Male latex condoms were found in laboratory tests to be of high quality. Viral penetration assays demonstrate that condoms provide a highly effective barrier against the smallest STD organisms. Data on condom use suggest that method failure (breakage/slippage) occurs in about 3% of coital acts and is related to user knowledge and experience. Studies of the effectiveness of condoms to reduce the risk of transmission through intercourse are methodologically much stronger for HIV/AIDS than for other STDs. Results of longitudinal studies of the sexual partners of HIV-infected persons indicate that consistent condom use reduces the risk of HIV/AIDS transmission by approximately 85%.
http://gatew...

Male latex condoms were found in laboratory tests to be of high quality. Viral penetration assays demonstrate that condoms provide a highly effective barrier against the smallest STD organisms. Data on condom use suggest that method failure (breakage/slippage) occurs in about 3% of coital acts and is related to user knowledge and experience. Studies of the effectiveness of condoms to reduce the risk of transmission through intercourse are methodologically much stronger for HIV/AIDS than for other STDs. Results of longitudinal studies of the sexual partners of HIV-infected persons indicate that consistent condom use reduces the risk of HIV/AIDS transmission by approximately 85%.
http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/ma?f=102261955.html

consistent use of condoms results in 80% reduction in HIV incidence http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/ma?f=102259057.html

The incidence of HIV infection among those who reported always using condoms was 1.14 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 0.56-2.04), while it was 5.75 per 100 person-years (95% CI 3.16-9.66) among those who never used them. This gave an 80% reduction in the incidence of infection with condom use.
http://apps.who.int/rhl/hiv_aids/dwcom/en/index.html

In a two-year study of sero-discordant couples (in which one partner was HIV-positive and one was HIV-negative), no uninfected partner became infected among couples using condoms correctly and consistently at every act of vaginal or anal sex versus 10 percent of those using condoms inconsistently. (de Vincenzi I. A longitudinal study of human immunodeficiency virus transmission by heterosexual partners. New England Journal of Medicine 1994; 331:341-346.)

In a similar two-year study, two percent of uninfected partners who used condoms consistently became HIV-infected versus 12 percent among those who used condoms inconsistently or not at all. http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov/Documents/20040817143856-95300.pdf

Thailand is particularly not a good example for failure of condoms:

When the programme [in Thailand] started in 1989 in one province, it was a surprise that the sex worker who usually had a very high level of sexually transmitted infection (STI), the STI became almost zero. So it was very effective. Because of that effectiveness, the government scaled up the programme to become nationwide in 1991. and it was very clear that sexually transmitted infections, which is a very good indicator for HIV, it was clear that STIs dropped more than 95%, and subsequently HIV decline was also observed. The Prime Minister of Thailand Thaksin Shinawatra reported to one international conference that this p...

Thailand is particularly not a good example for failure of condoms:

When the programme [in Thailand] started in 1989 in one province, it was a surprise that the sex worker who usually had a very high level of sexually transmitted infection (STI), the STI became almost zero. So it was very effective. Because of that effectiveness, the government scaled up the programme to become nationwide in 1991. and it was very clear that sexually transmitted infections, which is a very good indicator for HIV, it was clear that STIs dropped more than 95%, and subsequently HIV decline was also observed. The Prime Minister of Thailand Thaksin Shinawatra reported to one international conference that this programme had prevented more than 5 million HIV infections in Thailand from 1991 up to 2003.
http://www.who.int/entity/mediacentre/multimedia/podcasts/2009/hiv_condoms_20090325/en/index.html

Within 5 years, the percentage of commercial sex acts where condoms were used increased from 15% to over 90%, and the number of men coming in with STDs decreased enormously. The quickly spreading HIV epidemic was largely brought under control. Although the 100% condom program couldn't eliminate all HIV transmission, in its early years it was one of the most effective government-instituted HIV control programs in history.
Unfortunately, in the 15 years since the program's inception, things in Thailand have changed. Since the program was primarily aimed at commercial sex establishments, condom use never became part of the public discussion. The result of that is that today, most new HIV cases are seen in married women.
Beyrer et al. (2007) ("Patterns of HIV and syphilis infection in Northern Thailand 1998–2001" International Journal of STD & AIDS 18: 179–183.

Rojanpithayakorn W. (2006) "The 100% Condom Use Programme in Asia." Reproductive Health Matters 14(28):41-53.)

@ Aces

Explain why your comments deserve a thoughtful response? Because obviously you spent little or no time verifying this Catholic claim. These are the actual scientific, proven facts of which you are unaware:

"A real-life example of how condoms fail to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS is presented by the Philippines and Thailand, two Southeastern Asian nations with approximately the same populations.

In 1984, the first case of HIV was detected in both of these nations. By 1987, Thailand had 112 cases of AIDS, and the Philippines had 135 cases. In 1991, the World Health Organization predicted that, by 1999, Thailand would have 70,000 deaths from the disease, and the Philippines would have...

@ Aces

Explain why your comments deserve a thoughtful response? Because obviously you spent little or no time verifying this Catholic claim. These are the actual scientific, proven facts of which you are unaware:

"A real-life example of how condoms fail to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS is presented by the Philippines and Thailand, two Southeastern Asian nations with approximately the same populations.

In 1984, the first case of HIV was detected in both of these nations. By 1987, Thailand had 112 cases of AIDS, and the Philippines had 135 cases. In 1991, the World Health Organization predicted that, by 1999, Thailand would have 70,000 deaths from the disease, and the Philippines would have 85,000 deaths.

In 1991, both nations took concrete and comprehensive measures against the spread of the HIV virus -- but both directed their efforts in completely different directions.

The Thai Minister of Health enacted a “100% Condom Use Program.” All brothels were required to have supplies of condoms, and condom vending machines were installed in all supermarkets, bars, restaurants, and other public gathering places. This program was widely accepted and implemented by the people of Thailand.

Two years later, Rene Bullecer, M.D., received authorization from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to establish the organization AIDS‑Free Philippines as its official program to combat HIV/AIDS nationwide. The government signed on to this effort as well.

By the end of 2003, the disparity in the effectiveness of both types of programs had become glaringly obvious":

-Adults and Children Living with HIV: Thailand 570,000, Philippines 9,000.

-AIDS Deaths in 2003: Thailand 58,000, Philippines 500

-Population: Thailand 62,833,000 , Philippines 79,999,000

-HIV Infection Rates Per Million: Thailand 9,072, Philippines 113

"This information shows that the Thai HIV infection rate is eighty times higher than the Filipino HIV infection rate.

The current rate of HIV infection in the United States, with all of our sex education, all of our sexual freedom, all of our advanced antiviral drugs, and all of our billions of condoms, is 3,900 per million, thirty times higher than in the Philippines.

USAID has concluded that the reason that the Philippines has such a low incidence of HIV/AIDS is that youth have a very high rate of abstinence and married people largely remain faithful to their spouses. The USAID report grudgingly admitted that 'The Catholic Church must be credited with influencing sexual behavior.' ”

Wh...

"This information shows that the Thai HIV infection rate is eighty times higher than the Filipino HIV infection rate.

The current rate of HIV infection in the United States, with all of our sex education, all of our sexual freedom, all of our advanced antiviral drugs, and all of our billions of condoms, is 3,900 per million, thirty times higher than in the Philippines.

USAID has concluded that the reason that the Philippines has such a low incidence of HIV/AIDS is that youth have a very high rate of abstinence and married people largely remain faithful to their spouses. The USAID report grudgingly admitted that 'The Catholic Church must be credited with influencing sexual behavior.' ”

Why is that in Sub-Sahara African countries like South Africa, have standardized safe sex and condom use and have seen the AIDS epidemic grow, while others like Uganda which promote primarily abstinence and faithfulness to the partner, have seen infection rates drop by 15% to 6.5% in a matter of about 10 years?

Contrary to your presumptions, this doctrine of the Catholic Church and verifiable science coincide.

The true humanistic approach is to humanize the person's self worth and their relationships, rather than dumping tons of rubber and settle with "low" infection rates.

Explain why your comments deserve a thoughtful response?

It was a thankyou to gzuckier, not a solicitation for a response.

Besides, could "Catholic" doctors openly confirm the Pope's statement wrong? (They wouldn't be Catholic for long.) See, I'm not interested in Catholic doctors, I'm interested in the truthfulness of the science.

Clipmarks article entitled: Not Good Science : a few snips:

"Doctors have responded angrily to comments by Sydney's Catholic Archbishop that condoms have aggravated the spread of AIDS."

"The president of the Australasian Society for HIV medicine, Doctor
Jonathan Anderson, says there is...

Explain why your comments deserve a thoughtful response?

It was a thankyou to gzuckier, not a solicitation for a response.

Besides, could "Catholic" doctors openly confirm the Pope's statement wrong? (They wouldn't be Catholic for long.) See, I'm not interested in Catholic doctors, I'm interested in the truthfulness of the science.

Clipmarks article entitled: Not Good Science : a few snips:

"Doctors have responded angrily to comments by Sydney's Catholic Archbishop that condoms have aggravated the spread of AIDS."

"The president of the Australasian Society for HIV medicine, Doctor
Jonathan Anderson, says there is no scientific basis to support the
statements."

"We know that HIV gets transmitted in those circumstances."
---

From an article: Pope 'distorted evidence' : Lancet Medical Journal

""Whether the Pope's error was due to ignorance or a deliberate attempt to manipulate science to support Catholic ideology is unclear."
---

Dr. Helen Epstein (Antara brought me to her and she's the best I've heard with huge credentials) - I listened to her presentation on the subject. http://www.calvin.edu/january/2009/epstein.htm

I don't disagree with anything she says. She is right, behavior has the greater impact at reducing the spread of V.D. And I agree!

But this in no way suggests that using condoms does NOT help in
preventing the "spread" of sexual disease. (Note earlier in the vid she
showed the proliferation of aids didn't come from the brothels via
casual partners because they DID wear condoms!)

So she agrees with the pope on behavior having the greater impact regarding the spread of HIV/AIDS, but she does NOT agree with the pope (see her study) on the effectiveness of condoms.

Those are all strong opinions in those articles but where's the facts?

That's why I gave you the link to Dr. Epstein. It's a presentation filled with the facts. Dr. Epstein has devoted her career on this issue...

Here's an individual who has devoted his career on this very issue and concludes that there is empirical evidence for the Church's teachings.

...so you probably didn't review her presentation, nor did you catch the facts about behavioral changes, nor about condom use.

See, (listen closely) there IS evidence for the Church's teachings. I stated it, and so did Dr. Epstein.

Dr. Green (from your source) agrees with this also.

Now note: the only scienti...

Those are all strong opinions in those articles but where's the facts?

That's why I gave you the link to Dr. Epstein. It's a presentation filled with the facts. Dr. Epstein has devoted her career on this issue...

Here's an individual who has devoted his career on this very issue and concludes that there is empirical evidence for the Church's teachings.

...so you probably didn't review her presentation, nor did you catch the facts about behavioral changes, nor about condom use.

See, (listen closely) there IS evidence for the Church's teachings. I stated it, and so did Dr. Epstein.

Dr. Green (from your source) agrees with this also.

Now note: the only scientific information specifically about condom use (sourced from your information, see "Knox R. 2005. Study: Uganda AIDS Prevention Primarily Due to Condoms," [radio interview with Maria Wawer and Edward C. Green]. National Public Radio, 24 February 2005.) from Dr. Edward Green's interview, states,

"February 24, 2005 · New data suggests the decline in HIV prevalence in Uganda is due to condoms -- and one other factor. The number of people dying of AIDS just about equals the number getting infected with HIV. The country is often held up as a model of AIDS prevention."

--
Now get this straight. Epstein and Green agree with the Pope that the single GREATEST factor reducing HIVAIDS infection is behavioral . As do I.

However I saw nothing from Green about NOT using condoms as safer than using them, and Epstein specifically shows in her studies that condom use DOES help prevent the spread of VD.

Epstein, Green, and the pope, agree about behavioral change. Epstein and Green agree about condom use to help prevent the spread of VD. The pope does not. And he is wrong.