Friday, September 11,1987/The Battalion/Page 3
State and Local
knd 2 researchers at A&M develop
' na Tiethod to make AIDS vaccine
■eaders. Already
gentleman hasa. | B y Larissa-Starr Smith
Karl and to ask. Reporter
i a columnistallki A Texas A&M professor and a
[ion. Attheend: rrnei A&M student developed the
ally got in thenused in manufacturing the
\ , -st acquired immune deficiency
1 1 ere ndrome vaccine approved by tfie
ssly com used, aKj era i government for testing in
) shout about, Iranians.
iing but hang up. W — ■■■—
a dent in “the See related story, Page 1
establishment tt^
er to gro JK Dj s[ j n g U j s | ie(; j p ro fessor of Ento-
j make at leas, olo(!v Max summers and Dr.
ut vshetherwhi a j e Snhth, an A&M graduate, de-
tat’s going on antlcfied the technique at the Texas
paramount ^Bulture Experiment Station,
jy right, jusibea Mici oGeneSys Inc. in West Ha-
n, Conn., used the technique to
anufacture the acquired immune
i author named Tioency syndrome vaccine, Vax-
it this way:“A :' ,n H‘v-1. The technique is called
dots martyrs e baculovirus expression system,
i ’ i he vaccine is made from a gene on
ea ns ,an e coat 0 f t he AIDS virus,
then consoer,r director of molecular bi-
esist it for the Ho® at MicroGeneSys, said, “The
ornmonlvtre, ccine stimulates the body to pro-
Graphic by M. Rohsner
duce certain kinds of antibodies and
to produce white blood cells which
specifically target the AIDS virus.
We are hoping these antibodies will
protect an individual should he later
become exposed to the virus.”
The National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda,
Md. will test the vaccine on about 80,
mostly male, homosexual volun
teers, Smith said.
Sandy Hecker, public affairs spe
cialist for NIAID, said, “We have al
ready started recruiting volunteers,
but the actual testing will not begin
until October because there is a se
ries of tests that must be done on the
volunteers before the vaccine is tes
ted.”
Presently, MicroGeneSys does not
know whether the vaccine will pre
vent or cure AIDS. The testing at
NIAID is only the first step toward
answering this question.
“If the vaccine were to work, it
would prevent an individual from
getting the establishment of the vi
rus infection,” Smith said.
The purpose of this phase-one
trial is not to determine whether the
vaccine works to prevent against the
infection, but to determine whether
the vaccine will illicit an immune re
sponse. Phase two, which will be con
ducted at a later day, is to optimize
the dosage, Smith said.
“Not until the phase-three trial is
reached can we assess whether the
vaccine is actually preventing infec
tion,” Smith said.
The only expected side effects of
the vaccine are soreness, redness
and mild inflammation at the site of
injection.
“There is a very remote possibility
that an individual would have an al
lergic reaction and some precautions
are being taken so that an individual
would get immediate attention,”
Smith said.“We do not know that the
vaccine works better than any other
because there is no easy means for
us, at MicroGeneSys, to compare our
vaccine with anyone else’s.
“It works well enough in animals
in terms of an ability to stimulate an
immune response to produce certain
kinds of antibodies.
“The vaccine is expected to prove
to be safe, to illicit an immune re
sponse and to make a neutralizing
antibody to protect cells from infec
tion.”
He added that the ability to pro
tect people from the virus will take
many years; however, the tests con
ducted at NIAID will tell more
3 uickly whether the antibodies pro-
uced can protect human white
blood cells from being infected by
the AIDS virus.
Bullock declares plan
to enter Texas race
for state's No. 2 spot
AUSTIN (AP) — State Comp
troller Bob Bullock, a Democrat
who once wanted to be governor,
announced Thursday that he in
tends to run for lieutenant gover
nor in 1990, a position held for
the past 14 years by Bill Hobby.
Bullock, 58, was in South
Texas bird hunting and not im
mediately available to comment,
said his spokesman, Tony Prof
fitt.
Hobby, a Democrat, an
nounced July 27 that he would
not seek political office in 1990,
the last full year of his current
four-year term.
Asked about the timing of the
announcement for a race that is
still three years away, Bullock’s
spokesman said, “Everyone else
seems to be declaring for their
races.”
Proffitt said Bullock has won a
good reputation during his ten
ure as comptroller.
“He’s been comptroller since
1975,” he said. “We’ve got a good
agency, a good department. It’s
won national awards. I think he
wants another challenge.”
He also noted that Bullock had
served in the House and been sec
retary of state under Gov. Pres
ton Smith before being elected
comptroller.
“He was a member of the Leg
islature,” Proffitt said. “His inter
est lies more in the practical, leg
islative side than it does in the
policy-making of the governor’s
office.”
He also said Bullock had “got
ten some encouragement from
people since Hobby made his an
nouncement.”
Bullock had said on election
day 1982 that he would run for
governor in 1986 but later with
drew as a candidate.
“Frankly, there was no great
public clamor for my services as
governor,” Bullock said in July
1984. “If I were looking for a
draft, I think I can now quit wait
ing.”
Clinic director tells A&M employees about HMO benefits
By Mary-Lynne Rice
Staff Writer
tgainst thesyste
in A&M tradiK
d to his madnes
, e it or not, that
tg to do with
■ just for the sah
it aggravation.
Karl Pallmeyer; Approximately 25 Texas A&M employ-
d. I think of hir,:s and retirees attended an information
} ;ssion Thursday night to learn about
ealth insurance options and coverage of-
J senior joumi- rec \ by Scott & White Health Maintenance
oro/The Batttlarganization’s faculty and staff health plan.
^ ^^Bn Gay, administrative director of Scott
- White’s Bryan-College Station clinic, an-
^ AO/CJJl [Cwefed questions about the health plan and
ry t p»,jj lec l j ts premiums, coverage and ben-
r • ' lts com paring it to other health plans of-
:red to A&M employees.
“We want to answer some of the ques
tions, clear up some of the misconceptions
and confusion about what joining an HMO
may mean to you,” Gay said.
“An HMO does restrict access to health
care — you have to use Scott & White doc
tors,” he said. “But we do some things for
you in return for that.” There are no claim
forms to fill out, no annual deductibles and
limited out-of-pocket expenses, he said.
A&M employees who subscribe to the
health plan will see a 3 percent premium in
crease from last year. But another A&M
health plan, covered by the Lincoln Na
tional insurance company, will increase its
rates by 41 percent, Gay said.
Monthly charges for one-person cover
age will be $77.56. The employee’s cover
age plus one dependent will cost $155.12
per month and coverage for families will
cost $224.14 monthly. The state contributes
$100 per month to the family coverage.
Children of employees can be covered
under the health plan until age 19, or until
age 25 for unmarried students.
Retirees can continue to use the health
plan without reduction of coverage or in
crease of premiums. Scott & White will bill
Medicare directly. “This coordination of
benefits helps keep your costs down,” Gay
said. “We make the other guys pay.”
In the case of spouses with different cov
erage policies, Scott & White coordinates its
coverage with the other HMO’s.
Because the Scott & White clinic has no
pre-existing condition clause that sets age
or health requirements, Gay said, no appli
cant can be refused care. “We are regulated
by both the state and federal government,”
he said. “It is illegal for us to deny anyone
access to the plan once the group (A&M)
has accepted us. So regardless of your
health or physical condition, you may join
the Scott & White health plan.”
Most medical expenses are covered un
der Scott & White’s health plan without de
ductibles or out-of pocket costs, including
major medical care at St. Joseph’s and Hu
mana hospitals.
Under Scott & White’s health plan, there
is no charge for professional services in
cluding office visits, immunizations, X-ray
and laboratory services, nutritional counsel
ing, allergy treatment, eye and ear exams,
outpatient surgery and obstetrical care.
Also included are short-term physical
and occupational therapy, intermittent
home health care and mental health serv
ices.
The application period to join Scott &
White’s HMO ends Sept. 31. So far, 300
A&M employees have filed applications.
BIG BACK TO SCHOOL SALE!
CLOTHING CONCEPTS
Presents
A MANUFACTURER’S DIRECT CLOTHING SALE
OtrrBACK Outback
q mmmMSmvii &
Bfu Hsu
CD
Z3
of
TEES & SPORTSWEAR
SAVE 5Q0/ C
jd that. Once
ri no uncertain
we play thebal 1
jch an
t due to the fad
tot to the 18th> ,:
/Oman’s lap inf
course,
f; Incredible,
;e it throughift
OF THE
i his way: saiM
tp who was of
ow I know wfo *
rid. To find an
P BEEN WOFl
ill of a lifetime
addie, Bunker
)it daft if youcJi
Syndicate
Breathe
Authentic
MICKEY
MOUSE
SPORTSWEAR
By J.G. Hook
TEES & SPORTSHIRTS
50%. 70% OFF
Rea Retail
Ladies & Juniors
Acid Washed
Jeans & Mini Skirts—
by Union Bay—Forenza
Values to 40.00
*12",<,*19"
Authentic
Tees
d^JACK
MEN’S REEB0K
Activ* Sportshirts
—Stripes & Solids—
12
99
u ^ 3 STYLED TOPS,
MU SHORTS, SKIRTS
50% ■ 60% „
Regular I'CRliNZA
Ratal) i »-& m i —
Authentic Tees
$799
Mens Heavyweight
Authentic Rugby
Shirts
Beautiful Stripes!
CD
£
zr
CD
>
/-+•
3;
CD
/—*•
O
CO
zr
O
CD
in
cr
Reg.
$30.00
Men’s Banana Republic
3 Button Henley Long Sleeve Style ^ nQQ
Reg. $20.00 Now $9"
adidas^F
Kangaroos mi/,
LA.GEAR
MEN’S - LADIES’
Leather Basketball - Tennis - Running - Aerobic • Track
SHOES & a
Hi Tops & Lo Tops $ j| C199
Now
1 DAY ONLY!
Friday, September 11 th
10:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M.
Ramada Inn
Main Ballroom
410 South Texas
College Station
(Across From Campus)
STUDY ABROAD
JR. FULBRIGHT
Grants for Graduate
Research Abroad
Competition Now Open
Informational Meetings:
Mon., Sept. 14 10-11 a.m.
251 Bizzell West
STUDY ABROAD OFFICE
»8l W. Bizzidt 84S-OS4A
Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity
FAlt
Fri. Sept. 11
8:30 p.m.
House: 822-7837
Steve: 693-2872
HHP^—
OKTli
609 W. 26th Street, Bryan
Tg>*3 AVg