Condoms Trump Abstinence in Obama Global AIDS Policy, Aide Says

[babylonsister]

:applause:

Condoms Trump Abstinence in Obama Global AIDS Policy, Aide Says

By Jason Gale and John Lauerman


Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) -- President-elect Barack Obama will reverse U.S. family planning and AIDS prevention strategies that have long linked global funding to anti-abortion and abstinence education, a public-health adviser said.

Public health policies of President George W. Bush's $45- billion PEPFAR program have brought AIDS drugs to almost 3 million people in poor countries such as Rwanda and Uganda, more than under any other president. Still, requirements that health workers emphasize abstinence from sex and monogamy over condom use have set back sexually transmitted disease prevention and family planning globally, said Susan F. Wood, co-chairman of Obama's advisory committee for women's health.

``We have been going in the wrong direction and we need to turn it around and be promoting prevention and family-planning services and strengthening public health,'' said Wood, a research professor at George Washington University School of Public Health in Washington.

Bush on his first day in office in January 2001 reinstated the so-called Mexico City Policy -- known as the global gag rule to critics -- that bars U.S. family-planning assistance for organizations that use funding from any other source to provide counseling and referral for abortion; lobby to make abortion legal or more available in their country; or perform abortions except in certain cases. Those exceptions are a threat to the woman's life, rape or incest.

Obama ``is committed to looking at all this and changing the policies so that family-planning services -- both in the U.S. and the developing world -- reflect what works, what helps prevent unintended pregnancy, reduce maternal and infant mortality, prevent the spread of disease,'' Wood said.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aKrIK33ovrk8&refer=home

[Le Taz Hot]

1. Breath deep!

Feel that? It's called fresh air.

[babylonsister]

3. REALLY! This is wonderful; sanity returns to the country! nt

[marmar]

2. Reality-based government.....what a concept!

:toast:

[babylonsister]

4. What will the abstinence-only boneheads do?

This is a fantastic start. Sad to think people might have to be edumacated against their will.

[cali]

6. we know what they''ll do. Freak out, babble about how Obama is

a blood thirsty baby killing anti-christ. low keyed criticism like that.

[babylonsister]

8. Ha! Low-keyed criticism! I suspect you're right. Sucks to be them. nt

[greguganus]

10. Invest heavily in condom companies. n/t

[FatDave]

13. How about if they go fuck themselves?

Or or do they consider that impure?

[...of J.Temperance]

5. Thank goodness normal people will be back in charge

The entire Abstinence thing is grossly irresponsible and reckless.

The most efficient way to prevent AIDS is the use of condoms, also condoms do have a 99% chance of preventing unwanted pregnancy, if used correctly.

It's good that all the Abstinence voodoo bullshit is going to get thrown out of the door.

[ogneopasno]

7. But...that's cheaper, protects women, and is actually effective! Why would the U.S. back it?

Ahhhhhhhh. "...So that family-planning services...reflect what works."

It's like the sun rising, isn't it?

[JackBeck]

9. I look forward to having the adults back in charge.

When Obama was in the Senate, he co-sponsored a bill with Olympia Snowe to increase funding for microbicide research.

[goforit]

11. OMG!!! Here comes another speech from the Pope!!

[no limit]

12. Holy shit. So this is what having some common sense in the white house feels like?

I was to young to remember the Clinton years. What a shock this is to me.

[Arugula Latte]

14. I can't quite believe it yet ... SANE people really are taking over, aren't they?

:woohoo: