Can science solve the global AIDS problem

: Recently, the 15th International AIDS Conference took place in Bangkok, Thailand. This conference used to be an almost exclusively science-oriented conference reporting on new developments in diagnostic tools, drug discovery, and other medical advances, making it a "must attend" event for most scientists. In the year 2000, this congress was hosted by South Africa in Durban, for the first time in a developing country - focusing on the particular needs of poor countries and also stressing that scientific approaches are not the only relevant and important aspects of this global epidemic. While many scientist (including this author) perceived the changing emphasis of the meeting with regret ("only science will solve this problem"), the immediate view on the epidemic in areas with poor resources has proven beyond doubt that HIV is far more than just a viral infection. With the latest conference taking place in Bangkok, several particular aspects were demonstrated: after Africa, Asia is the largest hot spot in the worldwide spread of HIV with the highest increase in infections. Also, this country can serve as an admirable example of political will and successful battle to constrain the epidemic despite a serious lack of resources.