This World Aids Day marks the beginning of a fourth decade living with a global killer. I understand that many of you have just picked up your morning paper and may not want to think about disease, death, and devastation. I understand that you may think Aids is too complicated and too persistent for us to solve. I understand that you likely have a dozen other issues clamouring for your attention – global warming, poverty, world peace, just to name a few – and the day has only just begun.

But I would make the case that Aids is still worthy of our attention, resources, and effort – now, more than ever before. Not because of my personal connection to a disease that has taken so many friends and colleagues over the years. It's not the troubling...