Caucus Promotes Evidence-Based AIDS Prevention Strategies at International AIDS Conference
Washington, DC - August 17, 2006Sunday night’s opening plenary launched the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada, where thousands of people—including researchers, advocates, people living with AIDS, and policy makers—will spend the week discussing and debating HIV prevention, the treatment and care of those who have HIV/AIDS, and ways to eradicate this epidemic. Front and center is the Caucus for Evidence-Based Prevention, made up of over 50 influential non-government organizations, promoting HIV prevention efforts supported by scientific evidence, not ideology. As a founding member of the Caucus, along with amfAR and SIECUS, PAI calls for global support of evidence-based prevention as the best way to stem the growth of the HIV epidemic.
The Bush administration’s heavy focus on unproven abstinence and faithfulness programs has served to intensify the call for prevention programs with the greatest chance of success. The only effective way to fight this disease—which infected 4.1 million people in 2005—is by crafting policies based on scientific evidence and by equipping in-country teams with the information and supplies proven to make the largest impact. Progress is hindered when religion and prejudice stand in the way.
In its daily newsletter, the Caucus reports on HIV prevention-related proceedings to a wide audience and alerts the community when ideology, prejudice, or opinion interfere with evidence-based approaches to reducing the further spread of HIV/AIDS. This focus on evidence-based prevention will give governments and NGOs the information they need to form effective prevention strategies. PAI urges these groups to base HIV prevention programs on scientific evidence and to stop wasting time, energy, and—most importantly—limited resources on plans proven to be less effective.Sunday night’s opening plenary launched the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada, where thousands of people—including researchers, advocates, people living with AIDS, and policy makers—will spend the week discussing and debating HIV prevention, the treatment and care of those who have HIV/AIDS, and ways to eradicate this epidemic. Front and center is the Caucus for Evidence-Based Prevention, made up of over 50 influential non-government organizations, promoting HIV prevention efforts supported by scientific evidence, not ideology. As a founding member of the Caucus, along with amfAR and SIECUS, PAI calls for global support of evidence-based prevention as the best way to stem the growth of the HIV epidemic.
Population Action International (PAI) works to improve individual well-being and preserve global resources by mobilizing political and financial support for population, family planning and reproductive health policies and programs.
