Power to the vagina... FINALLY

It has been said countless of time that one of the contributory factors regarding the spread of HIV in Zimbabwe are gender imbalances. Women are not bold enough to negotiate for safe sex. It is up to the men to decide whether a condom is used or not. In the few instances when women do carry the condom, the men will deem them promiscuous. Besides, back in the day, women carrying condoms where charged for prostitution and a condom would be used as "evidence". So with all these stereotypes associated with having a condom as a woman or having the guts to negotiate for safer sex, have continued to dog women drastically.

AN example of a microbicide (credit: nature.com)

As a means to empower women all across the globe sexually, a "solution" is on the pipeline. Microbicides is the bullet proof to dodge HIV, without the stress of having used a condom or not during sex. The term microbicides refers to substances being studied that could be used in the vagina o reduce the risk of HIV infection via sexual exposure. Currently, there are no licensed microbicides available today. But, hey, all we need is girl power to advocate for its licencing.

Microbicides can come in a number of forms like vaginal rings that release the active ingredient over a few weeks or months; creams; gels; films; suppositories that could be used vaginally.

Are there any trials going on or trials have been done?

Yes. At the moment, there are  ongoing trials of vagina ring containing the ARV drug (dapivirine) that is designed to be inserted for four weeks at a time. These trials are known as "The Ring Study" and "Aspire" and they are expected to have data in 2016. Aspire (MTN 020) was launched by the Microbicide Trials Network (MTN) has enrolled 2 629 women in Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Results are expected towards the end of 2015 or early next year. the ring study (IPM 027), sponsored by the International partnership for Microbicides (IPM) is enrolling 1 950 women in Uganda and South Africa. We should be expected in late 2016.

Additionally, the vagina microbicide (one percent) gel is the ARV drug tenofovir (TFV) formulated in gel form. There have been three efficacy trials of this gel.

1. The first CAPRISA 004 found evidence of modest benefit.
2. Two subsequent trials, VOICE and FACTS 001 found no overall evidence of protection. However in both trials there was evidence that in small subset of women who were able to use the product correctly and consistently (the two trials had different dosing regimens), the gel did reduce the risk of HIV acquisition. But the overall finding from two out of three trials was that this product wasn't one that women could use enough of the time to achieve the potential benefits.
3. The results of these trials underscore the need to ensure that "the healthy choice is the easy choice" and that women initiated HIV prevention includes strategies that can fit into the lives of women at the greatest risk of HIV.

Loopholes

Microbicides DO NOT prevent against STIs and STD, pregnancies or any other infections that poses as a threat to the vagina. Meaning to say, it is not a multi purpose prevention method  Its sole purpose is to prevent the transmission of HIV as there are recommendations to uses condom.

It's women empowerment right there

Such trials can only allow for licensing if they are attract a 70+ percent success rate. I can only keep my fingers crossed for the success of the above trials. Just prevention methods give women the power to control the spread of HIV.  Gaps on gender imbalances are closed. Women don't even say a word about negotiating for safe sex. The women just do it and BOMB, they are protected. The vagina is empowered all the way.