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AIDS Vaccine Study Needs More Volunteers Additional volunteers are being sought for the AIDS vaccine study that is underway at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland. The study is designed to determine the best dosing regimen and the nature of the antibody and cell-mediated immune responses to this vaccine. At the recent Fourth International Conference on AIDS in Stockholm, NIAID scientists reported promising new results from this study-the first experimental AIDS vaccine to be tested in humans in the United States. Dr. H. Clifford Lane, Deputy Clinical Director, NIAID, said that 20 volunteers who have already been inoculated using escalating doses of a recombinant AIDS vaccine manufactured by MicroGcncSys, Inc., biopharmaceutical firm in West Haven, Connecticut. The vaccine consists of purified envelope protein (gpl60) derived from the genetic material of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the suspected cause of AIDS. Participants in the study are healthy homosexual and bisexual men who are at low risk of HIV infection. The first group of volunteers received 10 micrograms of gpl60 and the dose was doubled for each successive group. Two- thirds of each group received a booster dose (either 50 percent or 100 percent of the primary dose) one month later. The Western blot test is being used to examine blood specimens, taken weekly, for antibody responses to the various doses of the vaccine. The test can delect the specific HIV proteins against which an individual's immune system has produced antibodies. Of the 16 volunteers who were immunized with 40 micrograms of the vaccine, 10 showed an antibody response. Four of the 5 persons who received primary immunizations and no boosters developed antibodies within 8 weeks. Six out of the 10 persons who received a primary dose and a booster at one month also showed antibodies by 8 weeks. Of the 15 volunteers who received 80 micrograms of the vaccine, 10 have developed antibodies so far. The investigators stated that immunization with gpl60 appears safe during short-term followup with initial doses up to 80 micrograms. Local reactions (tenderness, redness and swelling), flu-like symptoms, and fever of up to 24 hours duration, common in the administration of any vaccine, occurred in some volunteers. No serious toxicides attributable to the vaccine have been seen. Volunteers must be healthy homosexual or bisexual men who are at low risk of HIV infecdon, and are able to come to NIAID once per week for the first month after vaccination, and subsequendy once per month for the next year. Travel expenses for volunteers who are not local will be paid by NIH. To obtain more informadon or to volunteer, call 1-800-634 3027. Prospccdve volunteers may also call 1 301496-7196. • GAY & LESBIAN* Gay Activist, Lobbyist Seeks Fulton County Seat Well-known for his work as a lobbyist and activist on gayllesbian-related issues, Atlanta attorney Gil Robison is currently a candidate for the Georgia House of Representatives, in one of the at-large seats representing Fulton County. Following is the text of Mr. Robison's recent interview with Southern Voice. SOUTHERN VOICE: Why did you decide ' to run for office at this time? GIL ROBISON: The need is greater for our community than it's ever been before. The federal government has, under the Reagan administradon, not shown the leadership that it should have in dealing with the AIDS crisis, and so it's fallen to the states to shelter the burden to develop policies and to provide the funding to prevent the spread of AIDS. I've woriced with the Georgia legislature for a number of years on AIDS-related issues and gay rights issues, and consequendy a lot of folks from throughout the community feel that I'm better qualified than my opponents. SV: Aside from the AIDS issue, with what other issues are you particularly concerned with? GR: Where to start? One is fair planning for regional growth, another is assuring that Fulton County gets back a fairer share of state revenues than it does. The state collects more from Fulton County than it does from any other county in state revenues in the form of sales taxes and other taxes, and we never get back even half of what we pay into the state. Grady Hospital, for instance, desperately needs greater state funding. It serves people from throughout the area, not only in its AIDS clinic, but also its bum unit and emergency room. Another need we have for state funding is in drug rehabilitation and education programs to curb the epidemic of drug abuse, and the crime that it generates. Instead, what we get from the state, far too often, are projects many Fulton County residents less than wholeheartedly support, such as the Presidential Paricway, Georgia 400, and the domed stadium. SV: To what extent have you been campaigning as an openly gay candidate? Is that a feasible thing to do for someone who wants to win? GR: Well, I've been described as a candidate who has nothing to hide but hide itself. Fulton County is large and has a diverse population, with a diversity of concerns. Virtually all of the electorate, all of the various communities, are primarily concerned about their issues. In order to be a viable candidate, I must address those issues. I know in the past when we've had candidates' forums, the candidates would come give a rather standard speech, and most of us in the audience would wonder why they weren't addressing gay issues. Conversely, when a gay candidate speaks to an audience outside the gay community, I feel it's most important that as a representative, he be responsive to those issues. Here in the Atlanta area, we have a history of electing officials who we don't necessarily identify with, but who we believe would be the best person for the job. For instance, when the fifth congressional district was majority white, Andrew Young was elected congressman. When it was majority black, it elected Wyche Fowler. In the not-too-distant past, Atlanta had a Jewish mayor, Sam Massell. We have a greater percentage of women elected officials than other areas of the state and the South. I believe that we have made progress to the point at which we look at the candidate and his or her abilities, rather than other issues that most of the electorate considers extraneous. Conversely, though, I believe my work in the gay community, the commitment to people issues, has found a sympathetic ear in various other constituencies such as the feminist, environmental, and other progressive groups. SV: / understand you would like to see some changes in the way MARTA is run. GR: Yes, true. I would like to sec it more responsive to the public it serves. The board of MARTA is appointed, not elected by the public, and its members can be removed only by the General Assembly. This, of course, has never happened and probably never will. Having an elected board would certainly make MARTA's policy more responsive. Another suggestion has been to institute an office of a consumer advocate, similar to the consumer advocate's office that represents public concerns before the Public Service Commission. SV: You've said that you believe there is a large part of the gayllesbian community that does not vote. Why do you think that is? GR: We've never had a gay candidate before. Back when I first got involved in electoral politics, in 1976, we usually had to choose between the lesser of two evils. Now, generally we choose among persons who are to some degree or another committed to equal rights for gays and lesbians. S V: What would you tell those voters are your special goals for them? GR: I hope that all the craziness associated with the omnibus AIDS bill is behind us, though I'm afraid it's not There are many special interest groups who would like to see the confidentiality of AIDS-related information that was part of the omnibus AIDS bill loosened up, opened up. Many of the crazy proposals that have been around the legislature for a number of years are still going to be there, such as requiring that restaurant Gil Robison, Candidate for State House District 40 workers be tested annually, all kinds of demagoguery. As I said, I hope that we concentrate on more substantial issues such as more funding. The Department of Human Resources requested $2.7 million for its AIDS prevention program last year. They got less than 1/4 of that - $660,000. Massachusetts, by comparison, has fewer cases of AIDS than we do in Georgia, but their annual budget usually includes $34 million to fight AIDS. Georgia now ranks 8 th among states in number of cases of AIDS, yet it's 26th in state expenditures, 36th in per capita expenditures. SV: Is that because the legislators from the smaller, rural sections of Georgia are reluctant to spend the money? GR: Yes, exactly. Unfortunately, they seem to be like everyone else in a crisis. They don't believe AIDS is a problem for Ihem. AIDS education, it's been said, is what happens when five of your friends are diagnosed. Of course, by then it's too late to take measures that would have been more effective earlier. I don't believe that it would be inaccurate to say that the state has written off the gay community, and is only now beginning to grapple with the problem in a meaningful way as it spreads among IV drug users, the poor, and minorities. SV: And you're also still involved in attempts to see the sodomy law repealed? GR: Yes. There’s an attempt to repeal it close to passing the House of Representatives now. I believe many of our straight supporters in the legislature don't fully appreciate how significant this issue is to the gay community. An openly gay person in the legislature, frilly committed to the repeal effort, could make our chances of success much greater. -David Tucker Look for an interview with openly gay candidate Dick Rhodes in the August 4th edition of Southern Voice. • Franklin Abbott, L.C.S.W. • Jane DeMore, R.n., M.n., C.S. • Martha Lou Brock, L.C.S.W. • Elaine Mueller, R.N., Ms.T. Ansley Therapy Associates Suite 120 • 1904 Monroe Drive • Atlanta, Georgia 30324 • (404) 874-8294 First Existentialist Church of Atlanta 470 CANDLE* 7 AMDWVtNE ATLANTA GEORGIA 30»7 378-5570 R. Lanier Ctance, Minister Services 11:00 AM, Sunday Circle of Healing, 3:45 PM 1st & 3rd Sundays Debora h E. Keefe ATTORNEY AT LAW La Vista Center (404) 634-3835 1535 LaVista Road, N.E. Atlanta GA 30329 Page 13