
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, September 25, 1993                   TAG: 9309250178
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES                                LENGTH: Short

SHARING NEEDLES . . . ON NATIONAL TELEVISION

A doctor demonstrating flu shots live on ABC-TV's "Home" show Friday mistakenly injected hostess Sarah Purcell with the same syringe he had just used on host Gary Collins.

A shaken Dr. Edward Gilbert immediately realized his mistake, after which Collins was tested for AIDS to make sure he had no infection that could be spread to Purcell by sharing needles. Later Friday, Collins said he took an AIDS test and the results were negative.

The injections appeared to shock Purcell and Gilbert, who realized his mistake immediately. "I gave you an injection and I don't want this on television," he said.

"Well, it's too late, now what?" Purcell responded.

"I have two needles here and I gave you his," said Gilbert. "I'm going to be on national news."

"This isn't a joke, is it?" Purcell asked.

"No, it is not," the doctor said.

Collins said he was relieved when the test results came back negative.

by CNB