AmFAR Grants for Community-Based Trials: Letter Due May 23

The American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR) will award a maximum of eight Project Grants, of up to $100,000 each, for clinical research projects at community-based clinical research centers. A letter of intent to apply for these grants -- including an abstract of the proposed project, a biographical sketch of the organization's executive director and of the trial's principal investigator, and a list of participating physicians -- is due at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at the AmFAR office in New York.

AmFAR will also award Operating Grants, but these are only for research organizations already funded by AmFAR. (The Project Grants are not restricted in this way.)

To apply, obtain instructions for submitting the letter of intent from the American Foundation for AIDS Research, Community Based Clinical Trials Program, 1515 Broadway, Suite 3601, New York, NY 10036, 212/719-0033.



Breast Cancer Demonstration May 12; Solidarity Growing Among Cancer and AIDS Activists

by Denny Smith

Obstacles to research progress, budget squabbles at every level of government, and general dissatisfaction with the status quo of health care are among the experiences shared between activists dealing with cancer and AIDS. The number of women diagnosed with breast cancer in particular in the United States is growing, and so is the number of women who have decided to bring their anger and frustration with public apathy to the public. In the process they have made some medical and political alliances with AIDS activists in New York and San Francisco, alliances which could be crucial to long-range victories in either camp.

One of every nine American women will face breast cancer in her lifetime; 44,500 women are expected to die this year alone. Those deaths, like so many deaths from AIDS, might be preventable if an appropriate research and treatment agenda were in place. Already, we have seen attempts of some researchers to set up antagonistic relationships between different patient groups by complaining that AIDS receives too large a portion of the medicine budget pie. What we must insist is that the United States can afford to increase the total medicine portion of the national budget pie. Health care must become a "national security" issue.

On Sunday, May 12, a coalition of organizations fighting breast cancer will be marching on Sacramento, California, in what is expected to be the nation's largest public mobilization to address the subject thus far. For more information, interested persons should call Breast Cancer Action, 415/922-8279. One immediate goal of activists is to gain passage of H. R. 381, a bill to earmark $25 million for breast cancer research. We hope that this movement builds momentum to save lives, and fosters self-empowerment among other patient constituencies.


Statement of Purpose

AIDS TREATMENT NEWS reports on experimental and complementary treatments, especially those available now. It collects information from medical journals, and from interviews with scientists, physicians, and other health practitioners, and persons with AIDS or HIV.

Long-term survivors have usually tried many different treatments, and found combinations which work for them. AIDS TREATMENT NEWS does not recommend particular therapies, but seeks to increase the options available.

We also examine the ethical and public-policy issues around AIDS treatment research and treatment access.