VIENNA, July 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — “This is
a historic day for HIV prevention research. The CAPRISA 004 results
are the first clinical evidence that a microbicide gel can help to
prevent sexual transmission of HIV infection,” said AVAC Executive
Director Mitchell Warren, reacting
to the results of the landmark microbicide trial presented today at
the International AIDS Conference in Vienna.
“We believe that the most responsible plan of action now is to
quickly and efficiently articulate the sequence of steps necessary
for confirmation and follow-up of these results, while also
aggressively planning for potential roll-out of a licensable
product.”
“It will take time and resources to fully analyze and understand
the data, but this proof of concept demands immediate action both
in South Africa where there are a
range of key, context-specific issues—and on a global level
where this new evidence will energize and redirect the microbicide
field as well as the broader arena of prevention strategies based
on anti-HIV drugs. Simultaneous efforts on many fronts are needed
to eventually realize the public health potential suggested by
these data.”
“We congratulate the trial sponsors, scientific collaborators,
and partners who conducted this trial, and especially want to thank
the nearly 900 South African women whose altruism and commitment as
trial volunteers made this effort possible. These volunteers and
their communities have made an inestimable contribution to HIV
prevention research and to the eventual development of new ways for
women and men all over the world to protect themselves from HIV. We
owe them an enormous debt of gratitude,” Warren said.
“As we mo
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