Planned Parenthood Statement on Pope Benedict XVI’s Recent Comments Regarding Condom Use

“Pope Benedict XVI took a small, but critical, step in the right direction by acknowledging in a recent interview that condoms reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS. Other Roman Catholic leaders, including African bishops and aid workers in Africa, have urged the Vatican to condone condom use for HIV/AIDS prevention.

“Scientific research demonstrates that condoms are an effective and important tool in the worldwide fight against HIV/AIDS, as well as other sexually transmitted infections.  That is why Planned Parenthood and its partners work every day, in countries around the world, to educate individuals about the risks of HIV/AIDS and help them protect themselves from infection. It is time that all world leaders, both religious and secular, embrace evidence-based solutions to addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis include increasing access to and promoting the use of condoms, especially in parts of the world where access to health care is extremely limited.”

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate. We believe that everyone has the right to choose when or whether to have a child, and that every child should be wanted and loved. Planned Parenthood affiliates operate more than 825 health centers nationwide, providing medical services and sexuality education for millions of women, men, and teenagers each year. We also work with allies worldwide to ensure that all women and men have the right and the means to meet their sexual and reproductive health care needs.