Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Fw: [catholicACT] Re: HIV can go thru the condom?
It was notable that [BBC's] Mr Bradshaw did not enquire as to which scientists and scientific studies
had helped form the opinion that viral leakage was a risk factor in condom use. If Mr
Bradshaw had been interested in finding out ‘who has been telling them this?’ he might have
cited:
•
C.M. Roland, The barrier performance of latex rubber Rubber World (June 1992), whichstates that the pores in latex condoms are a minimum of 50 and up to 500 times larger than
the AIDS virus
•
Roland et al., Rubber and Plastic News January 12, 1998: "More than one million HIVsized particles pass through a square centimetre of rubber within 30 minutes."
•
J.A. Levy, J. Amer. Med. Assoc. 261, 46 (1989); J.N. Krieger, J. NH Research 4, 104(1992) "HIV semen can be cell-free or cell-associated. Cell-free HIV means the HIV virus
is not attached to any other cell in semen and therefore may pass through an intact
condom."
When the Linacre Centre (the leading Catholic bioethics body in the UK) spoke to Dr Roland
of the Naval Research laboratory (NRL) about the issue, he said that none of the research he
has monitored over the last 10 or so years contradicts the conclusion he came to from his own
work that leakage of HIV through condoms was a definite possibility. He was prepared to be
quoted on this point.
[page 26]
Even broadly ‘pro-condom’ studies such as N. Hearst and S. Chen’s
Condom Promotion forAIDS Prevention in the Developing World: Is it working?
(May 26, 2003) supported byUNAIDS, do not express the unquestioning faith in the efficacy of condoms presented by
Panorama.
In spite of arguing in favour of condom promotion, the study readily accepts that‘condoms may occasionally be permeable to virus-size particles’ [p. 5] and that ‘sad
experience shows that high HIV transmission can coexist with high condom use’ [p. 7]
A study published in the leading British medical journal
The Lancet stated:"Increased condom use will increase the number of [HIV/AIDS] transmissions that result
from condom failure" and "a vigorous condom promotion policy could increase rather than
decrease unprotected sexual exposure if it has the unintended effect of encouraging a greater
overall level of sexual activity." [‘Condoms and seat belts: the parallels and the lessons’ The
Lancet, 29 January 2000] The Hearst and Chen study already cited expresses a similar
concern: "the possibility that presenting casual sex with a condom as socially acceptable,
enjoyable, and safe might increase sexual risk in the general public cannot be dismissed.’ [p.
11]
The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) has indicated in the past that ‘the
risk of contracting AIDS during so-called "protected sex" approaches 100 percent as the
number of episodes of sexual intercourse increases’ (Cates Medical Bulletin, IPPF 1997).
~~~
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you,
Tan Yew Hock (Matthew)
----- Original Message -----From: Clapping TreeSent: Wednesday, August 25, 2004 4:34 PMSubject: [catholicACT] Re: HIV can go thru the condom?Thanks again.
This report is quite old, 1990. Apparently some newer research and
reports have shown that good condoms properly used are impermeable,
my colleagues insisted.
A recent Bradshaw interview with the cardinal and several medical
experts is quite negative on the whole. Apparently, there was some
misquoting, etc. Although one of the experts has stated that "more
condoms do not = less aids", the interviewer still summed up the
whole thing as condoms are effective for protection and should be
used.
See http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2004/s1159065.htm
i tried highlighting that the Church's recommendation is: (1) for
its followers, (2) based on theological grounds and not medical
studies, and (3) Jesus himself has said in Matthew 5:27-30, "You
have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I
say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already
committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes
you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to
lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into
hell.l And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and
throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than
for your whole body to go into hell."
btw, no, my colleagues are not Catholic. They have read many
negative reports against the Church and are quite ... One of them
kept bringing up the Galileo story to say that the Church is anti-
science and even against real truth.
The only good thing that about this is: we are discussing this in a
rational unemotional way.
