Date: Wed, 4 Jan 1995 11:27:19 +0500 From: awilson@smtpinet.aspensys.com (Wilson, Anne) X-Lines: 209 AIDS Daily Summary January 4, 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 1994, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD ************************************************************ "World's AIDS Cases Top a Million, U.N. Reports" "Across the USA: Kentucky" "Lifeline: Red Hot + Live" "Record Year for AIDS Deaths in Minnesota" "Hemasure Announces 510 (k) Filing for FDA Clearance of LeukoNet Filter" "The Philadelphia AIDS Consortium Receives Grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts" "Identification of Herpesvirus-Like DNA Sequences in AIDS-Associated Kaposi's Sarcoma" "Changes in Insurance Status and Access to Care for Persons With AIDS in the Boston Health Study" Restrictive Label Could Impede Plastic Condom Sales" "Backlash" ************************************************************ "World's AIDS Cases Top a Million, U.N. Reports" New York Times (01/04/95) P. A2 The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday that the official number of AIDS cases worldwide has for the first time passed 1 million. By Dec. 31, 1994, governments had reported 1,025,073 cases of AIDS to the health agency since it began keeping records in 1980. WHO said that chronic underreporting and underdiagnosis in developing countries meant the actual figure was probably more than 4.5 million. More than 70 percent of the estimated cases were in Africa, according to WHO. Approximately 9 percent were in the United States, 9 percent in the rest of the American hemisphere, 6 percent in Asia, and 4 percent in Europe. The statistics include only people with active cases of AIDS or those who have died from the disease. Related Stories: Washington Post (01/04) P. A23; Washington Times (01/04) P. A15; USA Today (01/04) P. 1D; Investor's Business Daily (01/04) P. A1; Financial Times (01/04) P. 3; Philadelphia Inquirer (01/04) P. B6 "Across the USA: Kentucky" USA Today (01/04/95) P. 9A David Mawn, director of AIDS Volunteers, said that a lack of AIDS awareness remains in rural Kentucky. Residents often go to other cities for testing and counseling to avoid being ostracized. Mawn is challenging rural residents to volunteer to help. "Lifeline: Red Hot + Live" USA Today (01/04/95) P. 1D; Vigoda, Arlene "Red Hot + Country," the AIDS awareness and fundraising album, has been transformed into a three-hour concert. The free concert, to be held Saturday at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium, will be followed by a one-hour TNN special on March 1. Performers will include Kathy Mattea, Billy Ray Cyrus, Nanci Griffith, and the Mavericks. "Record Year for AIDS Deaths in Minnesota" Chicago Tribune (01/03/95) P. 1-3 For the first year since the AIDS epidemic began, more than 200 Minnesotans died of the disease in 1994, according to the state Department of Health. Officials say they know of 234 AIDS deaths in Minnesota last year, and expect late reports to increase the figure to about 250. Since the early 1980s, 1,351 people have died of AIDS in Minnesota and 243,423 people have died nationwide. New AIDS cases are occurring at a rate of more than 300 a year in Minnesota--a figure that reached a plateau three years ago after years of steady increases, said state epidemiologist Michael Osterholm. "Hemasure Announces 510 (k) Filing for FDA Clearance of LeukoNet Filter" PR Newswire (01/03/95) Hemasure Inc. has filed a 510(K) Pre-Market Notification application with the Food and Drug Administration for the company's LeukoNet Filter. The application includes both human clinical and laboratory data. The LeukoNet Filter is designed to increase the safety of donated blood by removing leukocytes, harmful white blood cells which can cause adverse reactions in patients receiving blood transfusions. Leukocytes also harbor infectious viruses such as HIV, hepatitis, Epstein-Barr, and cytomegalovirus. Following the clearance process, Hemasure will market its product to U.S. blood centers and expects to begin generating revenues in 1995. The company estimates there is a $1 billion global market potential for the removal of leukocytes, or leuko-depletion. Hemasure believes that only 15 to 20 percent of transfused blood is filtered for removal of leukocytes and that the demand for leuko-depleted blood will significantly increase during the next several years. Hemasure also intends to market the LeukoNet Filter in Europe and Asia. "The Philadelphia AIDS Consortium Receives Grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts" PR Newswire (01/03/95) One of 59 recent recipients of grants from the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Philadelphia AIDS Consortium has been awarded $200,000 over two years from the Pew Fund for Health and Human Services in Philadelphia. The funds will provide general operating support to ensure the continued development of comprehensive services for adults with HIV and AIDS in Southeastern Pennsylvania. "This award from Pew demonstrates their ongoing confidence in our leadership in coordinating a coherent regional response to AIDS--our most important task as we continue to carry out our mission," said the Rev. James H. Littrell, executive director or the Philadelphia AIDS Consortium. Some of the Consortium's functions include coordinating the delivery of regional HIV/AIDS services, planning for the development of new services to meet future needs, and carrying out critical regionwide transportation and emergency clinical care programs. "Identification of Herpesvirus-Like DNA Sequences in AIDS-Associated Kaposi's Sarcoma" Science (12/16/94) Vol. 266, No. 5192, P. 1865; Chang, Yuan; Cesarman, Ethel; Pessin, Melissa S. et al Researchers used representational difference analysis to isolate unique sequences present in more than 90 percent of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) tissues obtained from AIDS patients. While patients without AIDS did not have the sequences in their tissue DNA, 15 percent of non-KS tissue DNA samples from AIDS patients did. The sequences are homologous to, but distinct from other, herpesviruses and may represent a new human herpesvirus. A causal link, however, could not be established between the sequences and AIDS-KS from the retrospective case control study. The researchers suggested that the agent may be a common latent virus in humans that preferentially colonizes KS lesions in immunosuppressed individuals. "Changes in Insurance Status and Access to Care for Persons With AIDS in the Boston Health Study" American Journal of Public Health (12/94) Vol. 84, No. 12, P. 1997; Weissman, Joel S.; Makadon, Harvey J.; Seage III, George R. et al A study was conducted to measure the unmet needs and changes in insurance status for AIDS patients. Researchers addressed how insurance changes once someone becomes HIV-infected, problems with access to effective treatment, and problems with unmet needs for other services--such as home care, skilled nursing, and dental care. Between AIDS diagnosis and the interview, 36 percent of the Boston-area participants had a change in insurance coverage. Medicaid coverage jumped from 14 percent to 41 percent. Prophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was nearly universal and only 5 percent of the patients did not receive zidovudine (AZT). Approximately 15 percent of the patients had difficulties obtaining medical and dental services. At higher risk were blacks, homeless persons, and those who did not graduate from high school. While the use of selected treatments for which there were clear clinical guidelines was adequate, disadvantaged groups were more likely than other AIDS patients to face obstacles to other services. "Restrictive Label Could Impede Plastic Condom Sales" AIDS Alert (12/94) Vol. 9, No. 12, P. 129 Although some people are calling the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) label for the new polyurethane condoms restrictive, others predict that the labeling will not interfere with consumers' purchasing decisions. The front of the package must state that the product is "for latex-sensitive condom users," and the back must emphasize that the risks for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are unknown for the product. The label then reads that "latex condoms for men, if used correctly with every act of vaginal intercourse, are highly effective at preventing pregnancy, as well as STDs, including AIDS." Daniel Bao, director of the Condom Resource Center in Oakland, Calif., believes the label will not be much of a setback. "How many people go into a store and read the packages?" he reasons. Brand name recognition is more frequently the reason the condom is purchased. Dr. James Trussell, director of the Office of Population Research, argues that even if consumers do not read the labels, it is likely they will hear about it through the media. The Reality female condom, for example, was burdened with an FDA label that placed the it at the bottom of a four-tier safety hierarchy. Criticism ensued once the media picked up on the 26-percent yearly failure rate. While plastic condom makers will be able to change the labels after more studies are done, they still face an uphill battle. "Backlash" Advocate (12/13/94) No. 670, P. 21; Gallagher, John The November elections--which put Republicans in control of both houses of Congress for the first time since 1954--has forced gay and AIDS advocates to consider new strategies. "In the past we focused most of our attention on the majority party because it had the cards and the power," said Daniel Bross, former executive director of the AIDS Action Council. "...We have to deal with the cards dealt us, but it's not going to be pleasant." Not all of the new Republicans who chair congressional committees are as interested in gay rights issues as the ones they replace. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), for example, was the guiding force behind legislation that put billions of dollars into AIDS research. He will be replaced, however, by Rep. Thomas Bliley Jr. (R-Va.), who sponsored a bill in 1993 that denies entry visas to HIV-infected foreigners. Government agencies will also be affected. "I'm concerned how officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will respond," said H. Alexander Robinson, board president of the National Task Force on AIDS Prevention. "A lot of those folks were there when there was a more conservative president, and their way of operating is just beginning to change."