                     AIDS Daily Summary 
                        July 7, 1995

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National AIDS
Clearinghouse makes available the following information as a public
service only. Providing this information does not constitute endorsement
by the CDC, the CDC Clearinghouse, or any other organization. Reproduction
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Copyright 1995, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD


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"CDC Supports AIDS Tests for All Pregnant Women"
"Clinton, Criticizing Helms, Defends Research on AIDS"
"Vesco Linked to Plan for Clinical Drug Trials in Cuba"
"Retailer Benetton's Ads Banned in Germany"
"Inside the Beltway: Must Be Election Time"
"In Trenton, a Pair of Prayerful Protests"
"Must AIDS Infants Be Punished Too?"
"'Normal Heart': On the Pulse"
"Problems of Persons with HIV/AIDS Hospitalized for Pneumocystis 
Carinii Pneumonia"
"Fleming Goes to Gotham"
"Notice of Public Meeting"
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"CDC Supports AIDS Tests for All Pregnant Women"
Philadelphia Inquirer (07/07/95) P. A3;  Hostetler, A.J.
     The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on
Thursday that it supports voluntary HIV testing for all pregnant 
women--representing the first time the agency has ever 
recommended voluntary testing for an entire group of people.  
Until now, the CDC has only recommended testing for pregnant 
women at high risk for HIV, such as injection drug users and 
prostitutes.  "To reduce chances of transmission, we must provide
ongoing treatment and care, including AZT therapy," said the 
CDC's Helene Gayle.  A federal study published late last year 
found that women who take AZT during pregnancy can reduce by 
two-thirds the risk of transmitting HIV to their babies.  The CDC
hopes to make HIV testing standard prenatal care for the 4 
million women who become pregnant each year--even those who are 
considered to be at very low risk of infection.  Test results 
would remain confidential unless state law requires otherwise.  
Related Stories: Washington Times (07/07) P. A5; Washington Post 
(07/07) P. A1; Wall Street Journal (07/07) P. B3
      
"Clinton, Criticizing Helms, Defends Research on AIDS"
USA Today (07/07/95) P. 6A
     In his speech at Georgetown University on Thursday, President 
Clinton took issue with Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), who complained
earlier this week that the government spends more money on AIDS 
research than on other diseases.  According to Helms, AIDS 
research should be limited because HIV is transmitted by people 
"deliberately engaging in unnatural acts."  Clinton, however, 
said, "Gay people who have AIDS are still our sons, our 
brothers...our citizens."  Department of Health and Human 
Services figures show that federal AIDS funding in 1995 totals 
$5.9 billion, compared to $17.5 billion for cancer and $38 
billion for heart disease.  But GOP National Committee chairman 
Haley Barbour commented, "AIDS research needs to be based on 
science and medicine and on health considerations, not on 
political considerations.  I think too often it has been."  
Related Stories: New York Times (07/07) P. A1; Wall Street 
Journal (07/07) P. A1; Washington Post (07/07) P. A4
      
"Vesco Linked to Plan for Clinical Drug Trials in Cuba"
Washington Post (07/07/95) P. A29
     Donald Nixon, nephew of former president Richard M. Nixon, has 
indicated that the May 31 arrest of fugitive financier Robert L. 
Vesco in Cuba could be linked to their collaboration for a new 
AIDS drug.  Nixon said he and Vesco were within weeks of 
completing the necessary procedures to begin testing the drug TX,
an extract of the citronella plant that is aimed at boosting the 
immune system.  "It's interesting--just after things are ready to
go, bang, away he goes," Nixon said.  TX was invented by former 
California doctor Stephen Herman, who gave up his license five 
years ago after illegally testing another AIDS drug, Viroxin, on 
patients.  Viroxin, which was highly criticized by state medical 
officials, evolved into TX, Nixon said.  Related Story: Los 
Angeles Times--Washington Edition (07/06) P. B1
      
"Retailer Benetton's Ads Banned in Germany"
Investor's Business Daily (07/07/95) P. B16
     On Thursday, a federal appeals court in Germany ruled against an 
advertising campaign used by the Italian retailer Benetton that 
used AIDS, child labor, and ecological disaster as themes.  The 
court held that the ads violated the principles of fair 
competition by using compassion for commercial reasons.  One 
poster, for example, features a bare male bottom stamped with the
words "HIV Positive."  The court ruled that this poster also went
against human dignity, and that all three themes broke the moral 
code.  Related Story: USA Today (07/07) P. 1A
      
"Inside the Beltway: Must Be Election Time"
Washington Times (07/07/95) P. A11;  McCaslin, John
     The Washington Times has obtained a letter sent by the National 
Minority AIDS Council to its board and advisory board members.  
The letter states that President Clinton has asked the council to
submit three to five suggestions today of actions he could 
against AIDS.  The council also notes, according to the 
parameters given, that the suggestions should be "specifically 
presidential in scope; something that Clinton is willing and able
to do; and not too expensive."
      
"In Trenton, a Pair of Prayerful Protests"
Philadelphia Inquirer (07/07/95) P. B1;  Campbell, Douglas A.
     Two hopeful protests took place on Thursday near the Statehouse 
in Trenton, N.J.  On the Statehouse steps, for example, a group 
was praying for Gov. Whitman to approve a bill that is favorable 
to hemophiliacs.  The group is seeking the governor's support of 
legislation that would override a two-year statute of limitation 
and allow them to sue companies that sold them blood products 
contaminated with HIV.  The attorney general has deemed the bill 
unconstitutional, but Whitman's spokeswoman said the issue is 
still under review.
      
"Must AIDS Infants Be Punished Too?"
New York Times (07/07/95) P. A24;  Stoller, Jill
     In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, Jill 
Stoller--Medical Director of the Pediatric Consultation Service 
at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx--writes that it is 
"disheartening" to read about Sen. Jesse Helms' (R-N.C.) efforts 
to reduce funds for the 1990 Ryan White CARE Act.  Stoller says 
that as the director of a clinic for HIV-infected children that 
is funded by the measure, she sees first-hand the positive impact
these funds have.  She questions whether Helms believes that 
these children are responsible for their infection by the act of 
being born.  Without primary care programs, HIV-infected children
can develop fatal infections, which could easily be treated with 
medications.  Stoller invites Helms to visit her center and see 
himself how the Ryan White funds are being spent.
      
"'Normal Heart': On the Pulse"
Washington Post (07/07/95) P. F1;  Rose, Lloyd
     Larry Kramer's "The Normal Heart," a 10-year chronicle of the 
early AIDS epidemic, is just as urgent and compelling as when it 
was first produced one decade ago.  The play presents a variety 
of opinions on what it means politically to be gay in America.  
Kramer makes a powerful drama out of the political problems 
people encounter even when they are, or should be, united by the 
fear of dying.
      
"Problems of Persons with HIV/AIDS Hospitalized for Pneumocystis 
Carinii Pneumonia"
Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (05/95-06/95) 
Vol. 6, No. 3, P. 23;  Holzemer, William L.;  Henry, Suzanne 
Bakken;  Reilly, Cheryl A. et al.
     In a prospective study, Holzemer et al. examined the problems of 
HIV/AIDS patients who are hospitalized for Pneumocystis carinii 
pneumonia (PCP).  Data was obtained from patient interviews, 
nurse interviews, intershift reports, and patient charts.  The 
problems were then classified into problems related to PCP, AIDS,
psychosocial concerns, knowledge deficit, hospitalization issues,
or other problems.  The majority of the patients had problems in 
the PCP, AIDS, and psychosocial categories at all three reporting
periods.  About 20 percent had knowledge deficit or 
hospitalization problems, and 33 percent had problems categorized
as other.  The greatest number of difficulties were in the PCP 
division.  Particular psychosocial problems were more likely to 
be reported during the patient and nurse interviews than in the 
chart and intershift report.  The findings support the physical 
symptoms identified in the published care plans and guidelines 
for caring for people with PCP.  In addition, the study 
recognized the limitation of using the patient's chart as the 
only information source in determining nursing care needs, and 
highlighted the importance of the patient's outlook.
      
"Fleming Goes to Gotham"
Advocate (07/11/95) No. 685, P. 12
     According to federal AIDS policy director Patsy Fleming, it is 
difficult to educate teenagers about AIDS prevention because they
"seem to feel that they're invincible, so they won't get it.  On 
the other hand, they feel it's inevitable that they'll get it, so
why bother to protect themselves?"  Fleming made these comments 
during a May 25 trip to New York City--where she toured the 
Hetrick-Martin Institute, a social services and advocacy group 
for gay, lesbian, and bisexual young people.
      
"Notice of Public Meeting"
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (07/06/95)
     The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will
host a public meeting to discuss the implementation and
evaluation of U.S. Public Health Service recommendations for
counseling and testing pregnant women.  The purpose of this
meeting is to obtain individual comments on the following: 
strategies to prevent HIV infection among women and children;
strategies to ensure that women and newborns who are infected are
entered into a continuum of services; and the considerations
involved in monitoring the epidemic in women and children in
general.  The meeting will be held at the Westin Peachtree Plaza
Hotel, 210 Peachtree Street, NW, Atlanta Georgia, on July 11 and
12, from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.  To make hotel reservations, please
contact the Westin Peachtree Plaza at (404) 659-1400.  For
additional information, call Francess Page at (202) 690-6373. 

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