October Newsletter 2009

Board members Peter Schick and Arton Kabashi attended APLA's AIDS Walk on October l8,2009..This was the 25th anniversary of the AIDS walk. APLA has been the most successful fund raising organization mainly thru APLA and its generous sponsors such as MACY's. The day started out with a breakfast that Chairman of the Board Peter Schick attended. He listened to talks by various government and APLA officials including the Mayor of Los Angeles Antonoio Villaigarosa.

This was followed by a celebrity introduction before a throng of at least 30,000 people, who amongst them were high school kids, collage kids, and people from all walks of life.
The goal of the 6.2 mile walk was 30,000 people walk to help 60,000 people infected with HIV in LA county. People especially young people who are complacent about HIV in the USA, remember, at least 50,000 people are still infected in the USA each year, and an equivalent amount of people die of HIV/AIDS.

There are at least 300,000 people walking around in the USA who are infected with the HIV virus and do not know it. We say get tested and if you test positive after a short period of time of counseling and talking to your partners or family start antiretroviral treatment. We have been advocating this for a long time The antiretroviral drugs available, are easier to take and have fewer side effects. Unchecked HIV is becoming a major health problem in this country being the cause of Cardiovascular problems, Liver problems, Kidney problems, and other organ system problems.

Our foundation wishes APLA well in the coming year, but if the AIDS walk is any indication they are in for a very good year.


The foundation is ready to present its second protocol and procedure for getting alpha sun for use as a supplement to HIV+ patients virologically suppressed who are on minimal antiretroviral medications. The pilot study being sent to the FDA will treat 30 patients stratified by CD4 counts of 200-350, 350-500, and those patients who have CD4 counts greater than 500. 1/2 of the patients will get standard antiretroviral therapy, and one half will get standard plus alpha sun. The markers of HIV infection will be followed monthly for 6 months. The markers that will be followed are CD 4, CD 4%, CD 8, CD 8%, D-Dimer, Viral load by PCR, pro-viral DNA, LPS, CRP, and viral culture. Based on the experience with patient zero who is HIV+ and has taken blue green algae for over 3 months there is no toxicity, improvement in some markers of HIV infection, and also improvement in some lab values which are consistent with side effect of antiretroviral treatment.


The Schick Foundation is ready to begin starting its postoperative inguinal hernia study using alpha sun, a bone marrow stem cell stimulator that increases circulating stem cells from the bone marrow 30% after daily ingestion of l000 mg of the algae (AFA).

The study is a 3 month study which will compare 30 patients who have inguinal hernia surgery and postoperatively 1/2 will receive alpha sun, and 1/2 will get standard post operative pain medications. In the alpha sun arm (AFA) we are looking at the markers, faster healing of the postoperative incision, fewer infections, less requirement for pain medications, and faster return to work. An abstract of the protocols has been submitted to the Southern California Chapter of the American College of Surgeons Meeting for January 2009 in Santa Barbara California.