10 October 2003

Catholic Churches Say Condoms Don't Stop AIDS

The World Health Organization, guardian watchdog of global wellbeing, rejected the Vatican view.

'These incorrect statements about condoms and HIV are dangerous when we are facing a global pandemic which has already killed more than 20 million people, and currently affects at least 42 million,' the WHO told the program.

It conceded condoms could break or be damaged and permit passage of semen, but said they reduced the risk of infection by 90 percent and were certainly secure enough to prevent passage of the virus if not torn.

[BBC's] Panorama said scientific research had found intact condoms were impermeable to particles as small as sexually transmitted infection pathogens -- a view rejected by Trujillo.

'They are wrong about that...this is an easily recognizable fact,' he told the program.

From Nicaragua to Kenya and the Philippines, the Panorama team found the same tale from the Catholic church -- that condoms can kill.

No official comment from the Vatican was immediately available on Thursday.



Still shaking my head in disbelief...

No comments: