that both resisted infection by the second
virus.  The study's lead author, Riri Shibata of the National 
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that the 
chimpanzees' initial infection made them immune to a second 
infection.  This means that the chimpanzees can serve as a model 
system for the development of an attenuated HIV-1 vaccine for 
humans.  The study was conducted with the collaboration of the 
National Cancer Institute, Duke University, the M.D. Anderson 
Cancer Hospital, and the Coulston Foundation; the results were 
presented at the 10th International Conference on AIDS in early 
August.  Also at the conference, Jay A. Levy of the University of
California at San Francisco described another animal model, in 
which baboons, whose immune systems are similar to humans', were 
infected with HIV and developed AIDS.
        
"US Sticks Head in the Sand on AIDS Prevention"
Journal of the American Medical Association (09/14/94) Vol. 272, 
No. 10, P. 756;  Cotton, Paul
       Although the United States considers itself the best in health 
care, its AIDS prevention tactics are among the worst.  As other 
countries reveal new school-based sex education programs, the 
United States government is considering amendments that would 
stop federal funding of schools that "encouraged" any sexual 
behavior or "acceptance" of homosexuality.  Additional 
contributors to the problem are the media--including some 
television networks which still refuse to air condom 
commercials--and politics, such as the practice of refusing to 
allow HIV-infected persons to enter the country.  Studies show 
that the majority of all HIV infections take place prior to age 
25, thus information and support must be made available before 
the person becomes sexually active.  This will prevent them from 
being infected, and will help control the spread of AIDS.  
Mariella Baldo, of the World Health Organization's AIDS program, 
states that the majority of parents, when actually consulted, 
have strongly supported school sex education programs and that 
the fear and denial of sexuality is still the greatest barrier to
overcome.
        
"Old Drug Holds New Hope for Increasing HIV Survival"
AIDS Alert (09/94) Vol. 9, No. 9, P. 124
       Studies have found that acyclovir taken in conjunction with AZT 
can add up to one year of survival for AIDS patients.  
Researchers presenting the results at the 10th International 
Conference on AIDS say that they cannot account for the results, 
but that their findings show the immediate need for more 
combination therapy trials.  Survival times and progression to 
AIDS were studied and compared in men who took acyclovir by 
itself or in combination with AZT as opposed to those who took 
AZT alone.  The combination of drugs did not reduce progression 
of AIDS, but did reduce the risk of death by 44 percent when 
acyclovir was taken after the development of AIDS.  "Not only 
does the study suggest that acyclovir prolongs survival in AIDS 
patients, but the dose needed appears to be no more than required
to suppress a herpes simplex infection," says lead author of the 
study, Daniel Stein, director of clinical pharmacology studies at
Albany (NY) Medical Center.  The National Institute of Allergy 
and Infectious Diseases wants more data before making any 
guidelines for prescribing acyclovir to AIDS patients because 
there are too many unknown factors.
       
"Recognizing Denial Among HIV-Infected Clients"
Focus (09/94) Vol. 8, No. 9, P. 1;  Opper Reiss, Jody
       Denial, while accepted as a healthy defense mechanism, presents a
challenge to health care workers who work with HIV patients to 
distinguish between its adaptive and maladaptive aspects.  Some 
of the beneficial effects of denial are that an HIV-positive 
person will make future plans, remain an active participant in 
the world, and be motivated to fight back.  Denial can, however, 
also prevent people from seeking medical care and put others at 
risk of getting HIV.  Although denial may be necessary, part of a
healthy adjustment is to get past this defense.  Recent studies 
of long-term AIDS survivors propose that their lack of denial is 
linked to psychological resilience and self-reported satisfaction
with their lives.  Clinicians who work with HIV patients must be 
attuned to recognize and assess denial as it progresses in the 
patient.  The clinician's role includes supporting healthy 
denial, but also being grounded in reality to help the patient 
see a less apprehensive future, thus shedding the denial.

"'SMART SEX' Airs Tonight on MTV"
CDC National AIDS Clearinghouse
       In the continuing effort to educate young adults about preventing
HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), MTV will
premiere a groundbreaking, one-hour television special, "SMART
SEX", on Tuesday, September 27, from 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
EST.
       Produced by Linda Ellerbee's award-winning Lucky Duck
Productions and hosted by Christian Slater, "SMART SEX" provides
young adults with an inside look at how their peers are handling sexual
choices in the age of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.  The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided technical
assistance and support in developing this special.
       The program's format will appeal to the target audience of 18-
to 25-year-olds.  Instead of lecturing about safe sex, "SMART SEX"
combines honest and open dialogue with upbeat music and graphics.  It
features eleven young adults, straight and gay, in a variety of sexual
relationships: single and safely playing the field; promiscuous and
refusing to use condoms; HIV-positive and practicing safer sex; and
choosing abstinence for now.
       For more information, please call the CDC National AIDS
Hotline at 1-(800) 342-2437.     
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