Date: Wed, 15 Jun 1994 10:02:50 -0400 (EDT) From: "ANNE WILSON, CDC NAC" AIDS Daily Summary June 15, 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 ************************************************************ "AIDS Victim Awarded $512,000 in Bias Suit" "Dog Is Top Fund-Raiser for AIDSWALK" "Health Ministers Focus on AIDS in Poorer Nations" "Restaurants That Roll Out the Welcome Mat for Gay Diners" "Benefit Barbecue" "Japan Snagged Over AIDS Conference Condoms" "Budget Rebellion Hits AIDS Conference" "AMA Urges HIV Counseling for Pregnant Women" "AIDSLine: Does Smoking Affect My T-Cell Count?" "A National Night Against AIDS" ************************************************************ "AIDS Victim Awarded $512,000 in Bias Suit" Washington Times (06/15/94) P. A8 A federal jury yesterday awarded $512,000 to the estate of Fred Charon, an AIDS patient who was denied admittance to a Fremont, Ohio, hospital for emergency treatment. Although the case was tagged as the first to test the applicability of the Americans with Disabilities Act to AIDS cases, the jury actually based its verdict on another law--one that prohibits discrimination by institutions funded by federal money. "Dog Is Top Fund-Raiser for AIDSWALK" Baltimore Sun (06/15/94) P. 3B; Miller, Amy L. The greatest contribution to this year's AIDSWALK was the $2,355 raised by Abe, a dog. His owner, Lynn Sussman-Orenstein, raised $2,110 in her own name for the Health Education Resource Education--finishing second only to her pet. Sussman says she and other nurses working in the AIDS unit of Johns Hopkins Hospital designated Abe as the official captain of their team, Osler Eight, to attract attention to the cause. Altogether, the team collected more than $6,000--75 percent of which will be used for HERO case management, HIV/AIDS prevention and education, and other services. The other 25 percent is divided among Baltimore-area AIDS service providers. "Health Ministers Focus on AIDS in Poorer Nations" Reuters (06/15/94); Follain, John Health ministers from 40 nations will meet in Paris this weekend to discuss AIDS prevention, reducing the vulnerability of poor people, preventing transmission through blood transfusion, and boosting efforts to find an effective vaccine. Organizers say they hope the meeting will unlock funds for developing countries to fight AIDS. Although the Third World has been most devastated by the epidemic, its health budget is minuscule when compared to the budgets of industrialized nations. French officials and non-governmental organizations also hope that the two-day conference will promote Paris' proposed December 1 AIDS summit of heads of state and government. "Restaurants That Roll Out the Welcome Mat for Gay Diners" New York Times (06/15/94) P. C3; Newman, Judith The fear of AIDS may have contributed to the growth of gay-friendly restaurants in recent years. "Today, there's more of a demand for places where people who feel a certain way sexually can just relax and enjoy themselves," says Pat Rogers, a co-owner of Food Bar in Chelsea, N.Y. The restaurant recently used prominently displayed signs to encourage patrons to protest impending plans to slash the city's budget for treating AIDS patients. Claire, another popular spot for gay diners in New York City, has attracted a loyal clientele partly because its owner is dedicated to charities such as God's Love We Deliver, an organization that takes meals to AIDS patients. Jack Miller, co-owner of Universal Grill, says his restaurant donates large volumes of food to various organizations as well. Universal Grill, which has become an informal meeting place for members of ACT UP and other organizations, is also probably the most politically-charged gay restaurant. The emergence of these and other gay-friendly eating places is not restricted to New York, but has branched out to other largely gay urban communities. "Benefit Barbecue" New York Times (06/15/94) P. C4 Le Chambord, a restaurant in Hopewell Junction, N.Y., will be the site of a benefit barbecue, wine-tasting, and auction to raise money for AIDS and cancer research. Tickets for the June 19 event are $75, and can be reserved. "Japan Snagged Over AIDS Conference Condoms" United Press International (06/14/94); Kenny, Peter Japanese officials say import restrictions on prophylactics complicate the question of how to allow foreign participants to promote condoms at an upcoming international AIDS conference. Under Japan's Pharmaceutical Affairs Law, only licensed importers can bring bulk amounts of condoms into the country, and violators face up to two years in jail or fines of up to $19,400. The U.S. Agency for International Development has asked the Japanese Health Ministry for permission to bring thousands of condoms to the conference for the purpose of AIDS prevention. Health and Welfare Ministry officials say they would like to help participants, but are obliged to obey the law during the 10th International Conference on AIDS, slated for Aug. 7-12 in Yokohama. "Budget Rebellion Hits AIDS Conference" Toronto Globe and Mail (06/14/94) P. A2; Cernetig, Miro Since the early 1980s, Vancouver has been the center of activity for numerous grassroots campaigns designed to help AIDS patients and warn those at risk for infection. In a bizarre turn, those same grassroots organizations dedicated to fighting AIDS have commenced a world-wide boycott of the 1996 International AIDS Conference in Vancouver. The Persons With AIDS Society of B.C., the umbrella organization spearheading the boycott, has sent out more than 15,000 letters urging individuals, government agencies, and medical research companies not to attend the conference. The boycott was spurred by the provincial NDP's latest budget, which included severe cutbacks in the city's AIDS prevention programs. Although the conference is not to take place for another two years, the boycott is being taken seriously, since a similar effort in 1992 resulted in the event being moved from Boston to Amsterdam. "AMA Urges HIV Counseling for Pregnant Women" United Press International (06/14/94) The American Medical Association, at its annual meeting on Tuesday, adopted revised policy guidelines governing the testing and treatment of pregnant women living in areas where HIV prevalence is either 1 percent of the population or .05 percent of the population of women of child-bearing age. While the AMA did not approve mandatory testing of high-risk pregnant women, it did request that physicians advise these women to undergo HIV testing and possibly AZT therapy. In addition, the group recommended that women who did not receive prenatal care but who are at high risk for HIV infection be counseled about the option of AZT therapy during labor. "AIDSLine: Does Smoking Affect My T-Cell Count?" Advocate (05/31/94) No. 657, P. 32; Cohan, Gary R. Conclusive evidence about the effect of cigarette smoke on HIV patients has yet to be demonstrated. On the other hand, recent HIV-related cigarette warnings may turn out to hold some truth. Royce and Winklestein of the University of California studied a group of recent seroconverters, and reported a faster drop in the T-cell counts of smokers than in those of non-smokers. In a related abstract, the researchers also observed a possible increased rate of AIDS progression independent of T-cells. And a 1993 British study by Nieman et al. found that "cigarette smoking by HIV-1 positive seropositive individuals is associated with a more rapid development of AIDS" because of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. That study showed that smokers progressed to AIDS faster--on an average of about 8.17 months--while non-smokers progressed at a median of 14.5 months. "A National Night Against AIDS" CDC National AIDS Clearinghouse Special Notice (06/94) Join ABC Television, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your local AIDS organizations, and others on Saturday, July 9, 1994, from 8:00-10:00 p.m., EDT, when the ABC Television Network will devote two hours of prime-time programming to "IN A NEW LIGHT '94," an AIDS entertainment and information special. The program, hosted by Barbara Walters, will feature special appearances by President Bill Clinton and National AIDS Policy Coordinator, Kristine Gebbie. The program will also feature leading film, television, theater, music, and sports personalities including Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Cosby, Rosie O'Donnell, Rosie Perez, Luke Perry, Susan Lucci, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Christy Turlington, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Clint Black, Gloria Estefan, Kathy Mattea, Lou Reed, and Liza Minelli, among others. Using music and humor, "IN A NEW LIGHT '94" will present critical information to viewers on a variety of AIDS issues, including how individuals can protect themselves from HIV and how they can help fight AIDS in their communities. In connection with the program, communities across the country will join in a national AIDS awareness event called "A Night Against AIDS." On July 9, individuals and organizations nationwide will bring people together to view "IN A NEW LIGHT '94" and discuss issues raised by the program. If you are interested in organizing your own viewing event, call the CDC National AIDS Hotline at 1- 800-342-AIDS. An operator will send you a free packet of materials to help you plan such an event.