Q: The AIDS report is a major example of IOM’s increased visibility. Its recommendations have been widely disseminated. Are you happy with the response it’s gotten from policymakers?
THIER: The response from the research community has been pretty reasonable. The major concern is that we pointed out that education is our only major intervention until therapies and vaccines are developed, but the amount of activity relating to education has been very modest. We also were concerned that if you conceptualize AIDS only in the medical model, without seeing the social and international implications, it would be very hard to get a sound national response.
We also pointed to the need for some kind of a coordinating mechanism. We’re facing a rather serious problem in which the numbers at the moment don’t reflect what’s coming at us, and where, if we act, we could do something to trim off a rapid ...
