Abstract
Women in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa are signing up for the safety and efficacy trials of a microbicide gel formulated with the antiretroviral tenofovir which researchers hope will protect them from contracting HIV. If the gel works it will be a major step forward in the quest for a female-controlled product to prevent infection. There are currently about 60 candidate microbicides being developed. Ten have proven safe and effective in animals and are now being tested in people in the USA Africa and India. However in the past year three trials were stopped prematurely because the microbicide being tested was ineffective and in some cases harmful. Researchers at the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) which is leading the tenofovir trial are undeterred. "I am excited and optimistic. We have a trial that potentially can make a difference in the epidemic" says CAPRISA director and co-principal investigator Salim Abdool Karim. "This is the first time that an antiretroviral is being used and importantly tenofovir has a superb safety profile and is highly efficacious in treating AIDS." (authors)
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