Vatican conference on AIDS revives debate on condom distribution
May 27, 2011
A Vatican conference on AIDS prevention has renewed public attention to the Church’s stand against the distribution of condoms as an AIDS-prevention strategy.
Dr. Michel Sidibe, the director of the UN’s AIDS programs, defended condom distribution as an “integral and essential” aspect of any campaign against AIDS. But Dr. Edward Green, who headed an AIDS-prevention research program at Harvard University, said that Pope Benedict is right in saying that condom giveaways do not help curb the disease. Green said that changing sexual behavior is the key to slowing the spread of AIDS, and condom programs often undermine that goal. Green said that he personally has no objection to condom use. “Just don’t bet the house and farm on it,” he said.
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