                     AIDS Daily Summary
                     September 5, 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 National AIDS 
Clearinghouse, or any other organization. Reproduction of this 
text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC 
National AIDS Clearinghouse should be cited as the source of this 
information. Copyright 1996, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD
     
     
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"The New 'Miracle' AIDS Drugs: A Dose of Hope and Hard Reality" 
"2 More Groups to Forgo Next 'AIDS Ride'"
"Red Cross Lax in Screening, Court Told" 
"The Ride of Their Lives"
"Zambian Sex Workers Reform"
"Attenuated AIDS Vaccine Candidate Reported" 
"China Attacks AIDS Explosion"
"Saving Children From Sex"
"CMV Retinitis Monoclonal Antibody Trial Halted" 
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"The New 'Miracle' AIDS Drugs: A Dose of Hope and Hard Reality" 
Washington Post (09/05/96) P. A1; Kastor, Elizabeth
     While protease inhibitors--the new AIDS drugs being touted
as a near-miracle cure--are restoring strength to many patients, 
they are expensive and difficult to take, and they do not work for 
everyone.  The level of optimism in the AIDS community is the 
highest it has ever been, however, due to studies that show the 
drugs can lower the level of HIV in the blood to undetectable 
levels.  The new drugs were approved by the Food and Drug 
Administration quickly, under pressure from AIDS activists, with 
less long term study.  AIDS experts warn that the drugs could fail 
in the long term, but as scientific discussions play out among the 
public rather than among scientists themselves, subtleties and 
caution can be lost.
     
"2 More Groups to Forgo Next 'AIDS Ride'"
Philadelphia Inquirer (09/05/96) P. B1; Collins, Huntly
     Two of the three Philadelphia AIDS service organizations
that shared money raised by the recent 
Philadelphia-to-Washington, D.C. bicycle ride announced Wednesday 
that they will not participate in the ride planned for next year. 
Paul Scoles, director of the board for Philadelphia Community 
Health Alternatives, said the group would not take part due to 
projected high overhead costs for the ride.  Meanwhile, a 
representative for The AIDS Information Network explained that 
organization had decided to pursue "other development 
opportunities."  The June AIDS ride was criticized recently for 
not fulfilling its fund-raising goal.  Of the $1.6 million raised 
by riders, $1.3 million went to cover expenses.
     
"Red Cross Lax in Screening, Court Told"
Toronto Globe and Mail (09/04/96) P. A3; Downey, Donn
     The Canadian Red Cross (CRC) is being sued for failing to 
properly screen two blood donors who had sexual histories that 
should have made them ineligible to donate blood according to 
common precautions.  The estates of Alma Walker and Ronald
Osborne, who received blood donated by the two men in 1983 and 
1985, respectively, and died of AIDS-related illnesses, are 
alleging that the CRC was late and ineffective in implementing 
proper donor-screening measures.  One of the blood donors was 
openly gay and the other had been sexually active for eight years 
before 1982.  Kenneth Arenson, lawyer for the estates, said the 
CRC was more concerned about not appearing homophobic or racist 
than about protecting the blood supply.
     
"The Ride of Their Lives"
Boston Globe (09/04/96) P. B1; Jacobs, Sally
     Of the more than 4,000 bicycle riders participating in the
second annual 300-mile Boston-to-New York AIDS Ride, about 50 
have HIV or AIDS.  The riders, known as Positive Pedalers, are 
taking part in the ride for personal reasons and in an attempt to 
help change attitudes about people who have AIDS or HIV.  "I want 
to show that people with full-blown AIDS can ride this kind of 
distance and lead active, healthy lives," said Jeff Brooks, who 
was diagnosed with AIDS two years ago.  The Positive Pedalers are 
all male, in varying degrees of health.  The ride has also led
some people to disclose that they have HIV.
     
"Zambian Sex Workers Reform"
Africa News Service (09/05/96) 
     A group of prostitutes in Zambia have turned from the sex
trade to more productive roles through a project established by 
an AIDS expert.  The women receive counseling and training in 
various skills, including tailoring.  Dr. Nkandu Luo, the only 
Zambian female professor, explains that she started the project 
to provide a positive contribution to the fight against the 
disease, and she continues to recruit prostitutes with the help 
of reformed women.
     
"Attenuated AIDS Vaccine Candidate Reported" 
Reuters (09/04/96) 
     A potentially safe and effective AIDS vaccine candidate is 
described in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National 
Academy of Sciences.  Dr. H.W. Kestler and colleagues at the 
Cleveland Clinic Foundation report that results of animal studies 
suggest that a live vaccine of HIV, attenuated in the nef
protein, is the best candidate for a vaccine.
     
"China Attacks AIDS Explosion"
United Press International (09/04/96) 
     Chinese health officials promised on Wednesday to increase 
funding for HIV prevention to help slow the rapid spread of the 
virus.  The number of HIV cases in China has tripled each year 
since 1994.  The Ministry of Health will "upgrade laboratory 
testing techniques and carry out extensive publicity to increase 
public awareness of the risks," said Dai Zhicheng, director of 
the ministry's disease control department.  Only half of the 30 
provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities have 
laboratories for confirming HIV, he said.  The ministry will hold 
a national conference in October to increase awareness among 
local officials, and the government has tripled its AIDS budget 
to $1.8 million this year.
     
"Saving Children From Sex"
Economist (08/31/96) Vol. 340, No. 7981, P. 17
     The first World Congress Against the Commercial Exploitation
of Children, held in Stockholm recently, focused the world's 
attention on the widespread prostitution of children.  Reports 
from the meeting revealed that more than 1 million children are 
forced into the global sex trade annually and that one-third of 
child prostitutes in Asia are HIV-positive.  Although many 
countries have passed laws that would allow their governments to 
prosecute citizens for child exploitation in other countries, 
these laws are difficult to enforce.  To end child prostitution, 
both poor and rich countries need to establish and enforce laws 
against child exploitation.  Many poor countries have inadequate 
laws and ignore the problem because it offers a boost to tourism. 
Wealthier countries can help by providing assistance and training 
to police and children.
     
"CMV Retinitis Monoclonal Antibody Trial Halted"
Lancet (08/31/96) Vol. 348, No. 9027, P. 603; McCarthy, Michael
     A monoclonal antibody has been found to be ineffective
against cytomegalovirus (CMV) in a U.S. trial in AIDS patients. 
A safety monitoring board halted the trial of MSL 109 after
determining that the antibody failed to slow disease progression.
In the study of 209 patients, those taking MSL 109 in addition to
their primary treatment showed no added benefit and had a higher
mortality rate than those taking a placebo.  MSL 109 is still
being tested in a treatment trial for AIDS patients with newly
diagnosed CMV retinitis and in a prevention trial for bone-marrow
transplant recipients.
