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Science (02/11/00) Vol. 287, No. 5455, P.
959; Cohen, Jon
The New England Regional Primate Research Center, which studies
SIV, must wait two to six months to gather enough rhesus macaques
to use in experiments. A growing demand that outweighs the
supply of these monkeys has AIDS researchers worried that
scientific progress is being hindered. The Indian rhesus macaque
has shown to be the best monkey to use in research regarding AIDS
because, when infected with SIV, it develops a disease very
similar to human AIDS. However, macaque supplies are restricted
because many of the animals have pathogens, are too young, or
have chronic infections; rhesus macaques are also being
increasingly used for malaria, reproductive biology, and other
kinds of research. At the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
Office of AIDS Research director Neal Nathanson explained that
the lack of supply falls under the National Center for Research
Resources (NCRR) branch. Jerry Robinson of the NCRR's regional
primate center says he knows there is a crisis, but he cannot
determine how many primates are available for research, since
some animals are kept aside for breeding or behavioral study.
Scientists prefer certain monkeys as well, ones that are specific
pathogen free (SPF). Breeding of SPF animals has not helped the
crisis, as prices have risen to $5,000 per animal, beyond the per
capita price of most NIH-funded budgets. AIDS researchers must
also find females of breeding age to help in studies of the AIDS
vaccine; however, breeding colonies are not being built and money
is needed to build actual structures to house the monkeys.
USA Today (02/23/00) P. 14A
The Connecticut Supreme Court has ruled that a woman who
contracted HIV during a blood transfusion can sue Danbury
Hospital. A lower court had thrown out the 1996 case in which
Roberta Sherwood had alleged the hospital was negligent, 11 years
after she was infected with HIV during back surgery.
Reuters Health Information Services (02/22/00)
A new HIV vaccine initiative by the World Health Organization
and the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS
aims to provide common ground for collaboration on vaccine
research, according to Dr. Jose Esparza, coordinator of the
program. The initiative will focus on increasing research
capacity in developing countries and will coordinate efforts
being done to develop various HIV subtype vaccines. Financial
incentives will continue to play a role in the making of the
vaccine.
Reuters Health Information Services (02/22/00)
A meeting that featured health experts from various world
organizations took place over the weekend to discuss global
health problems and possible solutions. The Institute for Global
Health highlighted the need to improve drug and vaccine
development, making treatments more affordable for developing
countries. Dr. Richard Feachem, director of the San Francisco
Institute for Global Health, said there is a 10-year delay
between vaccine/drug development and subsequent delivery to
poorer countries. The experts noted the increasing resistance of
malaria to available drugs as well as the urgent need for an AIDS
vaccine and affordable AIDS drugs, which are still years away.
Reuters (02/22/00)
A French surgeon has been ordered to pay $107,000 to a patient he
infected with HIV during surgery. The patient contracted the
virus during a total hip replacement in 1992, before the doctor
knew he was HIV-positive. The surgeon apparently was infected
with HIV in 1983, after operating on a patient who required
multiple blood transfusions and whose HIV infection was not then
known. This is the second case worldwide to find a doctor guilty
of transmitting HIV to a patient.
"Drug Injection Centers Said Illegal"
Las Vegas Sun Online (02/23/00)
United Nations experts have warned governments that by approving
drug injection centers for addicts who receive clean needles and
shoot up there, they are in danger of breaking international law.
"Shooting galleries" in some parts of Europe are considered to
aid in drug trafficking and are seen as the first step in
legalizing narcotics, according to the International Narcotics
Control Board; the efforts were initiated as a way to get addicts
of the streets and to reduce transmission of infectious diseases,
including HIV. The Vienna-based board called for better access
by developing nations to pain killers, which are too expensive in
many countries. Opium-based drugs are used mostly in wealthy
nations; however, they are not reaching those in pain from cancer
or other diseases in developing nations. The board noted that
the industrialized world is seeing an overmedication problem with
amphetamines and sedatives, and also reported that more young
people are using marijuana in France and Switzerland.
Birmingham News Online (02/17/00); Sznajderman, Michael
Alabama has made progress in reducing infant mortality rates,
deaths due to heart disease, cancer, and stroke, but the state
saw increases in cigarette smoking and alcohol abuse during the
1990s. Healthy Alabama 2000, a 10-year project begun in 1991,
set 85 goals and met 31 of them, with the trend positive in
another 32 measures. The report noted that cases of AIDS and
sexually transmitted diseases are falling in the state, and
childhood immunization rates are rising. The study shows overall
positive results, with 15 areas--including teen smoking and
obesity--lacking progress. State Health Officer Don Williamson
spoke of the success of the Children's Health Insurance Program,
which provides healthcare to lower-income children. He also
stated that the immunization rates for children rose to 87
percent in 1998, after being at 50 percent in 1991. Lower
income, shorter lifespans, and lack of health service in rural
areas are all factors in the state's health trends.
"Hundreds Could Have Been Exposed to HIV, Hepatitis C Through
Unclean Hospital Equipment"
CNews Online (02/22/00)
A hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia, has sent letters to 277
patients warning them they may have been exposed to HIV or
hepatitis C through endoscopes that were not properly cleaned.
The letters tell patients there is no need for testing because
the chance for contracting the diseases "is extremely low ... one
in a million." The machine cleaning the endoscopes was
malfunctioning in December, and if a virus were transferred to
the scope, it could remain there until it was cleaned properly.
According to a report on the CTV affiliate for Atlantic Canada,
the letters were mailed last week, almost two months after the
Queen Elizabeth II Health Science Center learned of the cleaning
machine's malfunction.
"Government to Step Up AIDS Awareness Campaign"
Comtex Online (02/22/00)
In preparation for Carnaval, Brazilian health officials are
launching an AIDS awareness campaign with the message,
"Preventing AIDS is easy--Acquiring AIDS is also easy." The
effort will feature radio and television spots, and the slogan
will be put on posters in Brazil's larger cities starting this
week. The Brazilian government also plans to distribute 9.6
million condoms free of charge.