Advocates Launch Initiative to Promote Rectal Microbicides for HIV Prevention in Africa

International Rectal Microbicide Advocates (IRMA) this week announced a new initiative to promote research about and advocacy of rectal microbicides as a method of preventing HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Treatment-as-prevention and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) using antiretroviral drugs have received the lion's share of attention in the HIV prevention field in recent years, but there remains a major unmet need for simple, inexpensive, and effective methods to enable receptive sex partners to protect themselves.

Project ARM (Africa for Rectal Microbicides) was launched at the International Microbicides Conference, taking place this week in Sydney.

Below is an edited excerpt from an IRMA press release describing the initiative. A full report is available online at http://rectalmicrobicides.org/ProjectARMreport2012.pdf. For information about and presentations from the conference, visit http://www.microbicides2012.org.

Rectal Microbicides Become a High Priority in the Fight Against HIV in Africa

A Newly Launched African-Inspired, African-Led Initiative Says “Yes” to Rectal Microbicides

Sydney -- April 16, 2012 -- A strategic initiative to promote the research and advocacy of rectal microbicides as a method of preventing HIV/AIDS in Africa takes an important step forward today.

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Female Condom a Cost-Effective Way to Prevent HIV Infection

A female condom distribution and education program in Washington, DC, prevented an estimated 23 new HIV infections and resulted in a substantial net cost savings, according to a retrospective study published in the March 21, 2012, online edition of AIDS and Behavior. Researchers calculated that every dollar spent on the program could potentially return about $20 in cost savings.

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Research Offers Clues to Modest Protection in Thai HIV Vaccine Trial

Researchers have learned more about how an experimental vaccine provides partial protection against HIV infection, according to a report in the April 5, 2012, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Antiretroviral Therapy Does Not Always Fully Suppress HIV in Semen

HIV positive men who have sex with men may continue to have detectable virus in their semen despite being on combination antiretroviral regimens that suppress blood plasma viral load, according to a report in the March 23, 2012, advance online edition of AIDS.

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