The search goes on

HIV prevention methods: The search goes on

On 1st December, the world will be united in marking World AIDS Day in memory of the millions of people who have died of AIDS. With its theme of ‘Universal Access and Human Rights’, World AIDS Day 2009 also reminds us of the need to stop the epidemic from spreading further. In this article, Toju Cline-Cole writes about the search for microbicides, products which, along with vaccines, could one day hold the key to stopping the spread of HIV in high risk populations.

Of the 33 million people living with HIV in 2007, women accounted for half. Given such high levels of infections, the search for effective ways to prevent HIV, such as vaccines and microbicides, must be a priority alongside efforts to make HIV treatment available to everyone affected.

Currently, the condom is the only product widely used to prevent HIV being passed on during sex. However, many people in poor regions of the world cannot afford to buy them. Also, the use of a condom is dependent on the sex partner. Some men may object to it for a number of reasons. The main advantage of a microbicide is that it can be inserted by the female partner without the male partner knowing about it.

What is a microbicide?

A microbicide is any substance that can substantially reduce the risk of acquiring or transmitting sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, when it is applied in the vagina or rectum. No proven microbicide exists yet on the market, but scientists are hard at work to develop one. A microbicide would most likely be formulated as a vaginal gel, cream, foam, or ring.

Candidate microbicides have so far failed to be effective in preventing HIV infection. The largest clinical trial to date was the Carraguard Phase 3 trial conducted between 2004 and 2007. As many as 6,202 women in South Africa participated in the trial, which concluded that the product was safe and acceptable to women, but did not reduce their risk of acquiring HIV.   Despite this setback, researchers remain optimistic that an effective microbicide will be found.  They are now looking into ways of including antiretroviral drugs in the making of microbicides, to see if that can make the final product strong enough to kill off the virus during sex.

Why microbicides would be useful to African women:

• Once properly developed and marketed, it could be cheaper than the condom;
• The woman can use it without the prior knowledge or consent of the male partner;
• Some types of microbicides might be effective against HIV and yet allow a woman to become pregnant.

The above factors are among the reasons why a group of UK-based Africans have joined the global campaign for microbicides. Part of the UK Campaign for Microbicides, the group recently presented a poster to the 5th International AIDS Society (IAS) conference in Durban, South Africa which took place last July. The poster was judged to be of such high quality that it was given an award for distinction based on merit and innovation.

Titled ‘Experiences of the Buzz Cafés in Microbicides Advocacy’, the poster describes the functions of ‘Buzz Cafes’, a space where members of the UK Campaign for Microbicides meet to discuss and develop their scientific and social research knowledge and skills in an informal and relaxed atmosphere. At the Buzz Cafes, invited speakers inform and help to build the capacity of Group’s members to talk about HIV prevention-related issues and the implications for microbicides advocacy. In order to ensure that they share what they learn with other advocates in both the developed and developing regions of the world, the discussions are posted on the website of the Global Campaign for Microbicides www.global-campaign.org/UKAfricanWG.htm.

If you want to learn more about microbicides, please visit:
www.global-campaign.org
www.ahpn.org 

Posted On: 18 December 2009 at 12:23PM
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