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Spain's Catholic Church Backs Condom Use to Prevent AIDS
Associated Press
January 19, 2005 10:22 a.m.

MADRID – Spain's Catholic Church said it supports the use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS -- a substantial shift from traditional policy.

The Vatican states that condoms, being a form of artificial birth control, cannot be used to help prevent the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

But "condoms have a place in the global prevention of AIDS," Juan Antonio Martinez Camino, spokesman for the Spanish Bishops Conference, told reporters after a meeting Tuesday with Health Minister Elena Salgado to discuss ways of fighting the disease.

Mr. Martinez Camino said the Spanish Catholic Church's stance is backed by the scientific world. He cited a recent study by experts in the medical magazine Lancet that supported the so-called "ABC" approach of fighting AIDS -- "A" for abstinence, "B" for being faithful to partners, and "C" for condoms.

"The Church is very worried and interested by this problem," he said.

There was no comment from the Vatican to the Spanish statement....