2010

Adele Starr dies at 90; unflagging gay-rights activist: Los Angeles Times - December 12, 2010; Scott Gold; When her son came out in 1974, homosexuality was seen as a mental illness ... and parenting was often blamed. Starr helped launch a support group for families that pushes for civil rights and marriage equality. Adele Starr, a Brentwood mother of five who overcame dismay at her son s homosexuality to become a leading vo
Porn industry clinic in Sherman Oaks is closed by L.A. County: Los Angeles Times - December 10, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske, molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com; Among the reasons cited was that the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation s lack of a required agreement with a hospital where patients could be transferred. Los Angeles County public health officials served a cease-and-desist order Thursday to the San Fernando Valley-based health clinic that caters to the porn
Porn industry health clinic shut down by L.A. County health officials: Los Angeles Times - December 9, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer; Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials have shut down the San Fernando-based health clinic that serves the porn industry. We ve told the clinic they have to notify people of test results that have already been taken and make appropriate referrals. But they cannot provide new services, said Dr. Jonatha
California denies license to porn industry clinic: Los Angeles Times - December 9, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times; The Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation was told one was needed to continue operating, but the denial s effect was not immediately clear. For now, the clinic remains open. California Department of Public Health officials have notified the San Fernando-based health clinic that serves the porn industry that its
Derrick Burts, HIV-positive porn actor: 'How many more times does this have to happen?': Los Angeles Times - December 8, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer; Derrick Burts, the adult film performer who tested HIV-positive at a San Fernando Valley clinic this fall, said Wednesday that he thought he would be protected from infection because he used condoms on gay porn sets and was tested before working in straight productions. Burts, 24, had worked as a crossover star in gay
Porn industry clinic disputes Derrick Burts' claims that it failed to help him after he tested HIV-positive: Los Angeles Times - December 8, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer; Attorneys for the San Fernando Valley clinic where adult film performer Derrick Burts tested HIV-positive have released a statement in response to claims that clinic staff failed to refer him for follow-up treatment. Burts, 24, formerly identified only as Patient Zeta, tested HIV-positive in October at the Adult Indust
HIV-positive porn performer speaks out: Los Angeles Times - December 8, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times; Derrick Burts, 24, who tested positive for HIV in October after working in gay and straight porn films, says he now favors enforcing mandatory condom use in porn productions. The adult film performer who tested HIV-positive at a San Fernando Valley clinic this fall spoke out for the first time Tuesday, calling for mand
Critic's Notebook: Smithsonian Institution fails to stand up to anti-gay bullies: Los Angeles Times - December 6, 2010; Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times Art Critic; Pressure groups succeed in getting a piece removed from a show about gay identity in art at the National Portrait Gallery. Think anti-gay bullying is just for kids? Ask the Smithsonian. Last week, Smithsonian Institution officials in Washington removed an artwork from an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. The
Editorial: Art or sacrilege?: Los Angeles Times - December 3, 2010; Under pressure, the Smithsonian pulls an exhibit. It may signal a new war on publicly funded art. With conservative Republicans on the ascendency in the aftermath of last month s elections, the nation may be headed for a second round of the 1990s war on publicly funded art. Its opening shots were fired this week at the
Global Health Watch: AIDS funding won't stem skyrocketing HIV infections projected for South Africa, report says: Los Angeles Times - December 1, 2010; Robyn Dixon, Los Angeles Times; JOHANNESBURG -- In South Africa , which has 5.7 million people living with HIV. more than any other country in the world, 5 million more people will be infected in the next two decades even if the government increases its AIDS funding, according to a new report to the government. And that s the best-case scenario.
Free HIV tests aren't hard to find, if you know where to look: Los Angeles Times - November 30, 2010; Mary Forgione, Los Angeles Times; More Americans are getting tested for HIV, though not necessarily those at highest risk. Miss the report? Here are details from a Los Angeles Times article[http://ww2.aegis.org/news/lt/2010/LT101115.html]: At least 45% of American adults have been tested for HIV at least once, an increase of five percentage points and
More Americans getting HIV testing, according to the CDC: Los Angeles Times - November 30, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times; At least 45% of American adults have been tested for HIV at least once, an increase of five percentage points and 11.4 million people since 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. But that still leaves 55% of adults, and 28.3% of adults with risk factors for contracting HIV, who have never be
AIDS charity sues Bristol Myers, saying it overcharged for medication: Los Angeles Times - November 29, 2010; Stuart Pfeifer; The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that treats people with HIV and AIDS around the world, has filed a lawsuit accusing pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. of overcharging for medication. Bristol Myers spokeswoman Sonia Choi said Monday that the company was reviewing the complaint bu
Justice tough to find for Chinese who got HIV/AIDS through tainted blood: Los Angeles Times - November 27, 2010; Barbara Demick; Tian Xi is among 1 million Chinese infected by transfusions at government-run hospitals. One million more were infected donating blood. The government has yet to apologize or investigate the coverup. Reporting from Xincai, China - It was just a small bump on the head, the result of one boy pushing another against a des
The condom conundrum: Pope Benedict's comments on the morality of condom usage open a door, but only partway.: Los Angeles Times - November 27, 2010; Tim Rutten; The international controversy generated by leaks from German journalist Peter Seewald s book-length interview with Pope Benedict XVI -- officially issued this week as Light of the World -- may be a publicist s dream, but what does it really signify? Benedict s thoughts on the morality of condom usage don t go nearly as
Editorial: A papal surprise: Los Angeles Times - November 23, 2010; The pope s remarks that condom use might be justified to prevent the transmission of AIDS are significant and should spur bishops in Africa to act. Opaque as it is, Pope Benedict XVI s statement that condom use might be justified to prevent the transmission of AIDS is a significant development. His fellow bishops, espe
Pill shows a drop of up to 70% in HIV infection risk: Los Angeles Times - November 23, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II; The result is hailed as the first major AIDS-prevention breakthrough. Research was conducted on 2,500 high-risk gay men, but experts believe further study will show effectiveness in other groups. In a finding that is being widely hailed as the first major prevention breakthrough in the AIDS era, researchers have shown
Preventing HIV with drugs: What now?: Los Angeles Times - November 23, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II; Tuesday s announcement that a once-daily pill containing two HIV drugs could block new infections from the AIDS virus by more than 70%[add this ref: Pill shows a drop of up to 70% in HIV infection risk] if people take the pill religiously has created a major stir in the AIDS-prevention world, offering the first promise
Global Health Watch: AIDS deaths and HIV infections decline in Africa, U.N. report says: Los Angeles Times - November 23, 2010; Robyn Dixon, Los Angeles Times; Johannesburg, South Africa -- AIDS is killing and infecting fewer people in Africa, according to UNAIDS , the United Nations AIDS agency, but it also said sub-Saharan Africa is still the worst affected region. The UNAIDS Report on the Global Aids Epidemic 2010 [http://www.unaids.org/globalreport/default.
Annual global study reports progress against HIV: Los Angeles Times - November 23, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times; More people have access to treatment and new infections have fallen, UNAIDS says, but the global economic crisis could reverse the trend. More than 1.2 million people began taking anti- HIV therapy in 2009, a 30% increase that brings the worldwide total to 5.2 million, UNAIDS said Monday in its annual report, but that
Gonorrhea rate at an all-time low, but syphilis and chlamydia rates continue to rise: Los Angeles Times - November 22, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II; The rate of gonorrhea in the United States is at an all-time low, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday, but the rates for chlamydia and syphilis continue to rise. The three sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, together account for about 1.5 million cases annually, less than 10% of the country s
Tracking HIV genetic mutations helps convict two men in criminal cases: Los Angeles Times - November 19, 2010; Amina Khan, Los Angeles Times; Viruses possess an ability to mutate into strains that can render vaccines useless and become deadlier than their predecessor. But for a team of Texan scientists, this biological danger became a forensic asset that helped prosecutors convict two men accused of infecting close to a dozen women with HIV. In 2009, Philipp
Global Health Watch: HIV/AIDS deaths in South Africa often attributed to other causes: Los Angeles Times - November 18, 2010; Robyn Dixon, Los Angeles Times; Johannesburg, South Africa - Deaths in South Africa, one of the world s hot spots for HIV and AIDS, appear to have peaked in 2006, according to figures released by the government statistician Thursday. But in many cases, death certificates still don t record AIDS as an underlying cause of death, instead reporting TB or
Man sentenced to eight years in prescription drug scheme: Los Angeles Times - November 16, 2010; Scott Glover, Los Angeles Times; Prosecutors say Nathaniel Newhouse made millions by recruiting destitute people with HIV to serve as straw patients, then laundered the illicit income by claiming $3 million in gambling winnings. A man who prosecutors say made millions of dollars from a prescription drug scam in which he recruited destitute people with
The FDA approves Egrifta, the first drug to treat HIV patients with lipodystrophy: Los Angeles Times - November 10, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times; The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Egrifta, the first drug designed specifically to treat lipodystrophy in HIV-positive patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy. In lipodystrophy, fat deposits accumulate in different areas of the body, most notably around the liver, stomach and other abdominal org
Porn actor with HIV didn't infect any other adult performer, clinic says: Officials at the Sherman Oaks facility say that they tested the unidentified patient's sex partners, 'from both personal and professional life,' and that all tested HIV-negative on two occasions.: Los Angeles Times - November 5, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times; Officials at the San Fernando Valley clinic where a porn performer tested HIV-positive last month announced Friday that two rounds of tests showed no other adult film actors had contracted the virus. The performer tested HIV-positive Oct. 9 at the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation, or AIM, in Sherman Oaks. T
Health advocates, porn industry representatives debate workplace protection: At a meeting in Oakland sponsored by Cal/OSHA, the groups air their disagreements about industry practices and existing law. The major point of contention: condom use.: Los Angeles Times - October 26, 2010; Lee Romney, Los Angeles Times; Reporting from Oakland - Public health advocates, porn industry representatives and performers past and present gathered in Oakland on Monday to discuss workplace protection law and whether a more tailored regulation specifically requiring condom use on adult film sets is necessary. The meeting was the fourth held by C
Editorial- Safe sex on the set: Condoms need to be required for porn actors. Not only are sexually transmitted diseases a workplace safety issue, they're also a public health concern.: Los Angeles Times - October 25, 2010; When members of the porn industry and state officials gather in Oakland on Monday for a meeting sponsored by California s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, they will discuss how best to keep adult film performers safe from sexually communicable diseases. The answer, of course, has long been clear: It is to
AIDS Mass a barometer of medical, societal changes: Los Angeles Times - October 23, 2010; Rick Rojas, Los Angeles Times; When the Episcopal Diocese of L.A. first offered the service in 1985, the names of many claimed by the disease were recited. Today the focus is less on grieving the dead and more on helping the living. On a dreary recent Sunday afternoon, a reader stood at the altar of an Episcopal church in Los Angeles and offered the
Taken together, HIV antiviral drugs Invirase and Norvir could cause lethal heart problems, FDA warns: Los Angeles Times - October 21, 2010; The Food and Drug Administration has amped up warnings on the label of the commonly prescribed HIV antiviral Invirase , adding information about potentially life-threatening cardiac side effects when used in tandem with Norvir , another widely used antiviral. The new labeling requirement follows an
For some Chinese college students, sex is a business opportunity: In a country fast-changing economically and culturally, some middle-class women become mistresses to live a better life. A university pimp explains how it works.: Los Angeles Times - October 20, 2010; Megan K. Stack, Los Angeles Times; Reporting from Beijing - The girls from the drama academy cost the most. Actresses are pretty, after all, and pretty is the point. Steady access to their sexual favors could cost a man more than $25,000 a year, not to mention the perks and gifts they would expect. The gentleman on a budget had better browse through stu
Report: Many states have inadequate policies to deal with growing ranks of moms behind bars: Los Angeles Times - October 20, 2010; David Crary, AP National Writer; The number of women in America s state prisons has reached a record high, yet many states have inadequate policies for dealing with the large portion of them who have children or are pregnant, according to a new 50-state survey. The report, being released Thursday by the National Women s Law Center and the Rebecca Proj
Controversy over reporting of porn actor's HIV case: Los Angeles Times - October 19, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer; The San Fernando Valley clinic where a porn actor tested HIV-positive last week has delayed reporting of final results to county health officials. The clinic is required to report the results and a slew of information about the individual to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health within seven days of the in
L.A. County's next healthcare chief will be entering a big new world: Mitchell Katz is known for working well with disparate groups to get things done for San Francisco patients. But can he replicate that success on L.A. County's scale?: Los Angeles Times - October 18, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times; Two years ago Los Angeles County officials tried to recruit Dr. Mitchell Katz to run their long-troubled health department. He turned them down. Katz, head of San Francisco s public health department, had just launched Healthy San Francisco, one of the nation s first municipal universal healthcare programs, and wanted
Porn performers on edge after new HIV case: Los Angeles Times - October 15, 2010; Rong-Gong Lin II and Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers; In San Fernando Valley s tight-knit adult film industry, news of a new HIV case in an active porn performer alarmed many, even as opinions differed on whether current practices were enough to protect porn workers. This has got everybody on edge, porn actress Brooke Haven told The Times. Everybody has freaked out.
Porn film performer tests positive for HIV: At least two production companies shut down and more people are being tested.: Los Angeles Times - October 13, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske and Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times; An adult film performer in San Fernando Valley s lucrative porn industry has tested HIV-positive, prompting at least two well-known adult movie production companies to suspend filming as a precaution. The HIV infection of an active porn performer is the first known local case in more than a year and immediately strengt
Clinic blasts calls for mandatory use of condoms: Los Angeles Times - October 13, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer; The announcement this week that an adult film performer tested positive for HIV prompted a San Fernando Valley clinic Wednesday to blast AIDS activists and public health officials for using the incident to renew calls for mandatory condom use and added oversight of the porn industry. The misfortune of a patient testing
Porn actor has tested positive for HIV; industry clinic officials confirm a quarantine is in effect: Los Angeles Times - October 12, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer; An adult-film performer has tested positive for HIV at a Sherman Oaks clinic frequented by those in the porn industry, according to clinic staff. We do have a confirmed adult-industry performer who tested positive for HIV. We are quarantining and testing all exposed partners to the individual who tested positive for HI
Experimental genital herpes vaccine fails major clinical trial: Los Angeles Times - September 30, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II; An experimental vaccine designed to block genital transmission of herpes viruses from men to women has failed a major clinical trial aimed at obtaining manufacturing approval, researchers said Thursday. Because of the failure, the vaccine s manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline , said it will abandon any further attempts to de
Review: HIV/AIDS ravages 'The Other City': Los Angeles Times - September 23, 2010; Kevin Thomas; Susan Koch opens her compelling, consciousness-raising documentary The Other City by posing the question: Which city has the highest HIV/AIDS rate? Port au Prince, Haiti ; Washington, D.C.; or Dakar, Senegal ? The answer is the American capital, where an estimated 3% of the population is infected. Throughout the film t
HIV virus used to cure a genetic blood disorder: Los Angeles Times - September 15, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times; French researchers used a defanged version of the virus to treat a boy with beta-thalassemia, which causes life-threatening anemia. There are plans to enroll another 10 patients for more studies. For the second time, researchers have used the HIV virus in gene therapy to cure a severe genetic disease, this time the blo
Tattoos as protected speech: Los Angeles Times - September 14, 2010; The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals was correct in ruling that tattoos are a form of protected expression and that the Hermosa Beach may not impose a blanket ban on tattoo parlors. Mention the 1st Amendment and an array of images come to mind: a printing press, a protest sign, a street-corner preacher, the fingers of
Editorial: Obama's funding to fight AIDS is weak - The president's suggested funding cut to the Global Fund is appalling. He should instead commit to generous annual increases.: Los Angeles Times - September 7, 2010; President Obama has been a huge disappointment to many global health advocates, especially in the HIV/AIDS community. In July, South Africa s retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu penned an op-ed in the New York Times taking Obama to task for letting anti- AIDS funding stagnate. At the International AIDS conference in Vienna
Animal rights groups face off with scientists over fate of chimps: Los Angeles Times - September 3, 2010; Michael Haederle, Los Angeles Times; Almost 200 have had a long break from testing that dates to NASA s early days, but that could end. Ever since the first of their number arrived in New Mexico half a century ago as test subjects in the fledgling U.S. space program, nearly 200 government-owned chimpanzees were routinely injected with viruses and used to
New automated diagnostic test can identify TB infections in 2 hours: Los Angeles Times - September 1, 2010; A new automated test to detect tuberculosis infections and the presence of an antibiotic-resistant TB strain can shave days to weeks off the time it takes to identify new infections, allowing treatment to be started immediately to prevent further spread of the bacterium. The new test, which can be performed by technici
Breastfeeding HIV-positive women should not receive vitamin A supplements, study shows: Los Angeles Times - August 30, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II; HIV-positive women who are breastfeeding should not be given vitamin A supplements because it increases the risk of transmitting the AIDS virus to their infants, researchers said Thursday. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV has been largely controlled in the United States and other developed countries through the use
HIV-resistant cells work in mice. Can they help humans?: Los Angeles Times - August 21, 2010; Rachel Bernstein, Los Angeles Times; California scientists, boosted by stem cell research funding enabled by Proposition 71, are aiming for clinical trials involving gene therapy through bone marrow transplants. Clad in a yellow gown, blue foot covers, hair net, face mask and latex gloves, Paula Cannon pushed open the door to the animal room. I hate this
Drug abuse and HIV: The U.S.-led war on drugs has also contributed to the HIV epidemic around the world.: Los Angeles Times - July 28, 2010; Evan Wood; Last week, thousands of scientists, physicians and activists fighting the HIV and AIDS pandemic around the world gathered in Vienna to discuss the latest breakthroughs -- and frustrations. There were reports on several landmark studies describing the crucial role that treatments can play in reducing the infectiousness
Poverty and HIV are strongly linked, CDC survey finds: Los Angeles Times - July 20, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times; Regardless of race or ethnicity, heterosexuals living in low-income communities are up to five times more likely to be HIV-positive than the rest of the U.S. population. Heterosexuals living below the poverty line in U.S. cities are five times as likely as the nation s general population to be HIV-positive, regardless
Studies show promise in curbing AIDS in Africa: Los Angeles Times - July 20, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times; In one finding, the use of a microbicide is shown to reduce chances of HIV transmission in women by more than half. Another indicates that financial incentives can delay girls sexual activity. For the first time in the bleak history of the AIDS epidemic on the African continent, researchers have identified two new appr
Treatment of HIV-positive children still lags: Los Angeles Times - July 20, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times; Treatment of HIV-positive children in the developing world grew by 28% in 2009, from 276,000 in 2008 to 365,000, but many children are still going untreated, the World Health Organization said Tuesday at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna. An estimated 400,000 infants acquire HIV each year, primarily at birth
Circumcision campaigns are rolling out in Africa to prevent HIV infections: Los Angeles Times - July 20, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times; Circumcision programs are slowly beginning to be rolled out in sub-Saharan Africa in hopes of reducing the toll of HIV infections in the area, researchers said Tuesday at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna. Some predicted that more than 4 million new HIV infections could be prevented in eastern and southern Af
Number of HIV-positive in treatment rose by a quarter last year: Los Angeles - July 19, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times; The number of HIV-positive people receiving antiretroviral drugs for their infections jumped by more than a quarter in 2009, growing from 4 million to 5.2 million, the World Health Organization said Monday at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna. This is the largest increase in people accessing treatment in a si
AIDS experts recommend earlier HIV treatment: Los Angeles Times - July 18, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times; An international panel of AIDS experts Sunday recommended earlier treatment for HIV infections in an effort to prevent the development not only of full-blown AIDS, but of other complications of infection as well. The International AIDS Society-USA Antiretroviral Therapy Guidelines Panel, which makes nonbinding recommen
Cocktail of drugs for HIV curbs new infections, study finds: Los Angeles Times - July 18, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II; In the absence of a vaccine against the AIDS virus, the most effective treatment method is aggressive treatment of HIV infections with cocktails of antiretroviral drugs, an approach known as highly active antiretroviral therapy or HAART. A new study conducted in British Columbia has found that the infection rate in the
HIV can be deadly even before CD4 counts fall, researchers say: Los Angeles Times - July 16, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times; An infection by the virus that causes AIDS can increase risk of premature death even before the immune system has deteriorated to the point where most physicians begin antiviral therapy, British researchers said Thursday. An infection by the virus that causes AIDS can increase risk of premature death even before the im
U.N. moves toward quicker AIDS treatment in developing countries: Los Angeles Times - July 14, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times; The level of an HIV infection will not have to be as severe before treatment can begin, a U.N. agency announces before next week s international AIDS conference. The United Nations agency in charge of AIDS policy is lowering the threshold for treating HIV-positive individuals in developing countries in the hope that ea
Obama's HIV/AIDS policy hailed for targeting spread of disease: Los Angeles Times - July 14, 2010; Noam N. Levey, Tribune Washington Bureau; Despite gains in treatment, the annual number of new infections in the U.S. has stayed about the same. The new White House plan aims to change that. Reporting from Washington President Obama acknowledged an uncomfortable reality as he unveiled the nation s first comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy at a White House
To combat HIV/AIDS, perhaps we should look to Africa: Los Angeles Times - July 14, 2010; Tami Dennis, Los Angeles Times; About half of all new HIV infections - 45% to be exact - occur among African Americans. To say this makes fighting the disease of crucial importance to that community in particular would be an understatement, and researchers are trying desperately to figure out how to help. Eban may be one way. Eban, or fence, is a tra
White House unveils strategy against HIV/AIDS: Obama's plan sets goals to control the disease's spread, but it includes no additional federal spending, drawing criticism from some experts.: Los Angeles Times - July 13, 2010; Noam N. Levey, Tribune Washington Bureau; Reporting from Washington - The White House unveiled a new national strategy to combat HIV/AIDS on Monday, some three decades after the emergence of the deadly disease. Our country is at a crossroads, President Obama said in a letter introducing the report. Right now, we are experiencing a domestic epidemic that demand
The truth of China's response to HIV/AIDS: Los Angeles Times - July 11, 2010; Joe Amon**; China has made some strides in the fight against AIDS. But the government should be held to account for stifling the work and voices of Chinese AIDS activists and nongovernmental organizations. The man who may be China s most prominent defender of the rights of people living with HIV, Wan Yanhai, took refuge in the
A breakthrough in AIDS research: A pair of naturally occurring antibodies are able to kill more than 90% of all strains of HIV, researchers say. The finding could lead to the development of new treatments and a possible vaccine.: Los Angeles Times - July 9, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times; An effective vaccine against the AIDS virus may have moved one step closer to reality, researchers said Thursday. Federal researchers have identified a pair of naturally occurring antibodies that are able to kill more than 90% of all strains of the AIDS virus, a finding they say could lead to the development of new tre
Take care. Viagra treats erectile dysfunction, not -- repeat, not -- STDs: Los Angeles Times - July 6, 2010; Tami Dennis, Los Angeles Times; The benefits of erectile dysfunction drugs are well- documented. They may be double-edged as well. In a study published Tuesday in Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed pharmacy data for men over 40 who had received a prescription for an erectile dysfunction drug. We ll let them sum it up: Men who use ED dr
Porn stars protest proposed tougher rules requiring condom use on sets: They tell a California occupational health and safety hearing in L.A. that the industry's monthly screening for some sexually transmitted diseases is enough to protect them.: Los Angeles Times - June 30, 2010; Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times; Porn actors and actresses Tuesday protested the possible strengthening of rules requiring condom use in adult movies at a California occupational health and safety hearing in downtown Los Angeles. Performers said they understood the risks of not using condoms, but believe current industry practices, which involve scree
Clinic used by porn actors is subject of federal probe: Los Angeles Times - June 18, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer; Federal officials are investigating whether a clinic that tests adult film performers for sexually transmitted diseases violated their privacy by requiring them to sign overly broad disclosure agreements. The Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation, a San Fernando-based clinic, is being investigated by the San Fra
Judge clears way for L.A. to begin marijuana dispensary crackdown: Los Angeles Times - June 4, 2010; Victoria Kim, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer; A Los Angeles Superior Court judge Friday morning shot down a bid by medical marijuana patients to block the city s ordinance regulating dispensaries from taking effect Monday. A group of 12 patients with illnesses ranging from anxiety and menopause to lupus and AIDS had sued the city and asked the judge to issue a tem
Man convicted of recruiting HIV patients to buy lucrative painkillers: Jury finds Nathaniel Newhouse guilty of paying poor HIV patients to get and fill prescriptions for addictive drugs such as OxyContin. DEA agents found 29 bottles worth $40,000 to $80,000 in his car.: Los Angeles Times - May 19, 2010; Scott Glover; A man who recruited destitute HIV patients to be straw purchasers in a prescription drug scheme was convicted by a federal jury Tuesday in Los Angeles. Nathaniel Newhouse, 53, showed no expression as the verdict was read in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Dean D. Pregerson. Newhouse was arrested two years ago foll
South Africa launches major AIDS campaign: Los Angeles Times - April 26, 2010; Robyn Dixon, Reporting from Johannesburg, South Africa; President Jacob Zuma takes a test and says he is HIV-negative. The government aims to get one-third of the population tested by June 2011 by offering HIV exams to all visitors to its clinics. South African President Jacob Zuma announced Sunday that he was HIV-negative as his government rolled out a major AIDS preventio
AIDS activists target agents of porn actresses: AIDS Healthcare Foundation says it will file a complaint with California's labor commissioner against nine L.A.-area talent agencies, alleging they encourage porn performers to engage in unsafe sex.: Los Angeles Times - April 14, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske; An advocacy group that has been demanding greater government protections for adult film performers plans to file a complaint Thursday with state regulators against nine Los Angeles-area porn talent agencies. AIDS Healthcare Foundation officials, opening a new front in their fight with the porn industry, said they plan
HIV drugs combat virus that might be linked to prostate cancer and chronic fatigue: Los Angeles Times - April 5, 2010; Four drugs that are used to treat the AIDS virus HIV can also inhibit the replication of xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV), a mouse virus that has been found in some patients with prostate tumors and chronic fatigue syndrome. Now all researchers have to do is show that XMVR is actually a cause of di
Deadly blood colors debate: A woman who watched her husband die of AIDS after receiving a tainted donation and who now has the disease herself is torn over gay rights versus blood supply safety.: Los Angeles Times - April 4, 2010; Andrew Zajac, azajac@tribune.com; Reporting from Washington - As a liberal-minded person, Kathy Gerus-Darbison never wanted to stand in the way of equal treatment for gays. As a college professor, she certainly never meant to end up on the wrong side of what many experts consider a settled question of science. But then, she never thought she would watc
Editorial: Keeping our blood supply safe: Los Angeles Times - March 22, 2010; -- The FDA must not let politics intrude on decisions about loosening donation guidelines. Decisions on whether to ease restrictions on blood donation must be based on science and the protection of public health, not political considerations. As obvious as that sounds, the rules of blood donation have become the topic
The FDA cautions against high doses of Zocor (simvastatin), urges label changes: Los Angeles Times - March 19, 2010; The highest doses of the cholesterol-lowering drug Zocor produce an increased risk of muscle damage, the Food and Drug Administration cautioned Friday. The risk is highest in patients of Chinese descent and is also high when Zocor, known generically as simvastatin, is combined with certain other medications, including
Advisory panel would consider increasing regulation of California's porn industry: Los Angeles Times - March 18, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske, molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com; After hearing from industry workers, a board of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health votes to form an advisory group. Increased regulation would include mandating the use of condoms. State regulators voted unanimously Thursday to create an advisory committee to consider increasing regulation of California s p
Government revisiting restrictions on blood donations by gay men: Los Angeles Times - March 13, 2010; Andrew Zajac; -- Backers of a change, including Sen. John Kerry, say the policy is outdated medically. Hemophilia groups want to keep it. Federal health officials announced Friday that they would reexamine a 27-year-old set of restrictions on blood donations by gay men. The restrictions, enacted in the early years of the AIDS epidem
Genital herpes is widespread, CDC says: Los Angeles Times - March 9, 2010; Thomas H. Maugh II; Nearly one in every two African American women ages 14 to 49 has genital herpes , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. Overall, two out of every five blacks in that age group carry the virus, and one out of every six Americans, the agency announced at an STD Prevention Conference in Atlanta. Th
Campaign to require porn actors to wear condoms gains ground: Los Angeles Times - March 9, 2010; Molly Hennessy-Fiske; In response to pressure from AIDS Healthcare Foundation officials, state regulators are poised to consider amending state law to require condom use in adult film production. On Thursday, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health standards board is scheduled to consider a petition the foundation filed in
Ex-boxer Paul Banke battles on after AIDS diagnosis: Los Angeles Times - March 1, 2010; Jerry Crowe; -- The fighter says he is sober after years of drug abuse and still calls himself lucky 15 years after his AIDS diagnosis. Boxing took Paul Banke to more than a dozen foreign countries and, figuratively, to the top of the world. Life took him to hell and back. It s not been an easy ride. Banke is a former World Boxing
FDA creates partnership to boost regulatory science: The agency will collaborate with the National Institutes of Health in an effort to more quickly rule on the safety and effectiveness of new products and procedures: Los Angeles Times - February 25, 2010; Andrew Zajac; Reporting from Washington - The Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health on Wednesday announced a plan to help the FDA make swifter decisions about the safety and effectiveness of new products and procedures that flow from advanced research. The new partnership will promote the development of
LA Quinta doctor sentenced in false-billing case involving AIDS patients: Los Angeles Times - February 22, 2010; Robert J. Lopez; A La Quinta doctor who treated AIDS patients was sentenced Monday to 15 months in federal prison in a case involving subdosing patients, authorities said. George Steven Kooshian, 59, was also ordered to pay $660,955 in restitution to 18 insurance companies for patients who were only given partial doses of medication, t
UC studies find promise in medical marijuana: Los Angeles Times - February 18, 2010; John Hoeffel; -- As an $8.7-million state research effort comes to an end, investigators report that cannabis can significantly relieve neuropathic pain and reduce muscle spasms in MS patients. More research is urged. With an innovative but little-known state program to study medical marijuana about to run out of money, researchers
FDA escalates warnings about drugs to counter anemia, chemo fatigue: Los Angeles Times - February 16, 2010; Melissa Healy; Acting on growing safety concerns, the FDA on Tuesday ordered strict new procedures on the prescribing and dispensing of medication that treats anemia in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The new strictures ordered by the FDA affect a class of drugs called erythropoiesis-stimulating agencts, which rev up the pro
Q&A: Cyndi Lauper, one of MAC's new Viva Glam girls: Los Angeles Times - February 11, 2010; Emili Vesilind; Viva Cheeky cosmetic company MAC has tapped two of music s biggest fashion renegades, Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga, to be the new faces of its Viva Glam campaign. Gaga is (obviously) currently making waves on the scene -- but Lauper, who shocked the world with her rag-tag vintage look and checkerboard haircut in the 80s,
Los Angeles County declines to force condom use in porn films: Los Angeles Times - February 3, 2010; Rong-Gong Lin II; Health department officials say such a requirement, sought by an AIDS activist group, must come from the California Legislature. And no lawmaker has stepped up. Los Angeles County officials Tuesday rebuffed demands from an AIDS activist group that the county immediately require performers in porn films to use condoms.
Face time with MyClyns anti-germ spray: Los Angeles Times - February 1, 2010; Chris Woolston; Though the product has been shown to kill germs, a spritz in the mug after exposure does little to prevent colds and flus. Hand-washing and protective gear are better options. If you ve seen the television ad for the anti-germ spray MyClyns, you no doubt remember the pivotal scene: A mom and her two kids sit at a dinne
Zelda Rubinstein dies at 76; actress played psychic in 'Poltergeist': Los Angeles Times - January 28, 2010; Dennis McLellan; -- The 4-foot-3 woman made her film debut in 1981; she later was a regular on the TV show Picket Fences. Rubinstein also was an advocate for little people and an early AIDS activist. Zelda Rubinstein, the diminutive character actress with the childlike voice who was best known as the psychic called in to rid a suburban
Rodent of the Week: Preventing HIV infection: Los Angeles Times - January 22, 2010; Shari Roan; A study in mice raises the possibility of preventing HIV transmission in humans. Researchers at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, found that administering antiretroviral drugs to mice prior to HIV exposure protected against intravenous and rectal transmission of the virus. The study was published online th
Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton on aid to Haiti; Also Obama: Los Angeles Times - January 16, 2010; Statements by the last three presidents on aid for Haiti , as provided by the White House PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good morning, everybody. In times of great challenge in our country and around the world, Americans have always come together to lend a hand and to serve others and to do what s right. That s what the American pe
In Miami's Little Haiti, nothing to do but work, wait, hope, pray: Los Angeles Times - January 15, 2010; Richard Fausset; -- During the day you ve just got to deal with it, one resident says. We ve got to be strong. People call the numbers of loved ones in Haiti , often to no avail. At the Haitian Relief Information Center hastily set up in the heart of Little Haiti, county social worker Shirley Sieger was, in theory, there to help people
U.S. rules altered for foreigners with HIV: Los Angeles Times - January 11, 2010; Jill U. Adams; -- In a policy shift, infection with the virus will no longer be a factor in deciding whether to admit travelers or allow people to become permanent residents. Last Monday, for the first time in 22 years, foreigners with HIV were legally allowed to enter the United States without their infection status being considered
Medicare now covers some HIV testing: Los Angeles Times - January 11, 2010; Francesca Lunzer Kritz; -- Medical experts hope the recently added benefit will persuade more people to check their HIV status. Medicare added a perk for some of its beneficiaries in late 2009 -- coverage of the cost of HIV testing for people at risk of contracting the virus. Medicare beneficiaries might seem to be in an odd age bracket to be
Stem cell projects underway: Los Angeles Times - January 9, 2010; -- The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine recently awarded 14 grants to stem cell-based projects that are close to being ready for clinical trials. Here are some of the projects. * A team from City of Hope in Duarte plans to genetically modify the blood-forming stem cells of AIDS patients so that they can r

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