                     AIDS Daily Summary 
                      February 14, 1996

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


************************************************************
"Morrison Ref HIV-Negative, Outcry for Testing Continues"
"Drug-Resistant TB Spreads"
"The FDA vs. Health Exams"
"Morrison's Partners Jolted by News"
"Biting Case Will Be Test for HIV Law"
"Japan Tobacco to Start Japan HIV Drug Test"
"Japan Minister Pledges to Resolve HIV Issue"
"Illinois Considering a Registry of Persons with HIV"
"Ribozymes Move Closer to Applications for AIDS Therapy"
"HIV and Dying: The Challenges of Caring"
************************************************************

"Morrison Ref HIV-Negative, Outcry for Testing Continues"
Washington Times (02/14/96) P. B1;  Dahlberg, Tim
     Mills Lane, the referee in Tommy Morrison's October fight with 
Lenox Lewis, has been tested for HIV because Morrison has 
admitted he has the virus.  Lane's test came back negative.  
Meanwhile, boxing officials across the country are increasing 
their calls for more states to institute HIV testing for boxers. 
Lane said he knew there was only a very small chance that the 
virus could have been transmitted by Morrison, but that he wanted
to be tested to reassure himself and his family.  During the 
fight against Lewis, Morrison bled from hits around the eyes.  "I
had blood all over me," said Lane.  It is not known whether 
Morrison was infected at that time.  Lewis will be tested for the
virus in Britain next month, as part of the country's 
requirements for his annual boxing license.
      
"Drug-Resistant TB Spreads"
Washington Post (02/14/96) P. A2
     According to an article published in Wednesday's Journal of the 
American Medical Association, a family of potentially-fatal 
drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis (TB) that were first 
identified in New York in 1992 have spread to other cities in the
United States and Europe.  Researchers from the New York-based 
Public Health Research Institute who tracked the "W" strains of 
TB said that new drugs may be necessary to eliminate the 
bacteria, as the W strains do not respond to treatment with four 
of the most frequently used anti-TB medicines.  In some cases, 
the strains are resistant to as many as seven drugs, they report.
According to Barry N. Kreiswirth, director of the Institute's 
Tuberculosis Center, "The spread of this difficult-to-treat 
bacteria beyond New York City, where aggressive containment has 
been implemented, will have major implications for public health 
well into the 21st century."
      
"The FDA vs. Health Exams"
Investor's Business Daily (02/14/96) P. A2;  Matias, Donna G.
     In a guest editorial in the Investor's Business Daily, Donna 
Matias, attorney for the Institute of Justice, objects to the 
Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) refusal to approve 
home-testing products for AIDS and other diseases.  Matias notes 
that the FDA has refused for eight years to approve an HIV 
home-test kit that enables individuals to take their own blood and 
send it to a laboratory for testing.  The user then calls a 
toll-free number within a week to get their results.  If the 
results are negative, a recording informs the caller of his 
status.  If positive, however, a counselor tells the caller and 
refers him to counseling or support groups.  Currently, the FDA 
approves home test kits, but only if the maker guarantees that 
people with positive results will be forced to accept 
face-to-face counseling.  Only about 27 percent of people in 
high-risk groups for HIV now get tested.  If anonymous 
home-testing were available, studies suggest that at least 42 
percent of those people would be tested.  According to Matias, 
the FDA's unwillingness to approve certain home-testing kits 
intrudes "on the right of individuals to choose how they will 
obtain medical information about themselves" and also keeps many 
from being tested.
      
"Morrison's Partners Jolted by News"
Washington Times (02/14/96) P. B5;  Whitlock, Jason
     Some women in Kansas City, Mo., are concerned about their 
HIV-status, following boxer Tommy Morrison's announcement that he
has HIV.  The fighter spent a lot of time in the city, partying 
with a number of women.  A local AIDS hotline there has reported 
that it received an increased number of calls Monday, including 
calls from women who mentioned the Morrison case.  Boxing 
matchmaker Peyton Sher said that three women called him 
personally, worried because they had been with Morrison.
      
"Biting Case Will Be Test for HIV Law"
Chicago Tribune (02/13/96) P. 1-7;  Jimeniz, Teresa
     John Merritt of Chicago has been accused of biting someone and, 
under a new Illinois law for criminal transmission, of having HIV
and biting someone.  Merritt's HIV test results will be released 
in court on March 11.  Merritt was arrested on Jan. 6 for biting 
an employee at a Sam's Club store while trying to flee the store.
Merritt then told authorities that he had HIV, but refused to 
give a blood sample.  The criminal transmission law has been 
controversial since it went into effect in 1989.  A person could 
receive 3 to 7 years for the felony, if found to have engaged in 
an activity that could transmit the virus while knowing one has 
it.  Prosecutors, however, must prove both that the defendant 
knew he had HIV and that he meant to transmit the virus.
      
"Japan Tobacco to Start Japan HIV Drug Test"
Reuters (02/14/96)
     Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) said Wednesday that it would launch in 
March Phase I clinical trials for the anti-HIV drug AG-1343, 
which it has developed with Agouron Pharmaceuticals Inc.  A JT 
spokesman said that Phase II and Phase III trials of the drug 
started late last month in Europe and the United States, and 
noted that Phase I and pilot Phase II tests there have shown no 
serious after-effects.  The drug has been found to resist 
development of HIV in the blood.  Japan Tobacco expects to apply 
for approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration by 
September 1997 and to begin selling the drug by March 1998.
      
"Japan Minister Pledges to Resolve HIV Issue"
Reuters (02/14/96)
     Japan's Health Minister told HIV-infected hemophiliacs Wednesday 
that he would try to facilitate an out-of-court settlement of 
their case against the government and five drug companies.  About
50 of the 270 plaintiffs had begun a protest outside Naoto Kan's 
office earlier that day.  Last week, the minister acknowledged 
for the first time that the ministry was aware in 1983 that there
was a threat of HIV spreading through contaminated imported 
blood.  The hemophiliacs, who contracted HIV through tainted 
blood in the late 1980s, have sued the state and five drug 
companies for failing to screen the blood for HIV.
      
"Illinois Considering a Registry of Persons with HIV"
Reuters (02/13/96)
     The state of Illinois is considering keeping a confidential 
registry of persons infected with HIV, according to a report in 
AIDS Weekly Plus.  The list would be protected from subpoena by a
new state law.  The Illinois State Medical Society has said that 
it supports the proposal, on the grounds that it would allow 
tracing of contacts and early detection of infection.  However, 
the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois and various AIDS 
groups oppose the idea, arguing that it would infringe on an 
individual's privacy and may discourage people from being tested.
The proposed measure must be passed by both the Illinois House 
and Senate; a decision is expected around June.
      
"Ribozymes Move Closer to Applications for AIDS Therapy"
Chemical & Engineering News (01/29/96) Vol.74, No.5, P. 26;  
Rawls, Rebecca
     The first Phase I clinical trials using ribozymes to treat human 
disease will take place later this year, when researchers will 
insert genes for RNA into the blood of AIDS patients.  These 
ribozymes are designed to destroy the RNA in HIV, a process which
involves an enzyme-like cleavage reaction.  Ribozymes work well 
in the test tube, but they have had limited success in tissue and
culture experiments and in animal studies.  Problems arise in 
getting the ribozyme to its target cell and to the target RNA 
before it is destroyed by ribonucleases in the cell.  Gene 
therapy is one way to deal with these problems.  In preclinical 
trials, researchers genetically modified stem cells, precursors 
to immune system cells, to give them anti-HIV ribozymes.  The 
ribozymes cleave the HIV genome at different places.  The studies
showed that the treated cells could grow in culture into mature 
cells that are HIV-resistant.  Next, researchers will try to add 
the genes for the anti-HIV ribozymes to cells from AIDS patients,
to determine if the patients' cells can also be grown in culture 
and become resistant to the virus.  If that works, the cells 
could then be reinfused into the AIDS patients.
      
"HIV and Dying: The Challenges of Caring"
Focus (01/96) Vol.11, No.2, P. 1;  Rose, Avi
     As an AIDS patient comes closer to dying, the number of 
caregivers involved may increase.  The closest personal 
caregivers should be recognized as "family," whether or not they 
are legally bound to the patient, and should seek legal standing 
via a will and power of attorney.  The closest caregivers may 
deny when a loved one is dying, and professionals should clearly,
but gently, acknowledge the situation.  Caregivers, however, 
should also remember to take care of themselves, including 
getting enough rest, nourishment, and exercise.  Furthermore, a 
caregiver should seek support from other friends and family, or 
rely on professional caregivers when personal support is not 
available.  Friends and family can be mobilized to take care of 
practical tasks like preparing meals, updating concerned people, 
taking care of children, handling family members, and taking care
of pets.  Primary caregivers need to do things that they feel are
helpful, to maintain a sense of competence.  Caregivers should 
continue to fully respect the autonomy and decision-making power 
of the patient as long as possible.  Moreover, making legal 
arrangements during the later stages of illness are empowering 
activities that are particularly useful when different parts of  
family are at odds with each other.
      
