British Columbia Persons With AIDS Society Newsletter Issue #82 February/March 1995

ON THE COVER: SLASHING SOCIAL SECURITY As the Federal Canadian government moves to make major budgetary cuts, BCPWA NEWS details what these cuts will mean for people living with HIV disease and AIDS. 4 SOCIAL SECURITY: II The second instalment on the Canadian Society Security reforms explores the emerging issues of income security and launches a discussion paper which proposes a National Catastrophic Disability Program. Presented to the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development. 11 CAPTAIN MIDNITE Column. 12 YOUTHCO Youth can tell "why some brochures are cool and some aren't, why some information is heard by young people and some is not." Petra Fisher explains that this makes YouthCo a valuable new group in dealing with HIV disease and AIDS. 13 A LATE CHRISTMAS CONTEMPLATION Hopes for reconciling estranged family. 14 STRYKER NEWS Column. "Income Tax & Laughter." Creating a personal Medical Transcript for those times, often emergencies, when you can't remember all the medications, therapies, etc. POSTIVELY HAPPENING. Across the Province, Vancouver Services, Vancouver Weekly, Societies, Resources, Classifieds, Announcements 15 POSITIVE WOMEN'S NETWORK 1995 Retreats 16 KUDOS 19 RESPITE COMMITTEE A Provincial Advisory Committee has been established in support of unpaid caregivers. 21 3TC-AZT Report on clinical trials of AZT versus AZT-3TC 22 PROPHYLAXIS AGAINST PCP 60% of AIDS fatalities are due to PCP while clinical trials demonstrate that appropriate prophylaxis can prevent over 90% of cases. Study launched to find out who is and is not using PCP prophylaxis in the community at large, the reasons why the eligible persons are not using prophylaxis and to develop an educational technique for dissemination of information to target populations. 23 TREATMENT NOTES. National Herpes Hotline. Trials: THF and Zidovudine, Oral Gancylovir, Delavirdine, Traditional Chinese Medicine. Pharmacy Options. Herpes Virus May be Linked to Kaposi's Sarcomo. 27 LETTER TO THE EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Inmate gives kudos for assistance with his medical care and asks to correspond with other HIV/AIDS survivors. 28 TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES -- A SURVEY. BCPWA adn the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS is undertaking a groundbreaking survey to explore quality of life issues for people living with HIV disease aned AIDS. Please take the time to reponsd to the survey.