Psychologist Winfield Scott, associate dean for education at George Washington University Medical Center, said the change responds to the frustration felt by gays "that {AIDS} answers aren't coming more quickly."

Dextran sulfate, developed as a blood thinner, has been used in Japan for about 20 years to lower cholesterol and other fats in the blood. Some laboratory reports have indicated it deters the AIDS virus.

[Frank E. Young] said the FDA maintains the right to deny any shipments into the country. It changed its policy in part because some AIDS treatments were coming in as contraband.