Third, a problem may be misdefined because of ideological or values based treatment of the clients of existing policies and programs. That ideologies and values affect policy definition is hardly a new insight, but the goal should be to test such values empirically, since ideological influences are almost by definition anti-empirical. Even the absence of hard data to support i logically based policies will not change minds or lead to the elimination or modification of policies (e.g., abortion, stem cell research, and same-sex marriage). In policy analysis, as anywhere, it is frustrating to argue with true believers. For example, such policymakers as US Representative Tom Coburn (R-OK) are in principle against the practice of needle exchange to slow HIV transmission, because there are empirical arguments that needle exchange can lead to .increased drug use (providing needles to people who did not ever exchange them) and to undermine the goal of reducing illicit drug use. But it could also be argued that this position is anti-empirical, since there are hard data indicating that needle exchange is an effective means of slowing HIV