As of 2004 an estimated 40 million people were living with HIV/AIDS, and about 20 million had died. Despite advances, there is still no cure, and the drugs are expensive and toxic. In the developing world, especially parts of Africa, life expectancy has plummeted to below 35 years, causing a serious decline in economic growth, a sharp increase in orphans, and the imminent collapse of health care systems. But the news is not all bleak: there have been unprecedented breakthroughs in understanding and treatment--and because the disease is so closely linked to sexual activity and drug use, the need to understand and change behavior has caused us to reassess what it means to be human and how we should operate in the globalizing world. This book tackles the science, the international and local politics, the demographics, and the devastating consequences of the disease, and suggests how we must respond.--From publisher description.
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