Date: Tue, 12 Jul 1994 11:38:30 -0400 (EDT) From: "ANNE WILSON, CDC NAC" AIDS Daily Summary July 12, 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 ************************************************************ "U.S. Agrees to Give More of Royalties From AIDS Test Kits to French Institute" "Is HIV-Positive a Disability? Judge to Rule on Going to Trial" "Talking to Media Could Cost Fired Worker Half of Settlement" "HIV Patients Asked to Call Hot Line" ""Teach Your Children" Recorded 25 Years After First Release for Red Hot + Country Benefit Album; Star-Packed Album Due in Stores September 13" "AIDS Digest: FDA Approves New Drug to Treat Herpes Zoster" "HIV-TV to Air on D.C. Cable TV on July 18" "Syringe and Needle Exchange to Prevent HIV Infection" ************************************************************ "U.S. Agrees to Give More of Royalties From AIDS Test Kits to French Institute" Wall Street Journal (07/12/94) P. B6; McGinley, Laurie Admitting for the first time that American researcher Robert Gallo used a virus from France's Institut Pasteur in developing an HIV blood test, the United States has agreed to give the French a larger share of royalties from the testing kits. The new deal dictates that each side continue to receive the first 20 percent of royalties from its test kit. Half of the remaining royalties will go to the Institut Pasteur, 25 percent to the United States, and 25 percent to the World AIDS Foundation. Under the previous agreement, the French institute and the United States each received 37.5 percent of the royalties after the initial 20 percent, and the remainder went to the Foundation. The pact ends a decade-long dispute, in which the American government had insisted that Gallo, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health, used his own virus in developing the AIDS test. Related Stories: Washington Post (07/12) P. A1; New York Times (07/12) P. C10; Philadelphia Inquirer (07/12) P. A6; Financial Times (07/12) P. 16; USA Today (07/12) P. 1A "Is HIV-Positive a Disability? Judge to Rule on Going to Trial" Philadelphia Inquirer (07/12/94) P. B3; Slobodzian, Joseph A. A Philadelphia attorney's lawsuit against his former employer rests on the question of whether asymptomatic infection with HIV is tantamount to legal disability under the Americans With Disabilities Act. U.S. District Judge Robert S. Gawthrop 3d must decide whether to dismiss the case against the Kohn, Nast & Graf law firm by a former employee, identified only as John Doe, who claims he was terminated on the basis of his HIV status. Legal counsel for the firm noted the ADA's definition of disability as a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits an individual in one or more "major life activities," such as taking care of oneself, working, or learning. Doe "has suffered no damage; he does not qualify under the disability act," declared Kohn attorney Barbara O'Connell. But, according to Carmen R. Matos of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission of Philadelphia, the law would be pointless if an employee had to be disabled and unable to work in order to seek its protection. The idea, she said, is to protect people who can work but are being discriminated against because of their disability. "Talking to Media Could Cost Fired Worker Half of Settlement" Washington Times (07/12/94) P. B7; Munroe, Tony James Michael Layne Hall and former employer Adams National Bank last month reached a settlement in Hall's lawsuit, which claimed the bank fired him because he had AIDS. The victory may be short-lived, however, if Hall violated a confidentiality clause by discussing the settlement with the media. Terms of the agreement prohibited Hall or his attorney from disclosing the amount of the settlement, or discussing the settlement beyond what was stated in a joint press release. Since the June 20 announcement, several stories have been published. In a Washington Times article, Hall, in paraphrase, revealed plans to donate the bulk of his money. The Washington Blade reported that "the last agreed upon settlement figure of public record was $267,000 on June 9, 1994." Blade editor Lisa Keen said the information was extracted from court documents. And the Washington Business Journal reported that the Blade's disclosure of the settlement amount had prompted Adams to withhold the payment. Adams Chief Barbara Davis Blum insisted that the paper print a retraction and correction, explaining that the court, not her bank, is withholding half of the settlement. "HIV Patients Asked to Call Hot Line" Baltimore Sun (07/12/94) P. 3B HIV-positive residents of Towson County in Maryland are urged to call a special hot line to help the Department of Health evaluate the quality of care they are receiving and determine future needs. Callers, who may remain unidentified, can call 887-AIDS between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from July 25 to July 29. Their data will be used in planning and programs, according to Dr. Randy Berger, director of the AIDS division of the health department. ""Teach Your Children" Recorded 25 Years After First Release for Red Hot + Country Benefit Album; Star-Packed Album Due in Stores September 13" Business Wire (07/11/94) The legendary melody "Teach Your Children," which has never before been recorded by other artists for a major release, will be featured on Mercury Nashville's Red Hot + Country album--the latest in a series of AIDS fundraising albums by the Red Hot Organization. The project was led by country recording artist Kathy Mattea for the group, which raises money and awareness to fight AIDS through popular culture. Originally scheduled for summer release, the new album will be in stores in mid-September. Two previous Red Hot albums have donated more than $5 million to AIDS organizations to fund research and relief. In addition to providing support for prevention and research, proceeds from Red Hot + Country will finance special education projects targeting rural communities across the nation. "AIDS Digest: FDA Approves New Drug to Treat Herpes Zoster" Washington Blade (07/08/94) Vol. 25, No. 28, P. 27; van Hertum, Aras The Food and Drug Administration last month approved the use of famciclocir for the treatment of herpes zoster, or shingles, a painful infection that often strikes AIDS patients. The drug, sold under the brand name Famvir, has been found to be as effective as acyclovir, according to its manufacturer, SmithKline Beecham. It does have a great advantage over acyclovir in that it has to be taken only three times per day, compared to acyclovir's daily dose of five. "HIV-TV to Air on D.C. Cable TV on July 18" Washington Blade (07/08/94) Vol. 25, No. 28, P. 27; van Hertum, Aras HIV-TV, a half-hour television newsmagazine targeting HIV/AIDS patients, is scheduled to debut July 18 on Washington, D.C., cable television. Drs. Peter Hawley and Roxanne Cox-Tyamu, the Whitman-Walker Clinic's medical director and director of medical resources, respectively, will host the program. Topics of discussion for the first broadcast will include HIV names reporting, tuberculosis, AXT, and nutrition. Jeff Travers, who coordinated the show's production, said funding is being sought to keep HIV-TV as a regularly scheduled program on District cable. "Syringe and Needle Exchange to Prevent HIV Infection" Journal of the American Medical Association (06/15/94) Vol. 271, No. 23, P. 1825; Des Jarlais, Don C.; Watters, John K.; Fernando, Daniel et al. Dr. Daniel Fernando challenged two articles on needle-exchange programs, noting the limitations of syringe exchanges. They are of limited efficacy if unaccompanied by liberal policies allowing increased availability of clean needles to intravenous drug users, he said. Liberal policies, Fernando argued, undermine the need to use dirty needles but--unlike needle-exchange programs--would not cost a thing. Des Jarlais et al. responded by clarifying that they are not supporting needle exchanges at the expense of supporting liberal laws permitting the sale and possession of injection paraphernalia, as suggested by Fernando. They cite a review of studies of legal access to injection equipment, which linked decreases in risky injections to increased over-the-counter sales of injection paraphernalia. They presented data documenting lower rates of HIV among IV drug users in states not having prescription requirements for possession of injection equipment. Also in reply to Fernando's criticisms, Watters et al. disagreed that needle-exchange programs undermine liberal laws deregulating injection paraphernalia. Conversely, they contend, needle exchanges directly resulted in the relaxation or repeal of antiparaphernalia laws in several states.