August 26, 2010
Mechai Viravaidya, a former senator known for his work advocating condom use in Thailand, has been named to the UNAIDS High Commission on HIV Prevention. Commission members, who include former French President Jacques Chirac and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, use their influence to build support for effective programs to prevent the spread of HIV. Mechai said, upon learning of his appointment, "I am glad that there is new effort to focus serious attention on HIV prevention, since prevention is the only cure. We need imaginative and 'out-of-the-box' approaches to stopping the spread of HIV, and I believe this commission will help with a renewed effort in this endeavor."