ABSTRACT
In August 2006, Bill Gates addressed the Global AIDS Conference in Toronto. When he stated that the ABC approach (abstain, be faith ful, or use a condom) had saved many lives, he was almost booed off the stage. Gates seemed surprised by the vitriolic crowd reaction. He conferred with someone, then returned to the microphone and proceeded to criticize fidelity and delay of sexual debut as nice but unrealistic ideas-and this time he got a sustained standing ova tion. Razor wire and guards with rifles still surrounded the castle of AIDS errors. The forces keeping policy in place included the threat and reality of career damage, publication bias, and literal cheers and howls. Along with the UNAIDS “evidence-informed” approach to the epidemic, there was an applause-based one. Global AIDS policy seemed based on-or closely coordinated with-subjects audiences at AIDS conferences reacted to with enthusiastic applause and cheers (condoms, gay rights, more money for AIDS) or with catcalls (absti nence, fidelity, not enough money for AIDS, the fact that other dis eases needed funding).
