European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 22, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Inday May 22, 1994 Medicine the stars and stripes Page 9 gel May provide aids Protection Washington apr a vaginal gel made of a seaweed extract commonly used in foods and cosmetics will be tested As a Way for women to protect themselves from the aids virus. Or. Christopher j. Elias of the private population Council said Friday that Laboratory experiments show that the gel formed from a substance called carrageenan is Able to prevent the aids virus from infecting cells of the Type that line the vaginal tract. He said if the gel proves itself in tests it would give women a new Way of protecting themselves from contracting the aids causing human immunodeficiency virus or his from infected partners. Elias said the carrageenan gel has been tested in rabbits and the population Council will apply to the food and drug administration this summer for authority to test it in human patients. Carrageenan is widely used in Coset court overturns Animo is rights in laboratories Washington a a Federal appeals court Friday threw out a judges ruling that had said rats mice and Birds were entitled to the same humane conditions required for other research animals. The animal Legal defense fund the humane society of the United states and two individuals Lack Legal standing to sue on behalf of lab animals said the . Court of appeals for the District of Columbia circuit. A Federal judge in january 1992 had ordered the . Department of agriculture to reconsider its 20-year-rold policy exempting rats mice and Birds from rules that require humane research conditions. The humane society said such animals make up 85 percent of animals used in research. A in effect this decision legalizes inhumane treatment of eight out of every 10 animals in -. Laboratories a humane society vice president Martin Stephens said in a statement. Animal Legal defense fund attorney Valerie Stanley said a animals cannot speak for themselves. If animal Protection organizations Are denied the right to represent animals interests in court then animals truly have no  suit charges danger in penile ii is soups ice creams and candies and is generally regarded As Safe Elias said. It is extracted from seaweed As a White powder and turns into a gel when added to water he said. Elias said carrageenan appears to be so Safe that eventually it probably could be sold Over the counter As a vaginal gel just As some products for vaginal use now Are sold. The population Council is an International nonprofit organization that conducts research on problems of reproduction and overpopulation. Elias is a scientist in its Center for biomedical research a a. A a a a a a a he said tests show carrageenan gel tends to stick to cells and virus particles giving each surface a negative electrical charge. As a result the cells and particles repel each other. This has been shown in test tube experiments to. Prevent his from fusing with cells thereby keeping them from becoming infected Elias said. Seen As to medical suppliers Washington a makers of raw materials for medical devices say lawsuits Are driving them to quit production and a senator warns that it could threaten the lives of people who need the devices. Joseph Lieberman a Conn. That he plans to introduce sen. Said Friday that be pm legislation to shield suppliers of the raw materials from being sued when they Are not responsible for defects in medical devices. A this is a Public health time bomb a and it is ticking a and the lives of real people arc going to be lost if it explodes a Lieberman said. He warned that the Supply of life saving medical devices could be choked off in the next two years because suppliers of the raw materials Are afraid of lawsuits by Consumers and will Stop producing them. Since 1992, Dow chemical co., Dow Corn ing corp. And . Dupont de Nemours amp co. Have stopped supplying a number of such materials. Lieberman chaired a hearing Friday of the Senate governmental affairs subcommittee on regulation and government information he blamed a an out of control product liability system which makes it too easy to bring lawsuits against raw materials suppliers and too costly for those suppliers to defend themselves even when they ultimately win a a a what a also on the line Are Peoples jobs a Lieberman said. He cited a recent study by the consulting firm Aronoff associates that found sales of polyester yarns and resins such As Dupont a Teflon used in medical implants accounted for Only 0.006 percent of the total Market for such products. San Francisco apr three couples sued the largest . Manufacturer of silicone penile implants charging the devices Are ineffective and dangerous. The male plaintiffs said the inflatable devices widely used As a remedy for impotence caused pain and a loss of feeling. One of the men said he has undergone reconstructive surgery. Their wives said defective implants interfered with their sexual relations with their husbands. The lawsuit was filed in Federal court Friday against Minnesota based american medical systems inc. And its Parent company Pfizer inc. The lawsuit seeks to represent All buyers of american medical systems penile implants since they were first marketed in 1973. Life m m the Board of governors and members of american women s activities Germany wish to thank those companies who sponsored our 1994 conference for their american forces network to guide. Created from Natl re Quot pm sub Sci  foods vitamins overseas military sales Golip they helped make the 1994 Awag conference a resounding Success