Government and Aids activists reach consensus

Government and community activists in South Africa have reached consensus on the need to fast-track the development of an ingredient that can kill or inactivate HIV cells during sexual intercourse. The prevention product can take the form of a gel, cream, sponge or ring. These products release the active ingredient during intercourse. The developers claim the microbicides could possibly prevent more than two million new HIV infections in the developing world over the next five years. The claim was made at a conference on HIV/Aids in Cape Town. The conference, attended by one-thousand-300 delegates from all over the world, ends today.