Archive-Name: aids-faq1
Last-Modified: 10 Nov 1993

Welcome to the sci.med.aids, the international newsgroup on the Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome (see Q1.1 `What is sci.med.aids?' for more
details).

This article, called the sci.med.aids "FAQ", answers frequently asked
questions about AIDS and the sci.med.aids newsgroup.  The FAQ is posted
monthly to sci.med.aids and related newsgroups.  If you are new to
sci.med.aids, please read it before posting articles or responses.  If you
are a sci.med.aids veteran, please skim the FAQ occasionally.  You may
find something new here.

Please contribute to the sci.med.aids FAQ.  Currently there are some
gaping holes.  Send suggested changes to aids-request@cs.ucla.edu.  You
don't have to format it: just send it.

You can skip to a particular question by searching for `Question n.n'.
See Q9.2 `Formats in which this FAQ is available' for details of where to
get the PostScript and Emacs Info versions of this document.

===============================================================================

Contents

 Section 1.  Introduction and General Information
 Q1.1        What is sci.med.aids?
 Q1.2        Discussion topics.
 Q1.3        Sci.med.aids distribution.
 Q1.4        Subscribing and unsubscribe to sci.med.aids.
 Q1.5        What is a moderated newsgroup?
 Q1.6        Editorial guidelines.
 Q1.7        How do I submit a posting?
 Q1.8        The moderators.
 Q1.9        Cooperative moderation.
 Q1.10       Discussing sci.med.aids moderation policies.

 Section 2.  How to prevent infection.
 Q2.1        How is AIDS transmitted?
 Q2.2        How effective are condoms?
 Q2.3        How do you minimize your odds of getting infected?
 Q2.4        How risky is a blood transfusion?
 Q2.5        Can mosquitoes transmit AIDS?
 Q2.6        What about other insect bites?
 Q2.7        Is there even a remote chance of insect transmission?

 Section 3.  Confidentiality.
 Q3.1        How is blood tested in the United States?
 Q3.2        What if a blood-bank finds out you are HIV positive?

 Section 4.  Treatment options.
 Q4.1        General treatment information.
 Q4.2        AIDS and Opportunistic Infections.
 Q4.3        Guide to Social Security Benefits.
 Q4.4        What if you can't afford AZT?
 Q4.5        What about DNCB? (please contribute)

 Section 5.  The common debates.
 Q5.1        What are Strecker and Segal's theories that HIV is manmade?
 Q5.2        Other conspiracy theories.
 Q5.3        Duesberg's Risk-Group Theory
 Q5.4        Contaminated polio vaccine? (please contribute)
 Q5.5        Who is Lorraine Day? (please contribute)

 Section 6.  Internet resources.
 Q6.1        Ben Gardiner's Gopher AIDS Database
 Q6.2        CDC AIDS Public Information Dataset.
 Q6.3        HIVNET/AEGIS Gateway (BETA VERSION)
 Q6.4        Other USENET newsgroups.

 Section 7.  Other Electronic Information Sources.
 Q7.1        Ben Gardiner's list of AIDS BBSes.
 Q7.2        National AIDS Clearinghouse Guide to AIDS BBSes.
 Q7.3        National Library of Medicine AIDSLINE (please contribute)
 Q7.4        Commercial Bulletin Boards
 Q7.5        Reappraisal of the HIV-AIDS Hypothesis.
 Q7.6        Lesbian/Gay Scholars Directory.

 Section 8.  Non-Electronic Information Sources.
 Q8.1        Phone Information about AIDS.
 Q8.2        Phone Information about AIDS drug trials.
 Q8.3        US Social Security: Information for Organizations

 Section 9.  Administrative information and acknowledgements
 Q9.1        Feedback is invited
 Q9.2        Formats in which this FAQ is available
 Q9.3        Authorship and acknowledgements