http://www.dailytimes.bppmw.com/article.asp?ArticleID=12226

However, the effectiveness missed the required target of 33 percent.

The two institutions last week announced the breakthrough in the fight against HIV and Aids when they released results of a research on microbicides gel to the press in Blantyre.

They said the gel could only be used after another research currently going on in the US is completed.

JHP and UNC embarked on the research where two types of gel, BufferGel and PRO 2000, were put on test with over 3,000 low-risk women participating in India, Thailand, Malawi, and Zimbabwe to evaluate the safety and effectiveness.

The project’s Principal Researcher Dr Bonus Makanani said BufferGel proved to be effective even though it failed to reach the expected effectiveness level.

But PRO 2000 proved ineffective, Makanani said.

BufferGel is a spermicidal microbicide that acidifies semen and maintains the protective acidity of the vagina in a high dose tolerance trial.

“Three in every 10 women who participated in the trial were protected. But we envisaged to have an effectiveness of 33 percent.

“This then means that despite the fact that BufferGel has proved to be effective, we failed to meet the target,” he said.

He also said all the people who were exposed to the risk of HIV during the trial will be taken care of, like any other person living with HIV and Aids.

The project started two years ago with the first stages focusing on safety of use and product acceptability.

The final stage focussed on effectiveness, which is the ability of a microbicide in typical use to reduce the average rates of infections when compared with control groups, as well as long-term safety and acceptability.