ABSTRACT
Remember that pro-fidelity statement in The Lancet signed by 150 professionals in 2004? The cover of the November 4-10,2006, issue of The Lancet proclaimed: “It is less contentious to promote absti nence and faithfulness than sex education, condoms, and safe abor tion, but these are what is needed.” Two weeks later, the cover read: “The greatest challenge to sexual-health promotion in almost all countries comes from opposition from conservative forces to harmeducation strategies.” By “harm-education strategies,” they clearly meant condoms and needles. Medical journals in general and AIDS journals in particular had made it an unwritten policy not to pub lish evidence that challenges the harm-reduction thinking of the established industry. I’ve noted many examples, but in light of the confirmation bias introduced in the last chapter, I want to explore the matter more fully.
