Vancouver Persons With AIDS Society Newsletter Issue #69 July 1993

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE On the responsibility and accountability of people who choose to represent people living with HIV/AIDS; BERLIN CONFERENCE OVERVIEWS: GENERAL OVERVIEWS POSITIVES 1. Aldon McKeans opening speech on the theme "tear down the walls" 2 The presentation of the Concorde Study on AZT usage 3 Pioneer work of Flossie Wong-Staal on gene therapy 4 Pioneer work of Alexandra Levine with J. Salk on the development of the Salk vaccine 5 Pioneer work of Guy Levy on the importance of cell mediation on disease progression 6 Pioneer work of L. Montagnier on the co-factors in HIV 7 M. Horton's closing speech on homosexual active men and the evolving global epidemic 8 The PWA Lounge 9 Useful and practical information on many OIs 10 Hope. Despite the fact that a cure was not announced there were many encouraging discoveries of lesser magnitude 11 Berlin NEGATIVES 1 The role of GNP+. If this is the group that is supposed to represent the concerns of PWAs at the International Conference, the failed. 2 The Conference site was not user-friendly 3 The large numbers of workshops, roundtables, etc. that evidenced an inordinate amount of medical jargon nonspeak, bad science and psychobabble 4 The lack of effective PWA participation in most of the workshops and sessions 5 The scope of the conference was overwhelming. 6 The American media's coverage of the conference was problematic 7 ACT UP for some of their pranks had fairly serious side effects 8 The costs associated with this conference were excessive; NOVEL ANTIVIRALS New drugs in basic research or Phase I testing in humans; TWO VIEWS ON THE LONG-TERM SURVIVOR ASPECT OF THE CONFERENCE; GENE THERAPY; VACCINES; DO GPs NEED COUNSELLING; INJECTION DRUG USE (MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE); MULTIDIAGNOSIS: CONSPICUOUS IN ITS ABSENCE; BERLIN: THE COST The costs associated with the Society's attendance at the Berlin Conference; TOPICS COVERED IN THE BERLIN SUMMARY SECTION; BERLIN - DAY 1 - SUNDAY. Arrival, Registration and Reception; BERLIN - DAY 2 - MONDAY. The Opening And Press Conferences. Pathogenesis Of HIV Infection-Dr. Fauci. HIV Attachment And Penetration. Oral And Gastrointestinal Manifestations. Vaccines. HIV Transcription, Integration And RNA Processing. Pulmonary Manifestations. Wasting Syndrome; BERLIN - DAY 3 - TUESDAY. Molecular Targets For Resistance With Viral Replication-F. Wong-Staal. Antiretroviral Treatment. Gallo Overview. The Concorde Study-M. Seligmann: Is AZT Dead Yet? Nutrition. Neuropsychiatric Manifestations. Psychosocial Care and Community Support. Community Based Research-Delaney. Bacterial Opportunistic Infections (BOI). Hospice and Palliative Care. Opportunistic & Other Infections: Mycobacteria Other Than TB; BERLIN - DAY 4 - WEDNESDAY. Development of Human HIV Vaccines-D. Bolognesi. Mechanisms of Pathogenesis and Long Term Survival with HIV/AIDS-J. Levi. Future HIV Vaccine Policy and Implications for Efficacy Trials-W. Dowdle. Living with HIV and AIDS. Methodology and Quality Assurance: Design, Evaluation and Ethical issues in Clinical Trials. Immunotherapeutics. Protozoal Opportunistic Infections (POIs). Distribution, Patterns of Spread in Population at Risk for the Spread of TB. Societal Response: Access to Prevention and Care in Socio-Economically Deprived Populations. Nursing Standards and Quality of Care. Course of Infection: Markers of Non-Progression; BERLIN - DAY 5 - THURSDAY. Progress in Therapy and Prophylaxis of Opportunistic Infections-I. Weller. Mycotic Infections in Patients Infected with HIV-T. Sirisanthana. HIV, Cofactors and AIDS-L. Montagnier. Lymphoma and Other Neoplasias. Kaposi Sarcoma. Burnout Strategies for Coping in Care Providers. Concepts and Models of Care. Viral and Opportunistic Infections. Fungal Opportunistic Infections. Antiretroviral Therapies. Antiretroviral (Other Substances). BERLIN - DAY 6 - FRIDAY. The Closing Plenary; ANNOUNCEMENTS; VICTORIA ACTIVITIES AND SCHEDULE FOR JULY; WE'RE OPEN. OTHER PROGRAMS/SUPPORT PROJECTS OFFERED BY PWA AND OTHERS. NOTICEBOARD. HELPLINE Volunteer Opportunities;