August 14, 2006, XVI International AIDS ConferenceToronto, Canada
Remarks by Paulette Nicholas and Judith Auerbach
Available in Word and PDF

Science, Vol 305, Issue 5680, 17, 2 July 2004

By Adrienne Germain

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision in May 2004 not to allow over-the-counter sales of the morning-after pill, Plan B, is but one troubling example of the increasing impact of politics and ideology on science and health policy. The agency's ruling, contrary to recommendations from an external advisory panel and its own scientific staff, is indicative of the growing gap between common sense and U.S. policies affecting the well-being of women and girls worldwide.

>>Available in Word and PDF / Available in Spanish

Summary: The following speech about the HIV/AIDS pandemic's devastating impact on women was delivered by Stephen Lewis, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, at the Microbicides 2004 conference in London, on March 30, 2004. For more information about the conference, please visitwww.microbicides2004.org.uk (5 pages).