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Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=31814 Rev. Al Sharpton has said he plans to help launch a grassroots initiative to fight homophobia in the black community, a problem that has "undoubtedly contributed" to the spread of HIV among black people in the U.S., especially black women, the New York Sun reports. Sharpton's initiative is being organized by Marjorie Fields-Harris, executive director of the National Action Network, Sharpton's civil rights organization. The initiative will consist of forums at public schools and churches aimed at educating the black community about HIV/AIDS "and the dangers of homophobia," according to the Sun. Sharpton said he also will launch public service announcements on radio stations with predominantly black audiences and make the issue a key component of his civil rights work in the coming year. "Historically, the black church has been a sanctuary for black people," Phill Wilson, executive director of the Black AIDS Institute, said, adding, "But sadly, black churches have not stepped up to the plate on HIV as they have historically stepped up to the plate on other issues." Wilson added, "We should be celebrating the humanity in all of us, rather than diminishing the humanity in some of us" (Watson, New York Sun, 8/3).
Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=32057 Crystal methamphetamine users are at least three times as likely as nonusers to be HIV-positive, according to a research letter published in the Sept. 2 issue of the medical journal AIDS, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The study -- which was conducted by researchers from CDC, the University of California-San Francisco and the San Francisco Department of Public Health -- surveyed nearly 3,000 men who have sex with men who tested anonymously for HIV in 2000 and 2001 in San Francisco (Gordon, San Francisco Chronicle, 8/16). Of the 290 participants who reported using crystal meth, HIV incidence was 6.3% annually. However, HIV incidence among 2,701 respondents who said they had not used the drug was 2.1% (Buchacz et al., AIDS, 9/2). Jeffrey Klausner, director of sexually transmitted disease prevention and control for the Department of Public Health and the study's lead author, said it is crucial to combine drug treatment and prevention programs with efforts to curb the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. James Dilley, director of the UCSF AIDS Health Project, said crystal meth use "is the newest and most important threat to the HIV epidemic in the United States" (San Francisco Chronicle, 8/16).
Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=32074 Health officials in San Francisco are "scrambling" to explain an apparent decline in annual HIV incidence among the city's men who have sex with men, the New York Times reports (Murphy, New York Times, 8/18). A CDC study released in June found San Francisco's HIV incidence rate among MSM has nearly halved in the last four years. The study, based on a survey of 365 MSM who were tested in the city, found an annual incidence rate of 1.2%, compared with city epidemiologists' previous estimate of 2.2%. The study led the San Francisco Department of Public Health's Office of AIDS to analyze data sets collected by the Stop AIDS Project and surveys of new cases at city clinics, both of which indicated a similar decrease in the number of new HIV cases (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 7/21). Willi McFarland, director of the HIV seroepidemiology unit at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, said, "We interpret this CDC report as good news, and there are some other encouraging trends and results of other studies," adding, "But we definitely do need to corroborate and independently confirm any decrease in HIV incidence by carefully examining other data. We also need to figure out if this is true, then why." Possible Reasons Some health officials attribute the decline in incidence to conventional efforts, such as HIV treatment programs, more frequent HIV testing, educational meetings and workshops and harm reduction strategies that work to reduce crystal methamphetamine usage, which is blamed for helping spread the virus. But other experts say that an increase in the number of MSM who know their HIV-positive status and who search for HIV-positive partners on matchmaking Web sites designed specifically for them might be contributing to the decrease in new HIV cases. The dating practice, which is called "sero-sorting," involves men choosing sex partners based on their common HIV serostatus, which refers to the presence of antibodies to a particular infectious agent in the blood, according to the Times. "Studies have shown when people have knowledge of their serostatus, they take that knowledge and use it to protect their partners," Patrick Sullivan, chief of CDC's behavioral and clinical surveillance branch, said, adding, "Sero-sorting is one piece of that whole benefit that arises from people learning their status through HIV testing." Sullivan called the CDC report a "snapshot in time" and noted that directly comparable data will not be available until another survey is conducted in 2007 (Murphy, New York Times, 8/18).
A new web-based service will help Medicare beneficiaries of limited income and resources gain access to the extra help available to them through the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. The service, which will also help them enroll in other health care and prescription drug assistance programs, was developed by the Administration on Aging (AoA) with the assistance of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National Council on the Aging (NCOA). "This new resource helps bring together many assistance programs available to seniors who need the most help - and that includes the comprehensive extra help with drug costs that will soon be available for up to one third of Medicare beneficiaries through the new Medicare drug benefit," said Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. "Through this partnership, we have taken another important step forward in our goal of providing better healthcare and more help to America 's seniors." The new service is a special version of BenefitsCheckUpRx updated for the extra help with Medicare drug coverage. It is available at http://www.BenefitsCheckUp.org/rx BenefitsCheckUpRx will help older adults and the advocates who work with them take advantage of the Medicare low-income subsidy, the comprehensive extra help that covers 95 percent of drug costs on average for people with Medicare who have limited means. Applications are available now and altogether, about one in three Medicare beneficiaries are eligible for the extra help. The new service screens beneficiaries for eligibility and then provides a quick link to applying online for the extra help through the Social Security Administration's Web site. At the same time, it helps seniors and those who work with them apply for other needs-based government programs including the Medicare Savings Programs and other federal, state and private programs that can save seniors money. "AoA, CMS and NCOA share the same vision," said Josefina Carbonell, assistant secretary for Aging at the Department of Health and Human Services, in remarks during the national meeting of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging today. "We see a national network of community-based organizations using BenefitsCheckUpRx to help people with limited incomes enroll in the new Medicare Prescription Drug coverage and to ultimately enroll in other federal benefits programs." "Through this unprecedented partnership, we expect to be able to reach and enroll many more seniors in both the extra help available from Medicare and with other needed benefits," said James Firman, Ed.D., NCOA president and CEO. "For NCOA and for BenefitsCheckUp, this is major milestone. Everyone with Medicare who may be eligible for the extra help with drug coverage should enroll as soon as possible, and this new tool will help make that happen." Using BenefitsCheckUpRx, people with Medicare can get help learning about and applying for the Medicare low-income subsidy if they are eligible, as well as learn about how to enroll in various programs, including state pharmacy assistance programs, private company patient assistance programs, veterans and TRICARE benefits, Medicaid, Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QI), Supplemental Security Income, and the Medicare-approved drug discount cards can be obtained through December 2005. The tool is confidential: no one is required to enter their name, address, phone number, or Social Security number until they enroll. Next year, Medicare beneficiaries who receive full Medicaid benefits or who are enrolled in a Medicare Savings Program (MSP) will automatically receive the extra help with their prescription drug costs. That extra help provides comprehensive drug coverage with no premiums, no deductibles, very low copays and no gaps in coverage. States have the flexibility in deciding what rules to use when determining eligibility for their Medicare Savings Program beneficiaries, which means that these requirements can vary considerably from state to state. To help clarify the differences among states' eligibility criteria, CMS has information showing how those criteria differ from state to state and how beneficiaries can use that information to determine their eligibility for extra help at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicarereform/states/whatsnew.asp In addition, the new BenefitsCheckUpRx incorporates state-specific income and asset eligibility requirements into its on-line screening tool. The NCOA has also created a special organizational version that will provide training and ongoing customer support for Area Agencies on Aging, State Health Insurance Assistance Programs, State Units on Aging, and other local agencies that serve seniors and persons with disabilities.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/08/11/BUGB6E61881.DTL People enrolled in Medi-Cal, the state-federal insurance program for the poor, will be automatically enrolled in a Medicare prescription drug plan this fall and will have the chance to switch to another plan. Grant, from Senior Action Network, said he thinks that aspect is not well designed. "The randomly selected plan may or may not cover their medications," he said. "There are 8,000 people in nursing homes in San Francisco covered by Medi-Cal. How many will be able to read the letter, scan the Internet to see if their drugs are covered and their facility pharmacy is part of the plan, and then switch to the right one by Dec. 1 to keep their medications going? That's the big train wreck we see is this whole Medi-Cal thing."
Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=31371 An HHS Web site designed to help parents discuss sexual abstinence with their teenage children contains inaccurate and misleading information about condoms, sexual orientation, dangers associated with oral sex and single-parent households and potentially could lead to riskier behavior among young people or alienation among families, according to medical experts who reviewed the material at the request of Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the Washington Post reports (Connolly, Washington Post, 7/14). The Web site -- 4parents.gov -- was developed by HHS' Office of Population Affairs and Administration for Children and Families and includes information on various health topics, statistics, conversation starters and interactive tools and also instructs parents to tell their teenage children to abstain from sex. Earlier this year, 145 advocacy groups -- including the American Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights Campaign, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States -- sent a letter to HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt criticizing the Web site for including inaccurate information. HHS in May revised some parts of the site, but some advocacy groups said the changes did not address all of the groups' criticisms (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 5/12). Review Findings At Waxman's request, three physicians and a child psychologist independently reviewed the Web site (Washington Post, 7/14). Three of the reviewers noted positive aspects of the site, and all four reported problems with the site's accuracy, balance and comprehensiveness, the Los Angeles Times reports. King Holmes, a University of Washington medical professor specializing in infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, said a sexually transmitted disease chart included on the site understates condom effectiveness. The chart says condom use "is associated with some decreased risk" of contracting chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and herpes, but Holmes said it should read that condom use is associated with "significantly decreased risk" of transmitting the STDs. He also said the site understates the effectiveness of antiretroviral drugs in prolonging the lives of HIV-positive individuals. John Santelli, chair of the Department of Population and Family Health at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, criticized the Web site for relying on media reports to assert that teens increasingly engage in oral sex, saying there is little evidence that the rates have increased over time. The Web site also says "oral sex is as dangerous in terms of disease as is intercourse," which Santelli said is incorrect (Alonso-Zaldivar, Los Angeles Times, 7/14). The other reviewers -- Richard Pleak, a child psychologist and associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Laurence Steinberg, a psychology professor at Temple University and author of "The Ten Basic Principles of Good Parenting" -- noted inaccuracies in how the site addresses homosexuality and omissions of information about other topics parents of teens might need, such as how to address concerns about alcohol or tobacco use. Waxman Letter Waxman on Wednesday sent a letter to Leavitt outlining the reviewers' findings and urging him to remove the Web site from the Internet and "start from scratch" (Sternberg, USA Today, 7/14). He wrote, "The content appears to have been guided by ideology, not a commitment to providing parents and teens reliable information about sex," adding, "A federally funded Web site should present the facts as they are, not as you might wish them to be. It is wrong -- and ultimately self-defeating -- to sacrifice scientific accuracy in an effort to frighten teens and their parents" (Los Angeles Times, 7/14). Waxman in the letter also said the Web site was not created by CDC experts or "any other science-based agency of the federal government" but was produced by the National Physicians Center for Family Resources, which he called an "obscure" group that has "erroneously linked abortion to breast cancer" and criticized NIH for saying condoms are highly effective at preventing STDs (CQ HealthBeat, 7/13). Waxman said Leavitt should overhaul the Web site and "use the best information available from health experts and give advice that's proven to work" (USA Today, 7/14). HHS Reaction HHS spokesperson Daniel Morales said the agency had received but not yet reviewed Waxman's letter and could not comment on it. "The purpose of the Web site is to equip parents with the resources they need to talk to their youth about sex and relationships, encourage their teens to remain abstinent from unhealthy risk behaviors and to take an active role in the sexual health of their teens," Morales said. NPCFR Chair John Whiffen said he is open to suggestions for changes and plans to add information on alcohol and tobacco use. However, he defended the site's promotion of sexual abstinence and the failure rates of some contraceptives (Washington Post, 7/14). Alma Golden -- HHS deputy assistant secretary for population affairs, the department that oversaw the project -- said her office previously has heard similar concerns about information on the Web site and plans to correct any mistakes on the site in order to provide accurate information for parents (Los Angeles Times, 7/14).
Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=31285 A Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Common Pleas Court jury on Thursday ruled that fast-food company McDonald's pressured a former employee to resign in 1997 because of his HIV-positive status and awarded the man $490,000, the Akron Beacon Journal reports (Akron Beacon Journal, 7/8). Russell Rich, who had worked at McDonald's for 20 years and was employed as a manager when he resigned, first sued the corporation in October 1998, saying supervisors had altered his duties after he complained about a "hostile work environment." Rich, who has AIDS, in 2001 won a $5 million verdict against McDonald's, but a three-judge panel of the 8th Ohio District Court of Appeals in October 2003 overturned the award, ruling that the company did not receive a fair trial. McDonald's offered to settle out of court for $300,000, but Paige Martin, Rich's attorney, said the offer was inadequate. Judge John Patton, a retired judge from Ohio's 8th District Court of Appeals, began proceedings on a new trial in Cuyahoga County last month (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 6/21). Reaction, Next Steps After the ruling on Thursday, Rich said, "With me, it's always been the principle, not really the money, but I was disappointed in the amount [awarded] because my medications cost $145,000 per year." Martin said she will appeal the award amount because she said Patton made errors during the trial. McDonald's said it might appeal the ruling. "We are clearly disappointed with the jury's verdict in this case," McDonald's spokesperson Bill Whitman said, adding, "As we have stated from the beginning of this case, Mr. Rich's allegations are baseless and without merit." Rich said he is hoping McDonald's will create an "AIDS policy" for its employees (Akron Beacon Journal, 7/8).
Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=31064 The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Tuesday examined the growing national concern about the increase in the number of HIV/AIDS cases among seniors. U.S. seniors often do not practice safe sex because they are not concerned about pregnancy and do not think they are at risk of HIV infection. However, the number of AIDS cases among U.S. residents older than 50 increased fivefold between 1995 and 2003, according to Gina Focareta, communications director for the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force. Despite the growing prevalence of the disease among this population, there are few prevention programs that target older people, according to the Post-Gazette. In response, the Southwestern Pennsylvania AIDS Planning Coalition and several other groups in the area have begun outreach and prevention programs to educate seniors about the risk of HIV/AIDS (Semuels, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 6/28).
http://cme.kff.org/Key=8028.Cpm.H.D.HqHv4f
Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=29938 The Washington Post on Tuesday examined online dating services designed specifically for people with sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus and herpes. The Web sites -- such as Positive Personals, for HIV-positive individuals, and AfterH, for people with HPV or herpes -- allow members to interact without the concern of how and when to discuss their medical condition. According to Charles Ebel, vice president of health program resources at the American Social Health Association, "[T]hese sites can help break [newly diagnosed individuals] out of their temporary isolation and provide their first step back into the dating world." More than 65 million people in the United States have a viral STD (Booth, Washington Post, 5/10). The complete article is available online.
Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=28207 Sudden increases in the viral loads of HIV-positive people taking antiretroviral drugs usually are harmless, temporary "blips" that do not indicate that the treatment is becoming less effective, according to a study published in the Feb. 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Reuters reports (Reuters, 2/15). Dr. Richard Nettles and colleagues at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine every few days for three to four months between June 2003 and February 2004 collected and analyzed blood samples from 10 HIV-positive people taking antiretroviral drugs whose viral loads had been less than 50 copies per milliliter of blood for at least six months since beginning treatment. Blips -- defined as increases in viral load to 50 or more copies per milliliter without a change in treatment -- were detected in nine of the 10 patients (BBC News, 2/16). According to the researchers, the blips -- which on average lasted less than three days -- had "no connection" to drug resistance except in cases when a patient's viral load increased to 200 or more copies per milliliter or if the increase persisted in repeated tests, Scripps Howard/Long Island Newsday (Scripps Howard/Long Island Newsday, 2/16). Researchers also found no evidence that viral mutations were taking place (Reuters, 2/15). While the study found a "margina[l]" association between blips in viral load and nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy, they did not occur in relation to illness, vaccination or antiretroviral drug concentrations, according to the study. Frequency of blips also was not associated with demographic, clinical or treatment variables, according to the study (Nettles et al., JAMA, 2/16). Author Comment, Reaction "These results should provide relief to hundreds of thousands of HIV-positive patients in the United States currently taking drug therapy ... and reassure them their medications have not failed," Dr. Robert Siliciano, JHU professor and senior author of the study, said (Scripps Howard/Long Island Newsday, 2/16). "Resistance to HIV drugs is a real cause for concern due to the difficulty of adhering to strict drug regimens and the ability of the HIV virus to mutate," Yusef Azad, policy director at the British HIV/AIDS advocacy group National AIDS Trust, said, adding, "However, this research shows that it is important not to jump to hasty conclusions based on slight changes in viral load" (BBC News, 2/16).
Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=31005 The New York Times on Sunday profiled several young adults, teenagers and pre-teens who were born HIV-positive, the difficulties their families face about how and when to educate them about HIV/AIDS and the difficulties they face coping with a lifetime of disease. As antiretroviral treatment has improved, a "generation of young people whose unexpected maturation is both a miracle and an extraordinary challenge" has emerged, the Times reports. However, because HIV-positive people often face stigma in the United States and because talking about HIV often involves discussions of unprotected sex or other topics usually reserved for older children or adults, some parents decide to wait until their HIV-positive children are teenagers before telling them they are HIV-positive. In 1990, about 2,000 children nationwide were born HIV-positive. Because drugs are available that drastically reduce the risk of transmitting HIV during pregnancy or delivery, only about 200 HIV-positive infants are born annually in the United States today (Dee, New York Times, 6/26).
Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=30501 "[H]ell-and-brimstone" sermons "condemning" sexual relations with a partner of the same gender "remain the norm in many black churches" and are pushing men who have sex with men "underground" and contributing to the spread of HIV, a Los Angeles Times editorial says. HIV predominately has been spread by MSM in the United States, and many black MSM do not identify themselves as gay and often transmit the disease to women, according to the Times. Sermons condemning MSM do not "dete[r] gay relationships" and can create "an atmosphere of secrecy and shame" that "discourages men from getting tested for HIV," the editorial says. Blacks account for 51% of new HIV cases -- including 69% of new cases among women -- but black churches have been "slo[w]" to "join in the fight against AIDS," the editorial says. Although black church leaders can "play a positive role" in lobbying the Bush administration for the provision of antiretroviral drugs and condoms to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa, "they could and should play a greater role" in fighting the "enormous" needs of their local communities, the editorial says (Los Angeles Times, 6/3).
Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=30104 Dr. Robert Janssen, director of CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention on Thursday during a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing, told lawmakers that the number of HIV-positive people older than 50 is "growing sharply," the AP/KPVI-TV reports (AP/KPVI-TV, 5/12). "One of the challenges in people 50 and older is the mistaken belief that they're not at risk," Janssen said, adding that many older people do not see the "importance of using condoms," especially older women who are not concerned about becoming pregnant. A lack of awareness about HIV/AIDS among older people and stereotypes associated with this group -- such as decreased sexual activity – also might contribute to the spread of the disease, according to committee Chair Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) (Zwillich, WebMD Medical News, 5/13). Jeanine Reilly, executive director of the Broadway House for Continuing Care in Newark, N.J., at the hearing said some researchers refer to nursing homes as the "new breeding ground for AIDS," adding that "simple" HIV/AIDS educational material geared toward an older population is needed, the AP/KPVI-TV reports. She said that older HIV/AIDS patients also require different standards of care (AP/KPVI-TV, 5/12). Smith said he likely will include provisions for improved HIV/AIDS education for older people in the Ryan White CARE Act, which Congress is expected to reauthorize later this year. About 28% of HIV/AIDS patients in the United States are older than 50, and that figure could increase to half of all U.S. patients by 2015, Smith said. According to CDC data from 32 states, the number of HIV-positive people older than 50 increased from 40,000 in 2000 to more than 67,000 in 2003 (WebMD Medical News, 5/13).
A recent article, "When food makes medicine kill, not cure" (from The Guardian at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/ ) compliments several articles previously published in the HIV ReSource Review http://www.hivresources.com/Contents.html and the HIV Nutrition Update http://www.hivresources.com/3YrHNUp.html . The article points out how vital it is for health care workers, especially doctor's, to be aware of what patients consume along with their medications. HIV ReSources has published several articles over the past few years about the risk of medication interactions between foods, beverages, botanicals and other dietary supplements. For extensive information on food-drug interactions, readers may visit the Food Medication Interactions web site http://www.foodmedinteractions.com or telephone 800-746-2324. The grapefruit-juice drug interaction web site http://www.powernetdesign.com/grapefruit is helpful for those taking medications that may interact with grapefruit. For extensive information about herb-drug interactions visit the Herb-Drug Interaction Handbook web site http://www.herbdrug.org .
Campaign To End AIDS Launches Web Site; GBC Appointed NewGlobal Fund Private-Sector 'Focal Point'; YouthNet Releases InfoNet No. 14 Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=29846 * EndAIDSNow.org: The new nationwide grassroots organization Campaign to End AIDS, which comprises HIV-positive people and advocates, has launched this new Web site. The site includes policy and platform materials, advocacy and fundraising materials and information on cross-country caravans the campaignis planning for the fall (Campaign to End AIDS release, 5/4). * "Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS Appointed Private-Sector 'Focal Point' for the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Board of Directors": GBC -- which will replace the World Economic Forum as the focal point to the Global Fund -- is increasing its staff capacity and will organize a strategic planning process later this year to develop recommendations for the involvement of corporations with the Global Fund (GBC release, 5/3). * Youth InfoNet, YouthNet, Family Health International: YouthNet has released Youth InfoNet No. 14, which includes summaries of 15 recently released program resources and seven publications in peer-reviewed journals on youth HIV prevention and reproductive health (FHI release, 5/4).
Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=29675 Many young, HIV-positive men who have sex with men are unaware of their HIV status, according to a study published in the April 15 issue of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, Reuters Health reports. CDC epidemiologist Duncan MacKellar and colleagues studied more than 5,600 men ages 15 to 29 recruited from bars, parks, cafes, stores and other venues in six U.S. cities between 1994 and 2000. The researchers surveyed each of the men about their sexual behavior, perceived HIV risk and HIV testing history and collected blood samples for HIV testing (Norton, Reuters Health, 4/26). Approximately 10% of the men tested positive for HIV, and 77% were unaware of their status, according to the study. Of the 439 men who were unaware of their HIV-positive status, 59% had indicated that they thought they were at low risk for contracting HIV and 51% reported having unprotected anal sex with another man during the previous six months (AFP/Yahoo! News, 4/26). More than half of the men with unrecognized HIV had not been tested in the previous year (MacKellar et al., Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 4/15). Recommendations The researchers said that the findings are "probably not reflective" of the larger MSM population in the United States because of the study's recruiting method, Reuters Health reports. However, MacKellar said the study "underscores the urgency" of increased HIV testing among MSM. He said limited access to health care services and a fear of testing positive might be reasons for the lack of regular testing observed in the study. The researchers suggested expanding HIV testing services at clubs and bars in order to reach more men who are unaware of their HIV-positive status. MacKellar also said it is important for physicians to recommend routine HIV testing for patients who have an increased risk of contracting the virus (Reuters Health, 4/26).
Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=29469 Crystal methamphetamine use can "spark high-risk sex" and might have contributed to a recent increase in the number of new HIV/AIDS cases reported in South Florida, according to a study published in the March issue of AIDS and Behavior, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. Steven Kurtz, a researcher at the University of Delaware's Center for Drug and Alcohol Studies in Coral Gables, Fla., and colleagues interviewed 15 crystal meth users ages 33 to 50 in Miami Beach and Wilton Manors, Fla., to examine the motivations and consequences of crystal meth use among men who have sex with men. The researchers found that crystal meth can lower inhibitions and create "artificial feelings of intimacy" and that the men interviewed participated in "weekend-long parties that included unprotected sex among multiple partners," according to the Sun-Sentinel. Although the findings reflect those of similar studies, Kurtz said that because the study population was small, the findings cannot be applied generally to MSM. However, the study shows that crystal meth can play a "big role" in the rising number of HIV cases among MSM, especially those who feel "ostracized from mainstream society," Kurtz said, according to the Sun-Sentinel. "Anecdotally, everyone knows this is going on," Kevin Garrity, executive director of the South Beach AIDS Project, said, adding, "This gives us the scientific proof of the hypersexuality that crystal meth can cause" (LaMendola, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 4/19).
The "FDA HIV/AIDS electronic list serve" http://www.fda.gov/oashi/aids/listserve/archive.html relays important information about HIV/AIDS-related products and issues, including product approvals, significant labeling changes, safety warnings, notices of upcoming public meetings and alerts to proposed regulatory guidance's for comment. Excerpts from a recent FDA Public Health Advisory for Nevirapine (Viramune) are below. To subscribe to this electronic list visit: http://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=fda-hiv-aids&A=1 .
Access this story and related links online: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=29322 A "second revolution must occur within the gay community" in which men and women "'come out' concerning the issues of low self-esteem and depression that are prevalent" in the community and that contribute to crystal methamphetamine use among men who have sex with men, Allen Reese, CEO of Desert AIDS Project, writes in a Palm Springs Desert Sun opinion piece. According to Perry Halkitis, a New York University psychologist, "isolation and low self-esteem" are "root cause[s]" of crystal meth use among many MSM, especially among those who are HIV-positive, Reese says. Mental health problems create a "really vicious cycle" of HIV/AIDS, crystal meth use and depression, according to Halkitis, Reese writes. In-depth studies of depression among gay men and women are needed, and the Desert AIDS Project is "committed" to addressing the issue "in the months and years ahead," according to Reese. If we do not "seek out the root causes of rampant substance abuse, there is little hope for us to have any impact on reducing the use of these drugs within a gay population that is highly vulnerable to acquiring HIV," Reese concludes (Reese, Palm Springs Desert Sun, 4/10).
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online: Federally funded abstinence-only sex education programs present "false and misleading information," according to a report released on Wednesday by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the Washington Times reports (Wetzstein, Washington Times, 12/2).
Waxman's staff reviewed 13 of the most commonly used abstinence-only sex education curricula in the United States and found that 11 of the programs -- which are used by 69 organizations in 25 states -- contain "unproved claims, subjective conclusions or outright falsehoods regarding reproductive health, gender traits and when life begins," the Post reports. According to the report, some of the claims made by the programs include: that a fetus at 43 days gestation is a "thinking person," that a boy or man can impregnate a woman or girl by touching her genitals, that women who undergo abortion are "more prone to suicide," that 10% of women who undergo abortion become sterile, that 50% of gay male teenagers are HIV-positive, that HIV can be spread through sweat and tears and that condoms fail to prevent sexually transmitted diseases 31% of the time when used during heterosexual intercourse, according to the report, the Post reports. According to the report, a 2001 obstetrics textbook says that fertility is not affected by elective abortion. The statement about gay teenagers might be a misinterpretation of CDC data that found that 59% of HIV-positive boys ages 13 to 19 contracted the virus through unprotected sex with a male, according to the Post. In addition, condoms, when used properly, are more than 97% effective in preventing pregnancy and STDs, including HIV, according to federal research, the Post reports. Abstinence-Only Opponents Waxman, a proponent of comprehensive sex education, said that
abstinence-only programs make students unprepared to protect
against pregnancy or STDs if they become sexually active, the Post
reports. "I have no objection talking about abstinence as a
surefire way to prevent unwanted pregnancy and sexually
transmitted diseases," Waxman said, adding, "I don't
think we ought to lie to our children about science. Something is
seriously wrong when federal tax dollars are being used to mislead
kids about basic health facts." Bill Smith, vice president of
public policy at the Sexuality Information and Education Council
of the United States, called for closer monitoring of
"shame-based, fear-based, medically inaccurate messages"
that are promoted in abstinence-only programs (Washington Post,
12/2). Gloria Feldt, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of
America, said, "Rep. Waxman's study proves what other
research has already revealed -- that abstinence-only programs are
ineffective and harmful to young people" (PPFA release,
12/1). Laura Murphy, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative
Office, said, "For years, lawmakers have increased spending
on abstinence-only programs without clear evidence that they are
effective at preventing unplanned pregnancies or sexually
transmitted infections, including HIV." She added that the
report "demonstrates that public money is being misspent at
the expense of our children's health. It should serve as a serious
wake-up call to lawmakers" (ACLU release,
12/1). However, Dr. Alma Golden, deputy assistant secretary for
population affairs at HHS, said that Waxman's report took
statements in the abstinence-only programs "out of context"
to show them in the "worst possible light," according to
the AP/Las Vegas Sun. "These issues have been raised before
and discredited," Golden said, adding, "One thing is
very clear for our children, abstaining from sex is the most
effective means of preventing the sexual transmission of HIV, STDs
and preventing pregnancy" (Sherman, AP/Las Vegas Sun, 12/1).
Libby Gray, director of Project Reality -- which produces the
abstinence-only programs "Game Plan" and "Navigator"
-- said, "The information presented in [the programs] is
medically accurate, and all information presented is from data
compiled by national sources such as CDC, NIH and the American
Social Health Association," adding, "These curricula
have been reviewed by physicians and public health professionals
and have been found to be statistically and medically accurate"
(Washington Times,
By Paul Simao ATLANTA (Reuters) - A rare sexually transmitted disease that is spreading among gay and bisexual men in Europe could be poised to surface in the United States, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. The CDC, a federal agency that monitors epidemics and other health threats, urged doctors and clinics across the nation to be prepared to diagnose and treat gay and bisexual men infected with Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV). It issued the advice after receiving reports of recent outbreaks in the Netherlands. The northern European nation has uncovered 92 cases of LGV dating back to 2003. It typically sees fewer than five cases per year. The infection is caused by specific strains of chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease, and usually marked by genital ulcers, swollen lymph glands and flu-like symptoms. However most of the men recently infected in the Netherlands developed gastrointestinal bleeding, inflammation of the rectum and colon and other problems not often associated with the infection or other sexually transmitted diseases. Belgium, France, Sweden and Britain also have reported infections. It is not known whether America is seeing a similar surge because U.S. doctors are not required to report the infections to local health departments. "We expect it's a question of time before we see cases appearing here," said Dr. Stuart Berman, chief of the epidemiology and surveillance branch in the CDC's division of STD prevention. "This is an early warning." Although LGV can be cured by a three-week course of antibiotics, U.S. health officials could be hard pressed to keep a lid on the spread of the infection because it is uncommon in industrialized nations and easily misdiagnosed. Efforts to combat the disease also are complicated by the tendency of some gay and bisexual men to engage in high-risk sexual behavior. Dutch authorities found that a large number of the men recently infected with LGV had participated in sex parties and unprotected anal intercourse in the year before getting sick. Many also were infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. REUTERS
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Rev.
Sharpton To Launch Initiative To Fight Homophobia, HIV/AIDS in
Black Community
