New technology boosts AIDS prevention

The government has prioritised research into microbicides as the next most powerful anti HIV and Aids prevention technology. Speaking in Cape Town at the world’s largest microbicides conference, Minister of Science and Technology Mosibudu Mangena said microbicides offered an important opportunity to give couples, but particularly women, more control in reducing the transmission of the virus. The products, in the form of a gel, cream, sponge or ring, release an active ingredient which can kill or inactivate HIV cells during sexual intercourse. Five of the six products are in advanced stages of being tested in South Africa and elsewhere in the world.