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HELMS KILLS FEDERAL AZT SUBSIDY BILL AS STATES RUN OUT OF FUNDS
Senator Jesse Helms (R-N.C.I killed Health Service to subsidize AZT.
legislation that would have extended by six George Mitchell (D-Maine), who
months the federal government's funding schedules legislation in the Senate, had
program for AZT (Retrovir) for low-income stipulated the bill would be brought onto the
individuals. The move comes as two states -- floor only if Senators could agree not to add
Georgia and Kansas -- have exhausted their amendments. Helms, along with Senators
AZT grants. Funding in several more states William Armstrong (R-Colo.) and Don Nickles
is expected to expire in the upcoming weeks. (R-Okla.), refused to agree to the
Approximately 7,000 people in the U.S. stipulations, thus preventing the bill from
are receiving government assistance under the being considered by the Senate.
AZT subsidy program. AZT -- which costs ”When we say Jesse Helms is ~King of
about $8,000 a year at full dose -- is the only Killer Amendments,‘ we really mean killer,“
government-approved drug for directly said Robert Bray, HRCF communications
fighting AIDS. director. "More people are going to get sick
Human Rights Campaign Fund (HRCF) and die faster because they cannot afford
lobbyists said the bill would not have allocated life-prolonging drug treatments."
additional funds for AZT, but would have HRCF suggests people contact their
given the government time to reprogram Senators and Representatives and urge their
already existing funds into federal AZT support of future federal AZT subsidies.
subsidies. For example, funds from states Individuals may send Congress a pre-
with surplus money could be moved into states authorized mailgram through HRCF's Speak Out
whose funds have expired, or additional program by calling HRCF's Field Division at
monies could be located within the Public (202) 628-14150.
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AIDS RESEARCH RAISES HOPES
During April, scientists from the immune system. AZT, the only approved AIDS
University of California and Cenelabs, |nc., treatment in the U.S., can not kill infected
reported that a plant protein appears to kill macrophages.
the AIDS virus in test tube experiments. The GLQZZ3 has undergone animal testing for
drug, called GLQZZ3, is a highly purified form toxicity but has yet to be tested for
of the protein tricosanthin, found in the root effectiveness against AIDS in humans. The
of Chinese cucumbers. report in the Proceedings of the National
ln test tube experiments, GLQZZB Academy of Sciences only dealt with the
inhibited virus production in infected T-cells, preliminary findings. The drug must be
a type of white blood cell attacked by HIV. proven effective in humans and approved by
The drug also killed infected macrophages, the FDA before it becomes an accepted
another white blood cell essential to a healthy treatment for AIDS.
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