Friday, October 9, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section A • Page 3
Kansas City participating in AIDS test
By Sue Franke
Kansan staff writer
Kansas City is among the first of 10 cities selected for the study of a new AIDS vaccine.
About 100 AIDS-free volunteers who are at high risk for contracting the virus are being recruited for the three- to four-year study.
AIDSVAX uses engineered copies of the gp120 protein, found on the outer coating of the HIV virus.
Once injected, the vaccine is supposed to prompt the immune system to make antibodies, which can attack invading viruses before they infect healthy cells.
"Although we suspect AIDSVAX will work, we don't know for a certainty," said David McKinsey, the principal physician involved in the Kansas City study.
Henry Buck, head of gynecology at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said that no vaccine is 100 percent effective because all viruses have multiple strains.
buck and two physicians at the University of Kansas Medical Center said that they were not comfortable commenting on this particular vaccine because it is so new. Buck did praise the treatment developments in general.
"Death is the cost of AIDS, and death rates have decreased rapidly because of the kinds of treatments being done." Buck said.
If the test shows AIDSVAX prevents AIDS infection, VaxGen of Brisbane, Calif., will ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve its general use.
"We're expecting numerous phone calls during the next few weeks," said Jan Meier, the Kansas City AIDS Research Consortium's clinical director and supervisor of the AIDSVAX study.
Opponents doubt the vaccine will be successful, arguing that earlier tests showed it boosted only one part of the immune system.
The Kansas City AIDS Research Consortium and community leaders lobbied VaxGen to bring the vaccine trail to Kansas City.
In the blinded trial, two-thirds of the U.S. volunteers will receive the vaccine, while the rest will receive a placebo.
If after three years results show the vaccine is highly effective, the study will be stopped and all participants on placebos will be given the vaccine.
AIDSVAX testing began June 23 in Philadelphia. Since then, test sites have opened in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Chicago, Washington D.C. and several other cities.
In addition to Kansas City, about 5,000 people in several dozen cities in the United States and 2,500 people in Thailand will participate in the study.
In small trials on people in the United States and Thailand, more than 90 percent of subjects who received the vaccine developed antibodies, an indication the vaccine may protect against HIV.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Government alleges Visa, MasterCard disallow technology
Credit cards charged with antitrust suit
By Kelli Raybern
Kansan staff writer
The Justice Department's antitrust suit against Visa and MasterCard, filed Wednesday, is not likely to lower interest rates for credit card customers.
The suit is targeted at the development of new credit card technologies. It alleges that U.S. consumers have missed out because the credit card networks don't really compete against each other or against smaller networks.
"This is not a price-fixing case," said Clyde Stoltenberg, professor of business. "It's an issue of whether services are not being made available that would be if there was more direct competition."
The question arises — if the suit won't lower rates, then why is the Justice Department willing to spend tax-payer dollars?
"I think it's a waste of money," said Chris Kennedy, Lenexa sophomore.
Kennedy has a
"My credit card works fine as it is," he said.
Kennedy has a credit card and said that he was not particularly concerned with new credit card technology.
But the Justice Department is not happy with the status quo.
According to the Nilson Report, Visa and MasterCard is controlled by the same group of large banks. Those banks control 75 percent of the general-purpose charge card market. Visa and MasterCard bylaws prevent banks that issue their cards from working with smaller competitors such as American Express and Discover
Forcing them to do so will not likely
tower interest rates for credit card customers. Because credit card rates are controlled by the banks that leave them the
rates already are competitive.
"I don't see consumers jumping up and down applauding the government for bringing this case," Stoltenberg said.
He said the case would be expensive and unlikely to produce benefits.
The government said that consumers need competition between the credit card networks.
"America's consumers have lost out," Attorney General Janet Reno said. "They have lost the benefit of vigorous competition between the two largest credit card networks, which means that they have not enjoyed the innovation that competition brings."
Stoltenberg doubts if the government will be able to prove its case, in light of the new technologies that are on the market.
we are seeing smart cards," he said. "It's difficult for me to conceive that the Justice Department will be able to show sufficient collusion to reduce the number of services available to the public."
Visa quickly was struck back against the government's allegations, issuing a statement that said consumers had unlimited choices among credit cards.
"The 6,000 Visa member banks not only compete against rival credit card brands, they compete fiercely among themselves," the Visa statement said.
KU students help save lives by donating time and blood
Intrastate rivalry incentive to give
By Sarah Hale
Kansan staff writer
When Scott Factor, Beachwood, Ohio, freshman, was in high school, he had a teacher who needed help for her sick daughter.
The teacher's daughter, who has since passed away, was dying of cancer and needed platelets, which are found in blood. Factor wanted to help.
Even though his platelets did not a match, Factor has continued donating blood. He donated for the ninth time yesterday at the Kansas Union.
"It's a good way to help people because it's so easy to do," Factor said.
The American Red Cross Bloodmobile, sponsored by the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Association, residence halls and scholarship halls, will continue to take donations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at the Ballroom in the Kansas Union.
"We're hoping to get some last minute donators Friday so that we can reach our goal," said Chris Berry, co-coordinator of the blood drive. "But so far, things are going good."
Although some people get queasy or are afraid of needles, more than 500 students have donated blood since Monday.
The goal is to collect about 600 units of blood, Berry said. Last year, they raised about 550 units.
"We have a competition with K-State to collect the most units of blood," he said. "Since they're having their blood drive this week also, we have to beat them."
Berry said the University of Kansas won last year.
Gina Matteoni, Olathe sophomore, donated blood yesterday and said that beating Kansas State University was another
"We're hoping to get some last minute donors Friday so that we can reach our goal."
Chris Berry
Co-coordinator of the blood drive
incentive to donate.
"This is my fifth time to donate and since you save three lives every time you give blood, that makes me feel good and is a real motivator," Matteoni said. "I also want to help KU beat KState. I've come to donate every semester since I've been here."
Donors receive cookies, lemonade and a free T-shirt after giving blood. Donor names also are entered in a drawing to win gift certificates or CDs.
"People need to come out here and donate blood," said Brad Ashley, who donated yesterday. "It's an easy way to help out the community and other people."
Gina Matteoni, Olathe sophomore, gasps as Red Cross worker Robert Ontiberos applies iodine to her arm before taking her blood. The American Red Cross held a blood drive this week at various locations across campus. Photo by Matt J. Daugherty/KANSAN