January 31, 2003

This Week In Washington
1. President Bush Outlines Plans to End Domestic HIV/AIDS
2. Congress Passes New Continuing Resolution, Conference Committee to Meet Soon on FY 2003 Omnibus
3. PACHA Holds First Meeting of the New Year
4. AIDS Action’s Public Policy Committee Convenes in Washington

In the News
1. A Long Time in Planning, Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Will Support the Use Condoms, Abstinence
2. Once Common Eye Disease in People with AIDS Kept at Bay with HIV Medications

Announcements
1. HRSA/HAB Announces Title III FY 2003 Technical Assistance Conference Call
2. AIDS and the D.C. Immigrant Conference at Howard University Hospital
3. FDA Seeks Public Comments on Draft Guidance for Collecting and Reporting Race/Ethnicity Data in Clinical Trials
4. Pathways Linking Education to Health
5. Conference Series on President Bush’s Faith-Based Initiative
6. HIV/AIDS Educational Materials Available Through the Office of Minority Health
7. AIDSinfo Shares Federally-approved HIV/AIDS Information
8. 10th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections
9. Health Resources and Services Administration, HIV/AIDS Bureau Premiers New Web-based Technical Assistance Library

This Week in Washington
1. President Bush Outlines Plans to End Domestic HIV/AIDS
On Tuesday, January 27, 2003, President Bush delivered his State of the Union Address and a few surprises, including a request to Congress for $15 billion ($10 billion of which is new money) over the next five years “to turn the tide against AIDS in the most afflicted nations of Africa and the Caribbean.” AIDS Action Executive Director Marsha Martin attended with AIDS Board Member Thomas Peterson of the AIDS Services Foundation of Orange County, CA.

In his State of the Union Address, Bush made a passing reference to the domestic AIDS crisis, although he did not detail the specifics of it. However, on Friday, January 31, 2003, President Bush spoke again to the nation, and again, AIDS Action was present in the room to hear his address. On this occasion, President Bush did not overlook the domestic needs for HIV diagnostics, care, and treatment. Beginning with a reiteration of the AIDS Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in Africa and the Caribbean, Bush announced his intention to extend U.S. support to other parts of the world over time. He then switched gears to talk about the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic, announcing a 7% increase in his FY04 budget for HIV/AIDS. “[The budget is] a $93 million increase for AIDS research, $100 million more to support the AIDS drug assistance program.” .

The president also recognized the important connection between HIV diagnostics and treatment by posing the following rhetorical questions, “How can you help if you don’t know?” In addition, the president announced that the FDA had just given OraQuick’s Rapid HIV test a CLIA waiver. This waiver will permit the test to be used in a broader range of sites and, thus, will make HIV testing accessible to a greater number of people.
To view President Bush’s State of the Union Addresses, go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/01/20030128-19.html and
to view the president’s speech on Friday, January 31, 2003, link to http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/01/20030131-4.html.

2. Congress Passes New Continuing Resolution, Conference Committee to Meet Soon on FY 2003 Omnibus
On January 28th, 2003 the House passed another continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal government operating in the absence of a fiscal year 2003 budget. The following day, the Senate passed the same CR; so the new CR will replace the current CR upon its expiration this Friday, January 31, 2003. The new CR, which will run through February 7, 2003, is the latest in a series of stopgap measures Congress has passed while it debates the FY 2003 appropriations bills.

Last week, the Senate approved a budget for an omnibus appropriations package. The package earmarked funding for 11 appropriations bills, including one for Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies—an important source of funding for many HIV/AIDS programs. Previously, the House had voted in favor of their own, more modest version of the omnibus bill.

House and Senate leadership must now work together in conference to reconcile the differences between the Senate’s higher figures and the House’s lower ones. House leaders indicated they are ready to appoint conferees for this task, and are only awaiting their Senate counterparts to begin the conference process. It is anticipated that the leadership from both chambers will soon make their appointments, thus, the committee could possible commence their work in the next few days.

3. PACHA Holds First Meeting of the New Year
This week, AIDS Action staff attended the first meeting of year for the President's Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA), from January 30 to 31, 2003. The first day of the meeting included remarks from Secretary Tommy Thompson of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Dr. Joe O'Neill, director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy. Also on the agenda were updates on current PACHA activities; a discussion of the Council's purpose, goals, mission, and relationship with the Bush administration; reports from the Council's committees, and a public comment period.

On the second day of the meeting, PACHA members met with the president and listened as he unveiled his "Emergency Plan for HIV Relief," an expansion upon the remarks he made during the State of the Union regarding Global HIV and AIDS. This was be the first PACHA meeting for the seven new members recently appointed to the Council, as well as the first since the public debate over the nomination of Jerry Thacker to PACHA, and his subsequent withdrawal from the running. For more information about the meeting or about PACHA is general: http://www.pacha.gov.

4. AIDS Action’s Public Policy Committee Convenes in Washington
This week, AIDS Action's Public Policy Committee met in Washington, DC to discuss public policies that affect people living with HIV/AIDS. During the two-day meeting, the Committee received an update on the activities of AIDS Action, which were conducted on the Committee's behalf. Topics covered during the course of the meeting included relevant policy and programmatic issues, such as HIV surveillance and the education of HIV providers.

The following day, Committee members conducted Hill visits to convey to their representatives information about their success in providing HIV prevention and care services, and learn how they can work with Congress to ensure the highest possible funding levels for HIV/AIDS programs.

AIDS Action's Public Policy Committee, chaired by John Farina of the Greater Cleveland AIDS Taskforce, is an arm of the AIDS Action Council Board of Directors. For information on how to become a member of the Council and Public Policy Committee, contact Sarah Whitehead at AIDS Action: swhitehead@aidsaction.org.

In the News
1. A Long Time in Planning, Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Will Support the Use Condoms, Abstinence
Although President Bush’s announcement of a $15 billion Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief came as a surprise to many AIDS activists who had tuned into the State of the Union Address on Tuesday evening, members of the Bush administration, reports the New York Times, say the plan has been in the works for a very long time. According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, he and other government officials have been planning the initiative, at Bush’s bequest, since June. In an interview last year, Bill Frist, physician and current majority leader, offered additional evidence of Bush’s interest in the global pandemic by stating, “[Bush] gets it.” Frist also offered that he had been trying to convince Bush to get involved since their first ride together on Airforce One.

Yet Bush demonstrated an initial reluctance to get involved, which stemmed from his concern that U.S. money would not be wisely spent,” the Times explains. Over time, however, his skepticism waned for several reasons. One reason in particular was the that price of generic HIV/AIDS drugs decreased significantly and became easier to take, which helped convince him that these drugs could be administered successfully in under-resourced countries. Undoubtedly, the decrease in the cost of HIV/AIDS drugs, especially generic ones, also helped move Bush to action.

Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, will support all 12 points of prevention that the World Health Organization has developed in its program documents. Among the twelve points, a January 30, 2003 Reuters article notes, are the distribution of condoms and the instruction of their use. It also includes general education and counseling, including abstinence. In the U.S., Bush has historically promoted the use of abstinence over condoms in HIV and pregnancy prevention. To read the New York Times article, link to http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/30/politics/30AIDS.html?ex=1044943316&ei=1&en=472eaf08b55b5708 and to review the Reuters report, go to
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=2137512.

2. Once Common Eye Disease in People with AIDS Kept at Bay with HIV Medications
Early in the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic, an eye disease related to the cytomegalovirus (CMV) was a common ailment in the final stages of AIDS. In fact, blindness caused by CMV often signaled imminent death for those living with HIV/AIDS, a January 29, 2003 article in Health Scout News reveals. A recent study, however, reported promising news: there has been a 30 percent drop in eye disease for HIV-positive individuals. This drop, the study’s researchers state, coincides with the introduction of highly active retroviral therapies (HAART) in the mid-1990s, which keep the immune system strong and thus enable it to keep CMV in check.

CMV is a common virus, found 85 percent of people by the age of 40. Although the presence of CMV has been linked by researchers to heart disease and stroke, it normally remains dormant, causing no health problems. However, when the immune system is compromised—as it all too often is in the advanced stages of HIV—CMV can destroy the retina and lead to blindness. CMV is also responsible for a lethal form of pneumonia and it can attack other parts of the body, including the gastrointestinal system and the brain.

Despite the promising news about decreases in HIV-related eye disease, people living with advanced HIV or AIDS are hardly invulnerable to CMV. Since the body’s new defense against CMV is attributed to HAART drugs, individuals who don’t take these drugs, or don’t take them regularly, face higher odds of being affected by this opportunistic virus. Decreasing CMV rates further is, therefore, contingent on making HAART drugs available to as many HIV-positive people as possible.

To read the article, go to http://www.healthscoutnews.com/view.cfm?id=511510.

Announcements
1. HRSA/HAB Announces Title III FY 2003 Technical Assistance Conference Call
As part of the Ryan White CARE Act Title III, HIV Planning Grants are available to support eligible entities in rural communities, underserved communities, or communities of color as an effort to plan for the establishment of HIV primary care services. Capacity Building Grants are also available under Title III to support efforts to strengthen organizational infrastructure and to develop, enhance, or expand HIV primary health care services. To assist agencies interested in applying for the Ryan White CARE Act Title III Planning & Capacity Building Grants, the Division of Community Based Programs at the HIV/AIDS Bureau will hold a set of pre-application technical assistance conference calls. The conference calls will be held on the following dates: 1) Planning Grant Program; Tuesday, February 18, 2003 2:00 to 3:30p.m. EST; 2) Capacity Building Grant Program; Thursday, February 20, 2003 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. EST.

Agencies wishing to participate in the calls must register with HAB and no more that two individuals from an agency may register for the call. Participants must prepare questions prior to the conference call date and submit them with the registration. Registration closes February 11, 2003. For questions or how to register contact Tracy Middleton at the Health Resources and Services Administration, 301-657-4254, ext 315.

2. HIV/AIDS and the D.C. Immigrant Conference at Howard University Hospital
On Tuesday, February 4th, 2003 Howard University Hospital’s Office of International Healthcare Services is presenting the AIDS Conference. The theme of this conference is HIV/AIDS and the D.C. Immigrant. This conference is designed to start a conversation among scientists, clinicians, community advocates, and leaders to explore the epidemiological trends of HIV among immigrant communities in Washington, DC. For more information call AIDS Action @ (202) 530-8030.

3. FDA Seeks Public Comments on Draft Guidance for Collecting and Reporting Race/Ethnicity Data in Clinical Trials
On Thursday, January 23, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a draft guidance entitled "Guidance for Industry: Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data in Clinical Trials," which lays out the process for race/ethnicity data collection in clinical trials. The FDA is accepting public comments on the draft for 60 days. Comments should be submitted to the Federal Register. For a copy of the guidance go to
http://www.fda.gov/cder/guidance/5054dft.doc or, to view in PDF, http://www.fda.gov/cder/guidance/5054dft.pdf.

AIDS Action encourages the review of this document. It is essential that all groups affected by HIV be included in clinical trials and appropriately documented, since drug reactions and responses sometimes vary in groups of different race or ethnicity.

4. Pathways Linking Education to Health
SOURCE: Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) APPLICATION DEADLINE: Letter of Intent: 2/28/03; Application: 3/26/03 $ AVAILABLE: $1.5 million to fund 5 to 10 new and/or competitive continuation grants

ELIGIBILITY: Domestic and foreign, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of state and local governments, and eligible agencies of the federal government. Faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for these grants.

PURPOSE: To increase the level and diversity of research directed at finding the causal pathways and mechanisms that may underlie the association between education and health. Better understanding of the causal pathways between education and health could lead to additional and improved prevention and therapeutic intervention strategies for important health problems.

CFDA: 93.3866
CONTACT: Lawrence J. Fine MD, Dr.PH., Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research, Office of Director, National Institute of Health, (301) 435-6780, Fax: (301) 402-1150, E-mail: Finel@od.nih.gov For the full announcement, go to: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OB-03-001.html
From NIH Guide, 1/10/03
Source: FUNDING ALERT 14-1-2, 1/14/03

5. Conference Series on President Bush’s Faith-Based Initiative
The White House, together with the Departments of Health & Human Services, Housing & Urban Development, Labor, Education, and Justice has scheduled a series of conferences to help faith-based and community organizations learn more about President Bush's initiative. These free, daylong conferences will equip participants with information about the federal programs that are suited to their needs, the federal funding process, and the legal issues that may apply to recipients of federal funds. They will help your organization decide whether and how partnering with the Federal government could strengthen your organization's mission. The next two conferences will take place Tuesday, February 18, 2002 in Diego, CA and Friday, March 14, 2002 in Chicago, IL. To learn more and register online, link to http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/conferences.html.

6. HIV/AIDS Educational Materials Available Through the Office of Minority Health
In acknowledgement of World AIDS Day, in memory of those who have passed away, and in recognition of those individuals living with HIV/AIDS and those dedicated health care professionals working with HIV/AIDS, the Office of Minority Health/DHHS is making available an HIV/AIDS educational packet, which can be downloaded easily.
The packet’s materials are updated twice daily and include the following sections: What is World AIDS Day; Tool Kit; Calendar; Educational and Outreach Resources; Links; and Special Assistance. The packet is available online at http://www.omhrc.gov/omh/aids/2k2/0881_2C3.htm.
For further information, contact OMHRC by phone 1-800-444-6472, or E-mail, hivinfo@omhrc.gov.

7. AIDSinfo Shares Federally-approved HIV/AIDS Information
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is pleased to announce the launch of AIDSinfo. On December 2, 2002, the HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Information Service (ACTIS) and its sister service, the HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Service (ATIS), merged into AIDSinfo. The AIDSinfo project includes all the services that were available from ACTIS and ATIS, as well as quick and easy access to wide-ranging federal resources on HIV/AIDS clinical research, HIV treatment and prevention, and medical practice guidelines for health care providers and consumers.

The AIDSinfo Web site is designed for full accessibility, ensuring easy search and navigation. The Web site presents federally approved information on HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention guidelines, a comprehensive database of both government and industry-supported HIV/AIDS clinical trials, and information about approved and experimental HIV/AIDS drugs, and vaccines. The site's Education and Resource Center is a virtual one-stop shop offering links and other downloadable resources specially designed for patients, researchers, health care providers, and the public. The AIDSinfo Help Line at 800-448-0440 has English- and Spanish-speaking Health Information Specialists who offer confidential responses to questions and assistance with navigating the Web site. The Help Line is available Monday through Friday, noon to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time. To view AIDSinfo, link to http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov/.

8. 10th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections
From February 10 to February 14, 2003, the 10th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections will be held at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA. The Conference is a scientifically focused meeting that brings together the world’s leading researchers, working to understand, prevent, and treat HIV/AIDS and its complications. The goal of the Retrovirus Conference is to provide a forum for translating laboratory and clinical research into medical applications. Subjects to be highlighted include virology, immunology, vaccines, pathogenesis, disease mechanisms in humans and animal models, primary/acute infection, host-virus interactions, antiretroviral therapy (pre-clinical, clinical, complications, immune-based therapies, treatment strategies and drug resistance), neuropathogenesis and neurologic complications, opportunistic infections, hepatitis virus co-infections, epidemiology and infection control, pediatrics/maternal-fetal studies, HIV infection in women/women’s health, diagnostics, microbicides, and clinical pharmacology. For more information, please visit http://www.retroconference.org/2003/about.htm.

The AIDS Action Weekly Update
The Weekly Update is written with a mind toward the interests of AIDS Action members. If you read the Weekly Update and value the information you receive through this service but are not yet a member of AIDS Action, we invite you to learn more about AIDS Action membership and its benefits by contacting Sarah Whitehead at AIDS Action (202) 530-8030, ext. 3060 or swhitehead@aidsaction.org.

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