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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1990)
HIV home-test kit not approved he FDA denied a request from University Hospitals of Bcthcsda, Md. to license a new kit, called “Aidscheck,” to test blood drawn at home for HIV antibodies. Education and counseling would be provided by written material in the test kit and a telephone call. The FDA decided that this kind of counseling was inadequate, and that the test kit could not sufficiently guard against false-positive test results. T BY J EFFREY Z UR L I NDE N Toxo research to begin this fall he First research study sponsored by the Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS will compare two drugs prevent toxoplasmosis encephalitis, a life- threatening infection of the brain. Currently there are no medications proven to prevent this infection, and each year more PWAs develop toxoplasmosis. “Given the current trends of the AIDS epidemic,” says Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sullivan, “we can expect to see a sharp increase in this fatal complication in persons whose immune systems are damaged by HIV infection. We need a safe and effective drug regimen to prevent these cases of toxoplasmosis encephalitis from occurring.” The nation-wide study will begin this fall in 14 cities, including Portland. Locally, the study is sponsored by the Research and Education Group, a consortium of physicians and health clinics who treat people infected with HIV. For more information, please call a nurse investiga tor at 229-8428. T New light on isoprinosine he case has reopened on the anti-HIV drug isoprinosine. During 1987-88, the drug was studied by U.S. researchers, but dropped because it was ineffective. Now, according to Swedish scientists, isoprinosine slows the progression to AIDS and lessens the likelihood of developing thrush. In a European study of nearly 900 people with HIV infection, half took isoprinosine and half took a harmless placebo. After six months, AIDS developed in only two of the people taking isoprinosine and in 17 of the people taking a piaccbo. However, isoprinosine did not increase the number of T-cells or decrease the amount of HIV in the blood. Very few people had side effects from isoprinosine. T In the older U.S. study, over 500 people participated in a nation-wide study. No one had AIDS and everyone had between 200 and 400 CD4 cells. The results showed that isoprinos ine was “safe but useless,” says Dr. Robert Murphy, Medical Director of the AIDS Treatment Unit at Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Murphy is confident that the earlier studies were well run, and that they thoroughly tested isoprinosine. However, in light of the new European findings, the U.S. AIDS Clinical Trials Units are considering reviewing the data they col lected during the earlier study, rather than repeating the drug trials. “I haven’t seen enough evidence to warrant doing another study with isoprinosine alone,” says Murphy. Further tests in Europe will combine isoprinosine with AZT and look for the best dose of isoprinosine. S Individuals • Couples • Groups A Sa fe Pla c e C o unse ling Service 261 0 SE Clinton, Suite F, Portland, OR 97202 • (503) 235-2005 O ». ’f U -* I D A In tim a te R e la tio n sh ip s • Se lf-e ste e m • Su rv iv in g A b u se ju st ota V*14 V October 1990 Time to clean up somebody’s act t’s refreshing to walk to work through Northwest Portland neighborhoods in the morning. The yards are full of flowers, people say hello; shop owners beginning to open their B Y J A C K R I L E Y doors along 21st and 23rd Avenues obviously show pride in their businesses. Judge Souter’s telling opinions So it was with a mixture o f shock and outright anger that I rounded a comer on recent avid H. Sou ter, the man nominated by morning to confront spray can vandalism at its President Bush to replace Associate worst. Justice William J. Brennan on the US Supreme “Fuck Helms” was sprayed on the sidewalk Court believes gays should be prohibited from in front o f one business, and “Boycott Miller” adopting children or serving as foster parents, Reference: C. Pedersen and others. ’T h e and “Queers Bash Back” adorned several Thomas B. Stoddard, executive director of efficacy o f inosine pranobex in preventing others. On and on the vandalism spread: “Don’t Lambda Legal Defense, wrote recently in the AIDS in patients with HIV infection." The New Smoke Marlboro.” New York Times: “In May, 1987 [the New England Journal of Medicine, June 21,1990. This vandalism by gay activists docs Hampshire Supreme Court] upheld the absolutely nothing to hamper Sen. Jesse Helms’ constitutionality of a bill then before the state re-election campaign. On the contrary, it legislature prohibiting anyone, without merely galvanizes hatred against our commu exception, who had ever engaged in a homo CDC recommends routine nity. sexual act from adopting a child or serving as a HIV testing in hospitals A representative of ACT-UP said that the foster parent. The court accepted on its face the assertion that a gay parent was a bad ‘role group is not responsible for what happened. fter testing a large number of hospital model’ who ‘can influence a child’s developing Nonetheless, if this activist organization wants ized patients for HIV antibodies, the to do something really constructive this fall, Centers for Disease Control now recommends sexual identity.’” Souter was one of the four signators on the opinion. how about volunteering to clean up the mess? routine testing upon admission to hospitals in Stoddard went on to explain, "There is areas where HIV infection is widespread. From absolutely no basis for such a claim. Indeed, the January 1988 to June 1989, the CDC anony existing evidence reveals the reverse. The ART/AIDS: needs to be mously tested nearly 90,000 patients for HIV in prohibitions on adoptions and foster parenting accessible to the non-wealthy to 21 U.S. cities. Only patients without signs of which are now law in New Hampshire are AIDS were tested. grounded on nothing more than rank preju his year’s ART/AIDS gala event will be Overall, only 1.3 percent of the people dice.” held Nov. 9 at the lavishly renovated tested were infected. However, at the two Lloyd Center Meier & Frank. It will feature hospitals in communities with the largest performances by the Portland Opera, Oregon number of people with AIDS, 18 to 22 percent Boycotts will be boycotts..... Ballet Theatre and members o f the Oregon of all men age 25 to 44 years were infected. In Symphony. the same communities, 1.1 to 3.8 percent of the he ACT-UP boycott against Miller beer It is a chi-chi affair, with Oregon’s premier adolescents age 15 to 19 years were also and Marlboro cigarettes and the PUSH pianists on each o f the store’s floors, amid infected. HIV infection was more common boycott against Nike sneakers have a great deal regional cuisines and vintages. In a 17,000 among women in hospitals with a high overall in common: neither boycott will amount to a square-foot tent on the south parking lot, Meier rate of HIV infection. hill of beans, and both are more likely to create & Frank will present a national performing star. The CDC recommends that in cities with a a wider chasm between factions, rather than high rate of HIV infection all patients, At $100 a ticket, this social event will bring about constructive changes. regardless of the reason for their hospitaliza exclude a number of lower income people in The success of any boycott depends on how tion, undergo routine testing for HIV. After our community who would love to participate many people actually support the effort. PUSH testing, the CDC recommends counseling and and contribute to the cause. Is there any way and ACT-UP are minority groups within continued health care that may include ART/AIDS could make discount tickets minorities. Neither has shown the ability to treatment with AZT and medicine to prevent available to those who do not have the means tc gamer widespread support, despite gaining a PCP pneumonia. In cities where HIV is less afford the full price? It would certainly be a little sympathy for black and gay injustices. common, “It may be reasonable to target HIV-1 nice touch. Don’t get me wrong. The gay community testing and counseling to more restricted Regular tickets are available by contacting needs ACT-UP as much as the black commu demographic subgroups of patients.” The CDC the ART/AIDS office at 292-0218. nity needs PUSH. We need these groups to does not list which specific subgroups should encourage public dialogue and awareness. But be tested. as is too often the case, both PUSH and ACT- Some providers of care to people with HIV Anything for a dollar drink UP are taking swings that are too hard, and are infection are suspicious of the recommenda sometimes in the wrong direction. tions. “Because there are not currently enough t’s Monday night, and another ho-hum Locally, blacks are not scrambling to get on referral sources for counseling, this could only lineup for Monday Night Football. Well, the PUSH bandwagon against Nike, and not too serve as a way to discriminate against people after 7 pm you can always hit the Silverado for many gays are tossing out their Marlboros our who are infected with HIV,” says Steve High Heel Madness. pouring out Miller beer, although a few gay Wakefield, executive director of Chicago’s Test Drinks are a buck apiece for guys wearing bars have pulled both products for now. Positive Aware Network, ‘T h e CDC recom heels. Don and Flossie have a boxful of extra Local blacks realize that Nike has contrib mendations must be combined with protection heels for those guys who don’t have any in their uted to local minority causes, and local gays are against loss of insurance, employment, housing wardrobes. It can make for a fun evening, quite aware that the local Miller distributor has and health care.” watching 200-pound bruisers trying to make it been supportive of gay causes in Oregon. to the serving station in heels for the first time. The customer will ultimately decide if Nike, Reference: M. Louis and others. "Seropre- Only one sour note: the promotion excludes Miller and R.J. Reynolds are to be punished for valence rates o f HIV infection at sentinel drags. It would seem to me that they could use conceived injustices. But don’t count on a hospitals in the U S .” The New England a few around to show everyone else how it’s majority of blacks to chuck their Nikes, or for a Journal of Medicine, July 26.1990. done. Renee A ugrain, M.ed., N.C.C. 1 1 majority o f gays to abandon Miller and Marlboro. If gays and blacks were to boycott every company that allegedly discriminated against them, then neither group would find anything to eat or wear. T T I
