No Stones Unturned in Major Push to Develop Microbicides

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

No Stones Unturned in Major Push to Develop Microbicides

AIDS Alert (12/96) Vol. 11, No. 12, P. 133

Abstract: The U.S. government has pledged to spend $100 million over the next four years on the development of anti-HIV microbicides, which will give women more options to protect themselves from the virus that causes AIDS. The female condom is the only such product now available, and, while new alternatives are in the research pipeline, they could take years to reach the market. New diaphragms and cervical caps are in development at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, but these methods are not expected to provide complete protection against viral infections. Chemical barriers are more attractive than physical barriers because they are easy to use and unobtrusive, and non-contraceptive types can protect women from disease while allowing them to become pregnant. As preliminary research, government scientists are studying whether spermicides, which have shown anti-HIV activity in laboratory tests, can protect women from the virus. Acid-buffering agents, which alter the pH level of the vagina, are also promising because HIV does not survive as long when pH levels are lowered. Daily vaginal suppositories, designed to lower pH by raising levels of natural vaginal microflora, are also under development.

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