8 GAY PEOPLE'S CHronicle SEPTEMBER 25, 1998

COMMUNITY FORUM

Questions to ask

To the Editors:

We read with interest your coverage of the opening of a clinical trials program at New Hope Alternative Therapy Research [August 28 issue].

As physicians in the Cleveland area who provide care to a large number of HIV infected persons in our community and who have dedicated our careers to the fight against AIDS, we feel obliged to provide a perspective on how HIV care and research have progressed in our community and in our country.

It is the mission of the network of AIDS Clinical Trials Units centered at 30 academic medical centers throughout the United States to develop clinical treatment trials to advance our abilities to treat HIV infection and its complications. These studies are largely funded through tax dollars awarded through peer-reviewed competition by the National Institutes of Health to the best centers in the nation. Through studies conducted at our unit and our collaborating units throughout the country, we have made enormous strides in our understanding of HIV infection and as a result, the outlook for HIV infected persons has changed dramatically.

For example, at each of our hospitals, most opportunistic infections have virtually disappeared and at the John Carey Special Immunology Unit at University Hospitals of Cleveland where data have been compiled, deaths due to HIV infection have dropped by more than 70%.

This progress is a result of good science, hard work and commitment. The people who do this work have spent their lives learning to be doctors, scientists and nurses. The patients who have committed themselves to these treatment trials have done so both in order to gain access to the very best in HIV treatment but also with the understanding that the doctors and nurses who were monitoring their care were true experts in HIV care with national reputations. Anyone who can remember the 1980s and even the early 1990s can see how far we have come as a result of the partnership between our Unit's staff and our patients.

With this history in mind, we were surprised to read that Mr. Rooy, the director of New Hope, contends that he will help to speed up the approval of new treatments for HIV infection.

Since New Hope is conducting the three drug-company-sponsored studies of drugs already approved and available for treatment of HIV infection, it is hard to see how these "post-marketing" studies will speed the approval of new drugs. Rather, these studies are designed by the pharmaceutical companies to further define the role that their approved drugs will have in our growing list of agents to treat HIV infection. This stated, we must be clear that our

LEEANN MCGUIRE

GAYEOPLE'S CHRONIC

Best Alvon Pricto

Rally fine, and a play

LINDA TRIPP SECRETLY TAPED MONICA LEWINSKY SAYING SHE'D HAD AN AFFAIR WITH YOU!

O1998

STARR HAS PRESSURED LEWINSKY INTO TESTIFYING AGAINST YOU!

major concern with the opening of New Hope Alternative Therapy Research is actually far more grave. And this is the crux of it: Taking care of persons with HIV infection is a serious business. Despite all our advances, HIV infection is a life-threatening illness. Careful studies have shown that the likelihood of survival is directly related to the experience your doctor has in the management of persons with HIV infection. If you get your care from people who are welltrained and experienced, you have a real good chance of doing very well.

Our concern is simply that New Hope Alternative Therapy Research is not staffed by physicians and nurses with sufficient expertise or training in HIV care and research. We also are concerned that persons may be attracted to participate in New Hope's treatment trials because of a $50 stipend per visit while the trial may not be in their best medical interests.

We've thought long and hard about what to do or say, about whether we should keep silent at the opening of this new facility or whether we should take the chance of sounding as though we were complaining about "competition." We finally decided that our most important responsibility is to the persons in our community who were living with HIV, and so we must be clear about this message:

No matter where you go for your HIV care or for your clinical treatment trials, just ask your doctor the following questions:

1. Are you a specialist in infectious diseases, oncology, or immunology?

2. Where did you receive your training in HIV care or research?

3. How many years of experience have you had in HIV care or research?

4. How many patients with HIV infection have you personally taken care of as the physician of record?

5. Are there nurses, social workers, nutri-

AND NOW

YOUR SEX LIFE

IS ON THE INTERNET FOR EVERY ONE TO READ!

IN CASE YOU'VE BEEN

WONDERING, SIR, THIS IS PRETTY MUCH HOW YOUR "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL POLICY WORKS.

OK! I MISLED EVERYBODY! I'M SORRY!

tionists and pharmacists at your facility with expertise in the complex issues faced by persons with HIV infection?

6. Should an emergency arise related to my medical care, what mechanisms are in place to assure that 24 hours a day, someone with knowledge of HIV care is available to handle illness, drug toxicities or any medical emergency that might arise?

7. If I am going to sign on to a clinical research treatment trial with you, what kinds of contributions have you or your unit made to the AIDS scientific research literature?

Your doctor's responses to these questions should provide you the information you need.

Michael Lederman, M.D., Director Hernan Valdez M.D., Associate Director Grace McComsey, M.D., Investigator Cleveland AIDS Clinical Trials Unit

Case Western Reserve University

Leonard Calabrese, D.O., Investigator Cleveland AIDS Clinical Trials Unit Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Robert A. Salata, M.D., Chief Infectious Diseases Division Barb Gripshover, M.D., Director John T. Carey Special Immunology Unit

University Hospitals of Cleveland

Robert Kalayjian M.D., Director HIV Clinic MetroHealth Medical Center

Denise J. Signs, M.S., M.D., FACP Director, HIV Care Unit Summa Health Systems

Sharon Weissman, M.D., Director HIV Clinic Veterans' Administration Medical Center

If you have a Gay People's Chronicle subscription...

Cleveland

you always know where to find the latest issue!

26 Issues for $30.00 or 52 Issues for $60.00

If you'd like to receive the Chronicle first class mail (faster service), $43.00 for 26 Issues or $86.00 for 52 Issues

Name

Address

City

Enclosed is my check for $

State

for

Zip

Issues

Send coupon with payment to: Chronicle, P.O. Box 5426, Cleveland, OH 44101

GANELLES CHRONICLE

Volume 14, Issue 13

THE BAY

PEOPLE'S

KVIR

A DECADE

Published by

KWIR Publications, Inc. 1070-177X

ISSN

Publisher:

Business Manager: Managing Editor: Associate Editor: Senior Staff Writer:

Reporters & Writers:

Martha J. Pontoni Patti Harris

Doreen Cudnik Brian De Witt

Dawn Leach

John Graves,

Nels P. Highberg, Eric W. Hunter, Kaizaad Kotwal, M.T. Martone,

Bob Roehr, Rex Wockner

Art Director:

Production Assistant:

Photographer:

Advertising Manager:

Sales:

Christine Hahn

Pat Hughes

LeeAnn McGuire

David A. Ebbert

Timothy Peterson

National Advertising: Rivendell Marketing

212-242-6863 David A. Ebbert 800-426-5947

The Gay People's Chronicle is dedicated to providing a space in the Ohio lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community for all of its members to communicate and be involved with each other. This means that every Chronicle, to the best of its ability, will be equally dedicated to both men's and women's issues, as well as issues that affect the entire community. This balance will provide lesbians and gay men with a forum to air grievances and express joys.

The Gay People's Chronicle is copyrighted under federal law. Any reproduction of its contents is prohibitedunless permission is obtained. Any material submitted for publication will be subject to editing. The Chronicle cannot guarantee return of any such materials unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

The Gay People's Chronicle is not responsible for claims made by advertisers. We reserve the right to reject advertising which is unsuitable for ourpublication.

P.O. Box 5426 Cleveland, Ohio 44101 216-631-8646 or Toll Free: 800-426-5947 Fax: 216-631-1052

E-mail: chronicle@chronohio.com Website: www.cleveland.com/community/gay

Community Forum

The Chronicle encourages everyone to write and express your opinion about the community or the paper. Please, however, keep letters constructive, and avoid name-calling and personal attacks. Please be brief. We reserve the right to edit letters. We will print your name unless you specifically ask us not to.

Letters must include a street address and one, for verification only. hey can be sent via U.S. mail, or fax to the addresses in the masthead above, or to by E-mail letters@chronohio.com.

Subscriptions

Subscriptions are $15 for 13 issues, $30 for 26 issues (half year) or $60 for 52 issues (full year), sent third class in a plain envelope. For faster first-class delivery, add 50¢ per issue to cover extra postage: $21.50 for 13 issues, $43 for 26 issues, and $86 for 52 issues.

Mail check or money order with your address to Chronicle Subscriptions, P.O. Box 5426, Cleveland Ohio 44101. To use Mastercard or Visa, include your signature, card number, expiration date, and your name as it appears on the card.

Deadlines

The Gay People's Chronicle is published every Friday. Display ad and article deadlines are 7 to 8 days earlier. Call for specific dates. Calendar, Classified and Personal deadlines are shown in each of those sections.

Obituaries

Obituaries, written by spouses, family, or friends, may be placed in the Chronicle free of charge. They can be sent by mail or fax (see above for address); but we can't take information over the phone. Include your name and phone, so we may contact you. A photo can be included; please send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want it returned.

Milestones

Tell everyone about your union ceremony, arrival of a child, or other milestone of life, in the Chronicle! Announcements should be 200-300 words, and can include a photo-black and white or color is okay. Photos will be returned if a selfaddressed stamped envelope is included. Mail, fax, and E-mail addresses are above; include your address and phone so we may contact you.

The Gay People's Chronicle Accepts Visa & MasterCard!

VISA

MasterCard

You can charge Classifieds, Display Ads, and Subscriptions!