Hope for Women at Risk of HIV

Statement on International Women’s Day by IPM CEO Dr. Zeda Rosenberg

8 March 2009 — Today the global community celebrates the many political, economic and social achievements of women — from winning more seats in government to improving educational opportunities for girls across the globe.

But in far too many corners of the world, women’s achievements are being undermined by the continued threat of HIV and AIDS. Women are dying far too young, with devastating impact on their families, communities and countries. Almost 61 percent of adults living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa are women. And the numbers of women living with HIV in Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe continue to rise.

Unfortunately, too many women around the world lack the power to negotiate condom use or insist on fidelity from their male partners. Abstinence is not an option for women who are married, who want children or are at risk of sexual violence.

Women must be empowered to protect their own health, so they can live full and productive lives. Once developed, safe and effective microbicides — topical products being developed to prevent HIV transmission during sex — could transform the lives of women threatened by HIV. Vaginal microbicides could help bring an end to an epidemic that has stolen far too many mothers, daughters and sisters. On International Women’s Day, we have many reasons to be hopeful about microbicides.

Last month, the Microbicide Trials Network (MTN) released final results from its clinical trial of the microbicide candidate PRO2000, which showed that the product was 30 percent more effective than any other arm of the study in preventing HIV. While not definitive, these results signal support for the fundamental premise of vaginal microbicide science: that a woman can use a product topically and prevent HIV infection.

More trials are needed to confirm these findings. Fortunately, another study of PRO2000 by the UK-based Microbicides Development Programme (MDP), a partnership of African and European researchers, is ongoing with results expected by the end of this year. The MDP study is taking place in South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

And as important as the PRO2000 data might be, they also indicate the need for new products that can increase the level of protection. IPM and other nonprofit organizations are now testing a new generation of microbicide candidates that contain highly potent antiretrovirals (ARVs) that specifically target HIV. These ARV microbicides are based on the same antiretroviral drugs being used successfully in HIV treatment and to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The microbicide community is fortunate to have the ongoing and strong support of a broad range of donors who remain committed to developing HIV prevention tools for women.

According to the UN’s most recent report on AIDS, addressing the epidemic with long-term success will require sustained efforts to eliminate human rights violations, including gender inequality, stigma and discrimination. We urgently need an approach that joins HIV prevention with women’s rights so that women and their families have the opportunities they need to live lives of hope and promise, free from fear of HIV infection. Microbicides will be an essential part of that strategy.


About IPM: IPM is a nonprofit product development partnership dedicated to developing new HIV prevention technologies and making them available to women in developing countries. IPM has offices in the United States, South Africa and Belgium.

Contacts: Larry Miller, lmiller@ipmglobal.org, +1 301 608 4267
Leonard Solai, lsolai@ipmglobal.org, +27 (84) 660 6776
Holly Seltzer, hseltzer@ipmglobal.org, +1 301 608 4277