Research in the fight against HIV/AIDS continues to offer hope. This time, study results on a microbicide gel were presented at the International Conference on AIDS currently taking place in Vienna, Austria.
This study began in February, 2007, and people were impatiently awaiting the results. A gel containing an antiretroviral reduces the risk of HIV infection among women by 50% compared to placebo, says the journal Science.
Tests have already passed phase 2 of a small sample of women in Africa aged 18-40 years. 445 were given a gel with an antiretroviral and 444 had a placebo gel. All women were HIV negative, were sexually active and were at high risk of being infected.
Women had to apply an initial dose of gel twelve hours before having sex and a second dose within twelve hours after sex. There were 54% fewer infections among those who used the gel more than 80% of the time, 38% fewer infections among those who used it moderately and 28% fewer infections among those who used it least. This resulted in an average of 39% fewer HIV infections overall among those who used the gel.
However, the microbicide gel was less effective after 18 months. Results must now be validated by further tests.