The politics of despair: AIDS and the failure of treatment.

The recent AIDS-related death of a friend forced Dr. Iain Mackie to think about the disease and the lack of positive news about it. Despite a flood of recent studies that brought pessimistic news about the treatments now in use, Mackie tries to remain optimistic. "I may be treating only myself as I feed off the politics of optimism," he says, "but at least I will not be feeding off the politics of despair." The article appears as Canada marks another National AIDS Week Oct. 2-8.