1 Statement by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, Meeting in Rome, Oct 17, 2003, on the BBC's recent coverage of Catholic Issues. [Back]
2 See, for example, the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children's Oct 27, 2003, open letter to Mr. Greg Dyke, Director General, BBC Broadcasting House, regarding the BBC Panorama programme Sex and the Holy City, stating, "not only did Sex and the Holy City fail to support such serious charges with objective, verifiable evidence, but there were also many other claims made in support of the general thesis of the programme which fly in the face of statistical, medical and scientific evidence from recognized authoritative sources". The same open letter then provides details supporting this concern. See also The Forum of Polish Women's letter to the Embassy of the United Kingdom dated Oct 16, 2003: "We feel deeply offended by false arguments and lies presented by BBC1's Panorama programme, especially in the context of the celebrations of John Paul II's 25th anniversary as Pope". [Back]
3 Regarding the term "prophylactic": in general, condoms are used as "contraceptives" (that is, to prevent conception) and/or as "prophylactics" (that is, to avoid transmission of diseases). [Back]
4 For more details on this matter, see also PARAGRAPH 16 of this text below. [Back]
5 For more details, see PARAGRAPHS 6-13 of this text below. [Back]
6 "A Message of Hope", Jul 30, 2001, issued during the Plenary Session of the Southern African Bishops' Conference at St. Peter's Seminary, Pretoria. [Back]
7 100 Cuestiones y respuestas sobre el 'síndrome de inmunodeficiencia adquirida' y la actitud de los católicos [100 Questions and Answers on "Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and the Attitude of Catholics], Feb 2002, question no. 55. [Back]
8 Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, Pastoral Letter on AIDS: In the Compassion of Jesus, Jan 23, 1993. [Back]
9 Administrative Board of U.S. Catholic Conference, The Many Faces of AIDS: A Gospel Response; Nov 1987. See also the Letter of His Eminence Cardinal Josef Ratzinger to the Pronunzio Apostolico in the United States, Archbishop Pio Laghi, May 29, 1988. [Back]
10 For more details, see PARAGRAPH 13 of this text below. [Back]
11 Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus, Art. 141 § 3. [Back]
12 Ministry of Health -- National Commission for the Fight against AIDS, Ferma l'AIDS. Vinci la vita (Stop AIDS, Win Life). This is a folded brochure for the youth. [Back]
13 Footnote no. 7 reads: See Aa.Vv., Quale è il grado effettivo di protezione dall'HIV del profilattico?, in Medicina e Morale, 5 (1994): 903-925; L. Ciccone, Aspetti etici della prevenzione della infezione da HIV, in Medicina e Morale, 2 (1996): 277-278; E. Sgreccia, A proposito delle campagne di prevenzione dell'AIDS, in Medicina e Morale, 4 (1999): 637-639; J. Suaudeau, Le "sexe sûr" et le préservatif face au défi du SIDA, in Medicina e Morale, 4 (1997): 689-726. [Back]
14 Dionigi Tettamanzi, Nuova bioetica cristiana, Piemme, Casale Monferrato 2000, pp. 418-419. He continues: But there is another question regarding efficacy when it comes to the condom: not so much the "technical" effectiveness related to the means used, but rather what we might call "cultural" efficacy. If it is true that the channel of diffusion of the AIDS virus is "inordinate" sexual behaviour, the truly and fully effective means of prevention does not lie in favouring such inordinate sexual behaviour along with a certain "barrier" to the infection, but rather in orienting and favouring "orderly" sexual behaviour. If one remains imprisoned in the logic of inordinate sex, the technical precautions become too weak against a driving force that, although indirect, is not repelled." [Back]
15 Elio Sgreccia, Manuale di Bioetica, Vol 2: Aspetti medico-sociali, Vita e Pensiero, Milan 1991, p. 266. [Back]
16 See Dionigi Tettamanzi, Nuova bioetica cristiana, Piemme, Casale Monferrato 2000, pp. 420. [Back]
17 See G. Morra, Lotta all'AIDS. Tecnica e scienza da sole sono una fragile barriera, in Avvenire, Feb 7, 1987, p. 1, quoted in Dionigi Tettamanzi, Nuova bioetica cristiana, Piemme, Casale Monferrato 2000, pp. 421. [Back]
18 Simon & Schuster, 1987. As quoted in J. P. M. Lelkens, AIDS: il preservativo non preserva. Documentazione di una truffa, in Studi Cattolici, Milano (1994) 405: 722. [Back]
19 J. P. M. Lelkens, AIDS: il preservativo non preserva. Documentazione di una truffa, in Studi Cattolici, Milano (1994) 405: 722, cites the following as source: Revista medica olandese 135 (1991): 41. [Back]
20 See for example, S. G. Arnold, J. E. Whitman C. H. Fox and M. H. Cottler-Fox, Latex Gloves not Enough to Exclude Viruses, in Nature 335 (1988) 6185: 19. B. A. Hermann, S. M. Retta and L. E Rinaldi reported in A Simulated Physiologic Test of Latex Condoms, in the 5th International Conference on AIDS, Montreal 1989 (Abstracts WAP 101), that there were relative permeability of microspheres greater than the HIV in 6 out of 69 condoms tested. See also B. A. Rozenzweig, A. Even and L. E. Budnick, Observations of Scanning Electron Microscopy Detected Abnormalities of Non-lubricated Latex Condoms, in Contraception 53 (1996) 1: 49-53. These studies are quoted by Jacques Suaudeau, Sesso sicuro, in Pontifical Council for the Family (Ed.), Lexicon. Termini ambigui e discussi su famiglia, vita e questioni etiche, Edizioni Dehoniane Bologna, 2003, pp. 797-798. [Back]
21 Los Angeles Times (LT), Friday, Aug 28, 1987, by Allan Parachini; Times Staff Writer, in http://www.aegis.com/news/lt/1987/LT870807.html. [Back]
22 The article also says: "Among other things, the association [the Health Industry Manufacturers Association, which is the condom industry's trade group] has insisted to federal funding officials that the research rely solely on testing standards established by condom makers, that condom companies be allowed to supply all prophylactics to be tested, and that only products currently sold in the United States be studied… The documents indicate that the attempt to force major modifications in the condom study was apparently motivated by industry concerns that the research might conclude that no American-made condom is currently able to consistently prevent the spread of HIV." [Back]
23 Allan Parachini, In Los Angeles Times (LT), Tuesday, Sep 12, 1989 (available online at http://www.aegis.com/news/lt/1989/LT890904.html). Tests were made using a machine that simulates the stresses of actual intercourse, and included a variety of criteria, including water and air leakage, tensile strength and other factors. [Back]
24 See B. A. Rozenzweig, A. Even and L. E. Budnick, Observations of Scanning Electron Microscopy Detected Abnormalities of Non-lubricated Latex Condoms, in Contraception, 53 (1996): 49-53, as cited in Jacques Suaudeau, Sesso sicuro, in Lexicon, p. 798. [Back]
25 The Guardian, Special Report 13 Oct 2003. [Back]
26 Willard Cates, How Much Do Condoms Protect Against Sexually Transmitted Diseases?, in IPPF Medical Bulletin, 31 (Feb 1997) 1: 2-3. Quoted by SEICUS, Condoms Are Effective in Preventing HIV/STD Transmission, in SHOP Talk (School Health Opportunities and Progress) Bulletin, Apr 25, 1997 Volume 2, Issue 2. [Back]
27 See Workshop Summary: Scientific Evidence on Condom Effectiveness for Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention, 20 July 2001, pp. 1-2. The Workshop Summary is available from the internet: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/dmid/stds/condomreport.pdf. [Back]
28 Workshop Summary, p. 2. [Back]
29 Workshop Summary, p. 14. [Back]
30 Workshop Summary, pp. 14-23. [Back]
31 Workshop Summary, pp. 23-26. [Back]
32 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Vital Statistics Report, vol. 49, n. 12, Oct 9, 2001. [Back]
33 Friday Fax, Vol 4 (Aug 17, 2001) No 35 (see http://www.c-fam.org). The report cites a statement issued by the Physicians Consortium, retired Congressman Tom Coburn, M.D., Congressman Dave Weldon, M.D. and the Catholic Medical Association. [Back]
34 J. Thomas Fitch, MD, Curtis Sine, MD, W. David Hager, MD, Joshua Mann, MD, MPH, Mary B. Adam, MD, and Joe McIlhaney, MD, Condom Effectiveness. Factors that Influence Risk Reduction, in Sexually Transmitted Diseases 29 (Dec 2002) 12: 811-817. This paper analyses the Workshop Summary, the papers considered by the Workshop summary, and other papers published after the Workshop was held. Drs. Fitch, Hager, Adam and McIlhaney were members of the Workshop panel. [Back]
35 Efficacy, effectiveness, method failure, user failure, perfect use, always use, never use, typical use. [Back]
36 "Given the ever-present risk of infection due to method failure alone, one should not expect condom use to prevent infection." Fitch et al, Condom Effectiveness, p. 812. [Back]
37 Mechanical qualities of condom materials, mode of STD transmission, method failure (slippage and breakage), user failure (inconsistent and/or incorrect use), STD infectivity, presence of other STD's, age and sex, number of exposures, etc. [Back]
38 Fitch et al, Condom Effectiveness, p. 812. [Back]
39 Human Life International, Fact Sheet on Condom Failure, http://www.hli.org/Fact%20Sheet%20on%20Condom%20Failure.html, referring to as source Willard Cates, How Much Do Condoms Protect Against Sexually Transmitted Diseases?, in IPPF Medical Bulletin, 31 (Feb 1997) 1: 2-3. See also Human Life International's other fact sheets on condoms, in http://www.hli.org/bbc.html. [Back]
40 WHO, Effectiveness of Male Latex Condoms in Protecting against Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections, in Information Fact Sheet no. 243, Jun 2000. [Back]
41 WHO, Effectiveness of Male Latex Condoms in Protecting against Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections, in Information Fact Sheet no. 243, Jun 2000. [Back]
42 The Pearl pregnancy rate is the standard method for comparison of effectiveness of contraceptive methods. It measures the number of pregnancies that occur if used by 100 women for one year. [Back]
43 See, for example, the numerous studies cited by J. Suaudeau, Sesso sicuro, in Lexicon, pp. 795-817, and J. P. M. Lelkens, AIDS: il preservativo non preserva. Documentazione di una truffa, in Studi Cattolici, Milano (1994) 405: 718-723. A number of studies hypothesize that among other factors, the process of vulcanization could contribute to the irregularity of the latex surface and the presence of microscopic pores. [Back]
44 Mike Kubic, New Ways to Prevent and Treat AIDS, in FDA Consumer, Jan-Feb 1997 (revised May 1997 and Jan 1998; available at http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1997/197_aids.html). [Back]
45 O Globo, Nov. 15, 2003. [Back]
46 David Bornstein, Brazil's First Consumer Protection Agency, in Journal (of Civitas International) vol 2 (May-Jun 1998) no 3. It continues: "Johnson and Johnson immediately took out full-page ads in national newspapers attacking IDEC. Johnson and Johnson hired statisticians to attack IDEC's study, which had been conducted by an independent lab in The Netherlands. But Brazil's health minister took the report seriously, ordering a national recall of Jontex and the other four offending brands…". (From: http://www.civnet.org/journal/issue7/rpdborn.htm) [Back]
47 R. F. Baker, R. Sherwin, G. S. Bernstein and R. M. Nakamura, Precautions When Lightning Strikes During the Monsoon: The Effect of Ozone on Condoms, in Journal of American Medical Association 260 (1988) 10: 1404-1405. [Back]
48 Mike Kubic, New Ways to Prevent and Treat AIDS, in FDA Consumer, Jan-Feb 1997 (revised May 1997 and Jan 1998; available at http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1997/197_aids.html). [Back]
49 Mike Kubic, New Ways to Prevent and Treat AIDS, in FDA Consumer, Jan-Feb 1997 (revised May 1997 and Jan 1998; available at http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1997/197_aids.html). [Back]
50 See J. Suaudeau, Sesso sicuro, in Lexicon, pp. 795-817. See also CDC, Update: Barrier Protection Against HIV Infection and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases, MMWR, 42 (Aug 6, 1993) 30: 589-591,597, citing Saracco A, Musicco M, Nicolosi A, et al. Man-to-woman sexual transmission of HIV: longitudinal study of 343 steady partners of infected men, in J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr (1993) 6: 497-502: "In another study of serodiscordant couples (with seronegative female partners of HIV-infected men), three (2%) of 171 consistent condom users seroconverted… When person-years at risk were considered, the rate for HIV transmission among couples reporting consistent condom use was 1.1 per 100 person-years of observation…". See also Francisco Guillén Grima e Inés Aguinaga Ontoso, Efectividad de los preservativos en la prevención de la infección por VIH en parejas de personas seropositivas, in Med Clin (Barc) (1995) 105: 541-548 (Dr. Guillén Grima is Titular Professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the Universidad Pública de Navarra; both authors are connected with Pamplona City Government's Area of Health and Social Services). Davis and Weller (1999) reported that despite 100 per cent condom use, 9 seroconversions occurred (HIV negative status to HIV positive status) per 1000 persons using condoms per year. [Back]
51 Workshop Summary, p. 14. [Back]
52 See J. Suaudeau, Sesso sicuro, in Lexicon, pp. 795-817. See also Mike Kubic, New Ways to Prevent and Treat AIDS, in FDA Consumer, Jan-Feb 1997 (revised May 1997 and Jan 1998; available at http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1997/197_aids.html): "Male and female condoms, however, should not be used at the same time because they won't stay in place". [Back]
53 Davis, Karen, R., and Weller, Susan C., The Effectiveness of Condoms in Reducing Heterosexual Transmission of HIV, in Family Planning Perspectives, Nov/Dec 1999, pp. 272-279. [Back]
54 See CDC, Update: Barrier Protection Against HIV Infection and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases, MMWR, 42 (Aug 6, 1993) 30: 589-591,597. [Back]
55 If Someone tells You a Condom will keep you Safe…, brochure of The Medical Institute for Sexual Health, Austin, Texas. [Back]
56 If Someone tells You a Condom will keep you Safe…, brochure of The Medical Institute for Sexual Health, Austin, Texas. It adds: "Good intentions won't protect you. About 15 percent of couples who rely on condoms to avoid pregnancy will still get pregnant within the first year of use. And even if you did manage to use them consistently and correctly, 2-4 percent of condoms leak, break or slip off. And you're not just at risk for pregnancy." [Back]
57 Hearst, N. and Hulley, S.B., Preventing the Heterosexual Spread of AIDS. Are We Giving Our Patients the Best Advice?, in Journal of the American Medical Association, 259 (1998), 16, pp. 2428-2432. See especially p. 2431. [Back]
58 See the graph showing an almost parallel increase of condom distributed by the USAID and the spread of HIV/AIDS, from 1984-2003, in the Population Research Institute Review (May-Jun 2003), p. 10, summarizing data taken from the Harvard School of Public Health, UNAIDS, and the Kaiser Family Foundation. [Back]
59 See Condom Lobby Drives AIDS Debate Besides Abstinence Success in Africa, in Friday Fax Vol. 5 (Dec 13, 2002) No. 51. [Back]
60 In USAID's Project Lessons Learned, Case Study, September 2002. p. 11, Table: Simulation of Uganda HIV Dynamics: Potential impact of similar behavior change in South Africa by 2000. The Table's source is: Stoneburner, RL, Low-Beer D. Analyses of HIV trend and behavioral data in Uganda, Kenya, and Zambia, in Abstract ThOrC734. XIII International AIDS Conference, Durban, South Africa, Jul 7-14, 2000. On the same page, the Case Study report adds, under the heading, A "social vaccine" in Africa? (Can this success be replicated?): "It must be remembered that many of the elements of Uganda's response, such as high-level political support, decentralized planning, and multi-sectoral responses, do not affect HIV infection rates directly. Sexual behavior itself must change in order for seroincidence to change. According to Stoneburner, the effect of HIV prevention interventions in Uganda (particularly partner reduction) during the past decade appears to have had a similar impact as a potential medical vaccine of 80 percent efficacy." [Back]
61 Available at the WHO website, http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/epidemiology/epi2003/en/. [Back]
62 See Telling the Truth: AIDS Rates for Thailand and the Philippines, by Rene Josef Bullecer, M.D., Executive Director, Human Life International-Visayas Mindanao, Philippines, and Director of AIDS-Free Philippines. He also reported that, "In 1991 the World Health Organization (WHO) AIDS Program forecasted that by 1999 Thailand would have 60,000 to 80,000 cases, and that the Philippines would experience between 80,000 and 90,000 cases of HIV/AIDS". In 1999 there were 755,000 cases in Thailand (65,000 deaths) and 1,005 in the Philippines (225 deaths)". See http://www.hli.org/thailand%20and%20philippines%20aids%20rates.html. [Back]
63 See Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, Pastoral Letter on AIDS: In the Compassion of Jesus, Jan 23, 1993, and Jaime L. Cardinal Sin, Pastoral Letter on Subtle Attacks against Family and Life, Jul 9, 2001. [Back]
64 Desde el corazón de África, nuevas estrategias preventivas contra el sida, in Diario de Navarra, Dec 1, 2003 [Back]
65 According to these authors, up to 70% of new HIV infections in several African regions might be parenteral, especially due to reuse of needles. See Gisselquist, David, Potterat, John, J. et all., Mounting Anomalies in the Epidemiology of HIV in Africa: Cry the Beloved Paradigm, in International Journal of STD & AIDS, 2003/14, pp. 144-147; Gisselquist, David, Potterat John J. et all., Let it Be Sexual: How Health Care Transmission of AIDS in Africa was Ignored, in International Journal of STD & AIDS, 2003/14, pp. 148-161; and British Medical Journal Asserts Coverup in African AIDS Pandemic Claims. AIDS Crisis Caused by Bad Medicine, Not Sex, in Friday Fax Vol 6 (Feb 28, 2003): 10. [Back]
66 Tabaco versus SIDA: una comparación, in El Diario de Hoy (El Salvador) Editorial, Tema del momento, http://www.elsalvador.com/noticias/2003/06/02/editorial/edito5.html [Back]
67 Several groups have proposed or have embarked on measures towards this end. See, among others, Famille et Liberté's publication, La Lettre (Dec 1995) supplement du numéro 3 - 4e trimester, dealing with La politique de prevention du sida en France (AIDS prevention policy in France). [Back]
68 See the Message for the World Day of AIDS Dec 1, 2003, Una parola di amore e di speranza per le famiglie e per le persone colpite dal terribile male, by Javier Cardinal Lozano Barragán, President of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care (published Nov 30, 2003). [Back]
69 These considerations hold true for those who involve themselves in either heterosexual or homosexual risky behaviour, intravenous drug users, and other individuals considered as having high risks of infection. [Back]
70 The AIDS virus and other microorganisms causing and STD's may also be transmitted through other modes, such as injections, contaminated blood transfusion, contact with mucous membranes, etc. [Back]
71 See Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae (Mar 25, 1995), and Familiaris Consortio (Nov 22, 1981), among others. See also Pontifical Council for the Family, The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality. Guidelines for Education within the Family, Vatican City, Dec 8, 1995. [Back]
72 Which besides, would seems improbable, at least with the current design of condoms, given the human tendency not to use the condom consistently and correctly at all times, and given other possible modes of STD infection, such as skin contact outside the area covered by the condom. [Back]
73 WHO, Estrategia Mundial de prevención y lucha contra el sida: Actualización de 1992. Ginebra: OMS, 1992 (WHA45/29), as referred to in Francisco Guillón Grima e Inés Aguinaga Ontoso, Efectividad de los preservativos en la prevención de la infección por VIH en parejas de personas seropositivas, in Med Clin (Barc) (1995) 105: 541-548. [Back]
74 L. Montagnier, AIDS: natura del virus, in various authors, Vivere: perché? L'AIDS, Acts of the Fourth International Conference organized by the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, Vatican City, Nov 13-15, 1989, in Dolentium Hominum 5 (1990) 13: 52. [Back]
75 Cited by K. April et al, in Qual è il grado effettivo di protezione dall'Hiv del profilattico?, in Medicina e Morale, vol 44 (1994): 922. [Back]
76 Mauro Moroni, in a paper presented in Milano Medicina 1987, as cited by Lino Ciccone, Bioetica. Storia, princìpi, questioni, Edizioni Ares, Milan 2003, p. 380. [Back]
77 Lino Ciccone, Bioetica. Storia, princìpi, questioni, Edizioni Ares, Milan 2003, p. 380. [Back]
78 Lino Ciccone, Bioetica. Storia, princìpi, questioni, Edizioni Ares, Milan 2003, p. 381. The final quote is from G. Pascetto et al., Ginecologia e Ostetricia, 1. Ginecologia, Editrice Universo, Rome 2001, p. 482. [Back]
79 En pro de una auténtica educación sexual, en Alfonso López Trujillo, Familia, vida y nueva evangelización, EVD, Estella (Navarra) 2000, 277-298. [Back]
81 Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Mulieris Dignitatem (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women), Aug 15, 1988, nos. 7 and 18. [Back]
82 Cf. F. Botturi, Dialettical dell'amore e costruzione familiare, in Anthropotes 17 (2001): 255-273. [Back]
83 Livio Melina, La promozione di una cultura della famiglia dal punto di vista morale, in Anthropotes, 19 (2003): 32. [Back]
84 Address of Pope John Paul II to the Bishops of Brazil from the East 2 Region on their "Ad Limina" Visit Saturday, Nov 16, 2002. [Back]
85 Livio Melina, La promozione di una cultura della famiglia dal punto di vista morale, in Anthropotes, 19 (2003): 32. [Back]
86 Livio Melina, La promozione di una cultura della famiglia dal punto di vista morale, in Anthropotes, 19 (2003): 33-34. [Back]
87 See J. Suaudeau, Stopping the Spread of HIV/AIDS. Prophylactics or Family Values?, in L'Osservatore Romano Weekly Edition in English, (Apr 19, 2000): 9-10, and further clarification in L'Osservatore Romano Weekly Edition in English, (Sep 27, 2000): 2. [Back]