New Vaginal Gel to Protect Against HIV May be Too Expensive Poorer Countries

Cures for AIDS and a vaccine for the HIV virus are still many years away. Researchers in Vienna have come up with a solution that helps reduce the risk of woman catching the virus from the male partner, with a new vaginal gel.

Scientists working on the vaccine report a 39% rate in the rate of the reduction of the virus. Women who used the microbicide gel more regularly achieved a 54% reduction in the rate of transmission. Producing a vaginal gel that can help prevent the spread of AIDS has met with many failures. The current gel is the twelfth attempt for the UNAIDS agency.

The success rate may be good news, but the developers worry that the cost may prevent the gel from getting distributed in the poorer countries where it is needed most. The gel costs 2cents per dose, but the applicator, which was patented, costs 40 cents to purchase. The applicator was patented and had to be redesigned frequently to make it comfortable for women to use.

If the United Nation’s AIDS relief agency can distribute the gel, it can help ease a crisis affecting many African nations. A woman can use the gel before she is likely to engage in intercourse without her partner knowing.