Anti-HIV Vaginal Gel Failed to Prevent Infections in Africa

Anti-HIV Vaginal Gel Failed to Prevent Infections in Africa - A new experiment of a microbicide gel to protect women from HIV infection has been canceled. Cancellation is made after the researchers reported that the gel does not work.

It is unclear why the gel fails in trials, whereas in previous trials gel has been quite successful. Vaginal gel that can protect women against the HIV virus but it is still possible to become pregnant have long sought by AIDS researchers.

Because vaginal gel will be useful to prevent spread of HIV to women with partners who have been HIV positive, but do not want to use condoms during sexual intercourse.



The first experiment reported in South Africa in the summer of 2010. In these experiments it was found that, a vaginal gel containing tenofovir has protected 39 percent of women who use it.

And for those who frequently use has lowered the risk of infection to 54 percent. It is hoped that the new test, called the Voice (for Vaginal and Oral Interventions to Control the Epidemic) can confirm the previous trial, called CAPRISA.

Voice trials which started in 2009, has involved more than 5,000 women in South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The test was conducted by comparing three different products, namely a placebo gel, tenofovir pill, or pill Truvada.

Truvada contains Viread and tonic. The trials of tenofovir pill was canceled in September 2011 because it seems also to have failed. But because the research is still ongoing, the data collected from all the investigators have not found the reason why the gel failed.

"Even when we have more information available, to understand why the results differ from CAPRISA trial results may still not clear. But I was surprised and disappointed why anti-HIV gel has been canceled," said Sharon L. Hillier, a principal investigator for the microbicide Trials Network, based at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School as reported from TheNewYorkTimes, Monday (28/11/2011).

Possible causes of the failure are the women did not use the gel on a regular basis, the wrong dose, or the inflammation that causes the virus more easily entered. The cause of the failure of the gel was not confirmed until possibly next year, "said Hillier and Dr. Ian McGowan, another of the researchers of the microbicide Trials Network.

Ethics of modern clinical trials have been getting a variety of data are quite clear so that they can test whether a medical intervention if the gel is safe and can effectively prevent HIV infection. About 6 percent of women who used tenofovir gel and 6 percent of women taking a placebo had been infected at the time of the trial. It is indeed considered to be safe but not effective. Necessitating the cancellation to prevent other women from getting infected again.

The trial is expected to last until mid-2012 and data from trials that will be issued in early 2013. Another experiment using a gel with different formulations and doses will soon be planned.