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Politicians biggest barrier to HIV prevention Effective initiatives against AIDS - including needle exchange programs, explicit safer-sex education for teens, and drug treatment programs - are often blocked by misguided political and social objections, a panel of experts chosen by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) panel reported in February. After reviewing the scientific findings on various behavioral strategies, the l2-member group concluded that "the behavior placing the public health at greatest risk may be occurring in legislative and other decision-making bodies." The panel's criticism of sex education programs that focus only on abstenence brought disagreement from some legislators and conservative orgamzations. (CDC National AIDS Clearinghouse 2/14/97)