                     AIDS Daily Summary 
                      November 22, 1995

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National AIDS
Clearinghouse makes available the following information as a public
service only. Providing this information does not constitute endorsement
by the CDC, the CDC Clearinghouse, or any other organization. Reproduction
of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC
Clearinghouse should be cited as the source of this information.
Copyright 1995, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD


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"City Plan to Revamp AIDS Services Unit Draws Fire"
"Chronicle: A Generous Producer Expects Hundreds for 
Thanksgiving"
"Kids with AIDS Need Equal Rights, Conference Told"
"Beatles Donate Money for Romania's AIDS Children"
"ChemTrak Expands Product Development and Sales..."
"HIV-Blood Scientist Defends Reporting Delay"
"AIDS Intervention in Uganda"
"Good-Bye, Mr. Studds"
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"City Plan to Revamp AIDS Services Unit Draws Fire"
New York Times (11/22/95) P. B2;  Alvarez, Lizette
     Some advocates of people with AIDS claim that New York City Mayor
Rudolph Giuliani's proposal to rework the Division of AIDS 
Services may further complicate these patients' efforts to obtain
critical services.  Giuliani vowed not to reduce the number of 
workers or financing in the unit, yet heads of AIDS-related 
community groups voiced concerns Tuesday that the plan did not 
adequately deal with the needs of the increasing number of 
infected individuals who depend on the government.  "I think this
model is really about saving money, not about getting people what
they need," commented Theresa McGovern, director of the HIV Law 
Project.  The newly announced reorganization is meant to increase
the division's efficiency by involving community groups and 
creating a team of people responsible for providing essential 
services to AIDS patients.  Case managers will be paired with 
social workers, and once a patient has stabilized, his or her 
case will be passed to an AIDS community-based organization for 
follow-up care.  However, the AIDS advocates noted that the 
community groups will receive no extra funding for the increased 
workload, and some wondered whether the city had gathered enough 
data on the resources of such organizations, who are often 
themselves plagued by the city's red tape.
      
"Chronicle: A Generous Producer Expects Hundreds for 
Thanksgiving"
New York Times (11/22/95) P. B7;  Brozan, Nadine
     Theater and film producer Marty Richards has invited every Equity
actor in a Broadway or Off Broadway show, ballet, or opera to 
join him for Thanksgiving dinner at New York City's Arcimboldo 
restaurant.  Richards explained his actions by noting that many 
performers are busy during the holiday and are not able to be 
with their families.  Richards and Arcimboldo owner John Miller 
have also invited the staff and clients of God's Love We Deliver,
a food-delivery service for AIDS patients, the Gay Men's Health 
Crisis, and the Actors Fund to the holiday meal.
      
"Kids with AIDS Need Equal Rights, Conference Told"
Reuters (11/21/95);  Charles, Deborah
     At the opening ceremony of an Asia-Pacific program on AIDS and 
child rights on Tuesday, health care, child rights, and 
international law experts said that children are becoming 
increasingly vulnerable to HIV and AIDS.  "The pandemic shows no 
sign of abatement, particularly here in Asia," explained Dr. 
Brian Doberstyn, World Health Organization representative in 
Thailand.  "All population groups are affected, including 
children, the segment of the population most requiring protection
and support."  In addition, K.B. Kothari--deputy regional 
director of UNICEF's regional office--said that up to 2,000 of 
the 5,000 new HIV infections each day are in people under the age
of 25.  Doberstyn further noted that there is widespread 
discrimination of people with HIV and AIDS and that "it is clear 
that the pandemic cannot be controlled without overcoming [such] 
discrimination and protecting the rights of those with HIV 
infection, suspected of being infected, or particularly 
vulnerable to infection."  The experts noted that under the 
Convention of the Rights of Child, which was approved by more 
than 150 governments, children have equal rights, whether or not 
they are ill.
      
"Beatles Donate Money for Romania's AIDS Children"
Reuters (11/21/95);  Popescu, Karin
     Olivia Harrison, wife of Beatle George Harrison, said Tuesday 
that some royalties from the Beatles' new song "Free as a Bird" 
will go to a Romanian AIDS charity established by the singers' 
wives and rock star Elton John.  Harrison was in Bucharest as 
part of her work with the five-year-old "Romanian Angel Appeal," 
a charity set up by herself, Barbara Bach Starkey, Linda 
McCartney, Yoko Ono, and John.  "We spent some $4 million over 
the past five years in many projects," Harrison noted.  The 
founding group was inspired by the disturbing images of Romanian 
orphanages after the 1989 revolution which overthrew communist 
dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.  The Romanian Angel Appeal has 
focused on renovating the filthy buildings that house children 
who have AIDS or are disabled.
      
"ChemTrak Expands Product Development and Sales..."
Business Wire (11/21/95)
     ChemTrak, Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif., has named Rodger J. Richeal as
Vice President of Scientific Affairs and Christopher P. Matoske 
as Director of Trade Sales and Marketing.  Company CEO Prithipal 
Singh said the two men will be key in the marketing process of 
ChemTrak's newest items--a home HIV test service and H. pylori 
test, which are both pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration 
(FDA) approval.  ChemTrak's PMA application for the home HIV test
and counseling service has been accepted for FDA review and is 
currently awaiting clearance, Singh added.
      
"HIV-Blood Scientist Defends Reporting Delay"
Nature (11/02/95) Vol. 378, No. 6552, P. 9;  Appel, Adrianne
     Alfred Prince, head of the laboratory of virology and 
parasitology at the New York Blood Center, claims that the 1985 
decision of Armour Pharmaceutical not to withdraw HIV-infected 
blood products and not to inform the U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA) of the contamination was justified 
considering the HIV-related uncertainty at the time.  At least 
six hemophiliac children became HIV-infected after Armour 
continued to manufacture Factorate for two years despite Prince's
research which showed the potential inadequacy of the company's 
HIV-killing heat treatment process.  Prince noted that "we 
pointed out at the time that the relatively modest virus 
inactivation resulting from the Armour heating process did not 
necessarily imply that their actual product was unsafe."  
However, both U.S. and Canadian hemophiliacs contend that 
documents recently made public indicate that Armour was also 
motivated by the desire to avoid delays and additional investment
needed to launch an extended heat treatment.  Some critics claim 
that Prince should have gone directly to the FDA and been more 
aggressive about his findings.  Still, virologist Mark Feinberg, 
who is a member of a committee at the Institute of Medicine which
conducted a study of the U.S. blood system, argues that even if 
Prince had informed the FDA, other blood products companies and 
the public would likely not have been told about the research in 
order to protect Armour's proprietary interests.
      
"AIDS Intervention in Uganda"
Science (10/27/95) Vol. 270, No. 5236, P. 564;  Wawer, Maria J.; 
Gray, Ronald H.;  Quinn, Thomas
     In a letter to the editors of Science, Wawer et al. respond to 
Rachel Nowak's recent claim that their study in Rakai, Uganda, 
"runs counter to internationally accepted guidelines."  
International guidelines urge that should a therapy tested during
a study be proven effective, it should "be made reasonably 
available to the inhabitants of the host community or country."  
However, many of the drugs used in the Rakai study--which 
examined the impact of intensive control of sexually transmitted 
diseases (STDs) on HIV incidence and attempted to identify which 
STDs are most strongly linked to HIV transmission--are 
inexpensive and available in Uganda, the authors contend.  
Azithromycin, for example, currently costs about $9.50 per course
of treatment, a price which is similar to that of other 
recommended prescription therapies for chlamydia and chancroid.  
In sum, Wawer et al. feel that the scientific conclusions of the 
Rakai study will likely be useful in intervention programs both 
in Uganda and other locations..
      
"Good-Bye, Mr. Studds"
Advocate (11/28/95) No. 695, P. 20;  Moss, J. Jennings
     The impending retirement of Rep. Gerry Studds (D-Mass.), along 
with that of Rep. Steve Gunderson (R-Wisc.), could reduce gay 
representation in Congress to one man, Rep. Barney Frank, who is 
also a Massachusetts Democrat.  "It is simply time to...start 
afresh in some new endeavors," Studds explained.  "Certainly, 
we'll be as active as possible in the things we've been fighting 
for all along, particularly in the fields of civil rights and the
fight against HIV."  Although anticipated, Studds' decision not 
to seek a 13th term in Congress was still a setback for gay 
political operatives, who see him as one of the country's most 
influential voices for gay causes.  Kate Dyer, who worked for the
Democratic lawmaker from 1986 to 1991, said that Studd's effect 
on gay issues increased as he worked the House floor and lobbied 
his heterosexual colleagues each time a bill concerning gays, 
lesbians, and HIV-infected persons came to vote.  "He had a 
polite and effective way of getting in their faces and letting 
them know that a vote for an antigay measure was a vote against 
people like him, their fellow member of Congress," Dyer noted.
      
AIDS Daily News will not publish Thursday, November 23 or
Friday, November 24, in observance of Thanksgiving.
Publication will resume on Monday, November 27.
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