ABSTRACT
It has become a cliché to state that behavioural change is the only way of arresting the HIV pandemic, until such time that an effective vaccine or cure is discovered. As for many cliches, mindless repetition should not be allowed to undermine its validity. Indeed, behavioural modification is probably even more important than is implied above. There is no guarantee that a biomedical solution will be found; even if one is found, it remains uncertain whether it can be applied with sufficient thoroughness to act as a panacea. The history of other sexually transmitted diseases should serve as a warning in this regard. Though effective cures for many of them have existed for decades, they still remain a major public health problem, with a high incidence particularly in Africa (e.g. Schulz, Gates and O'Mara, 1987).
