CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update

U.N. Issues Grim Report on the 11 Million Children Orphaned by AIDS

"U.N. Issues Grim Report on the 11 Million Children Orphaned by AIDS" New York Times (12/02/99) P. A10; Altman, Lawrence K.
A United Nations report issued for World AIDS Day shows that over 11 million children have been orphaned by AIDS since 1981, and that number is expected to reach 13 million by the end of next year. AIDS is believed to be the leading disease causing children to lose a parent. Approximately 95 percent of the orphaned children live in sub-Saharan Africa, UNAIDS and UNICEF said. The report noted that whereas in the past families would take care of orphans, "the traditional African extended family is breaking down under the unprecedented burden of the pandemic." Dr. Peter Piot, head of UNAIDS, added that many of the orphans become child laborers or end up on the streets, becoming targets for gangs, militia, and child armies. In addition, the report said that, compared to children orphaned for other reasons, AIDS orphans are at greater risk for malnutrition and related conditions, illness, abuse, and sexual exploitation.

Home HIV Test Halted

"Home HIV Test Halted" USA Today (12/02/99) P. 12D; Hellmich, Nanci
Internet company Medimax Inc. has been charged with falsely representing the accuracy of its HIV tests. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the Web site for company founder David Rothbart claimed Medimax was "the industry leader in the distribution of clinically proven and FDA-approved diagnostic rapid tests." Regulators assert, however, that the test on his site was not approved for sale in the United States. The agency's complaint hopes to stop Rothbart from further misrepresentation regarding the tests and also wants him to repay consumers.

Dual Virus Infections on Rise

Boston Globe Online (12/02/99) P. A1; Knox, Richard A.
More Americans are being diagnosed with both HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Injection drug users are at risk for both diseases. About 40 percent of those with HIV also have HCV, a combination that makes treatment regimens difficult because of multiple side effects. Both HIV and hepatitis C can delay symptoms for years, are unaffected by antibodies, and multiply very quickly. Some nurses and health workers contract both infections from accidental needle sticks. Nurse Karen Daley, president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, was infected with both viruses last year after an accidental needle stick. On Wednesday, she detailed her experience at the Kennedy Library conference, sponsored by Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and the Massachusetts Medical Society.

President Chides World Trade Body in Stormy Seattle

New York Times (12/02/99) P. A1; Sanger, David E.
President Clinton spoke against the World Trade Organization's working secrecy and also condemned the violence of the demonstrators in Seattle. The protests continued as Clinton spoke at the port Wednesday. Clinton also announced two initiatives that will help poor nations in Africa purchase and distribute anti-AIDS drugs like AZT. A relaxation of American trade rules will help the countries purchase and distribute the treatments more cheaply, Clinton said.

China Slaps Ban on its First Condom Ad

Reuters (12/02/99); Page, Jeremy
China has banned its first national condom advertisement two days after its premiere to mark World AIDS Day. The ad was illegally promoting sex products, according to the government. The conservative nature in China and the ban further promote silence regarding AIDS. Health experts, however, fear the number of HIV infections from sexual contact will double in two years in China, indicating the need for such a campaign.

Activists Give Clinton Administration an F for HIV Prevention

CNN Interactive Online (12/01/99)
AIDS activists have issued their report card on the U.S. government's response to AIDS, issuing an F for HIV prevention, an A- for research, and a B for care and treatment. The activists said that prevention programs have failed to protect young people being infected with HIV. They also noted the high cost of AIDS drugs, which many developing nations cannot afford. The ratings were high in the research, care, and treatment fields due to ongoing investment in AIDS research and continued funding in the Ryan White CARE Act. The failing grade for global AIDS last year was boosted to a C in 1999 after the White House established a global AIDS initiative.

Activists Demand AIDS Action

"Activists Demand AIDS Action" Boston Globe Online (12/01/99) P. B1; Kong, Dolores
AIDS activists in Massachusetts want the Governor Paul Cellucci to declare a public health emergency in order to expand needle exchange programs. The state makes it illegal to have a hypodermic needle without a prescription, and only four communities in Massachusetts have used a state law that allows up to 10 communities to adopt pilot needle exchanges. Public health statistics show that in places where needle exchanges were denied--New Bedford, Springfield, and Worcester--over 50 percent of those with AIDS contracted HIV through intravenous drug use. In Boston, which has had a needle exchange program for the past five years, just 29 percent of AIDS patients were exposed to HIV via intravenous drug use. At a news conference Tuesday, Governor Cellucci pointed out that several state programs help battle HIV and AIDS, adding that he is not sure whether a public health emergency is necessary. Cellucci also noted that the pilot needle exchange programs require community approval, noting that "we'll continue to be supportive as long as it's something the local community wants."

US Dept. of HHS: HHS Awards $11 Million in HIV/AIDS

"US Dept. of HHS: HHS Awards $11 Million in HIV/AIDS" M2 Presswire (12/01/99)
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will fund an $11 million grant program next spring to help four demonstration projects and one evaluation center to provide health care to people with HIV/AIDS living on the U.S.-Mexico border. An increasing number of border dwellers are becoming infected with HIV, and many have no access to care. The program is a joint effort between HRSA and its Office of Field Operations, and is funded mostly by the Ryan White CARE Act.

Scrubbing the Blood Supply

Business Week (11/15/99) No. 3655, P. 120; Licking, Ellen
About 50 Americans are still infected with HIV each year through tainted blood transfusions. The tough screening methods for blood are not perfect, mainly because the antibodies tested for in blood may not show up for weeks or months in the newly infected. To make transfusions safer, researchers are studying three new technologies: nucleic acid testing, blood cleaners for hepatitis C or syphilis, and a blood filter system. Nucleic acid testing can detect small amounts of infectious particles in the bloodstream; however, the filters and nucleic acid tests could raise the price of blood from $80 to $120 a pint. Although the risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis C from a blood transfusion is one in hundreds of thousands, the risks add up as more blood is given. Nucleic acid testing has shown great promise in catching hepatitis C in donations. The American Red Cross and American Blood Centers are using such testing in experimental trials, and the technique will likely be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the near future. Meanwhile, Pall Corp. is developing a filtration system that removes white blood cells, which can cause infection in blood recipients. Filtered blood was recommended for use by FDA advisors last year, and the agency is expected to formally approve the process before the year is out.