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"New approaches being tested to halt
spread of HIV"
The
Star (www.thestar.com.my)
(20/08/06)
EARLIER in the week, preventing the transmission of HIV was said to be the
“theme” of the XVI International AIDS Conference by co-chair Dr Helene
Gayle. And at the end of the conference, she concluded that both prevention
and treatment were needed to combat the epidemic.
But with new methods emerging, she said, it remained a harsh reality that
the world was quickly falling behind in prevention.
“Unless we dramatically scale it up, we cannot hope to bring the epidemic
down,” she told a press conference on Tuesday.
Dr Gayle said that while there would be new and highly effective ways to
prevent many of the four million new HIV infections annually, the tools
would have little impact unless immediate steps were taken to complete
current trials and start new ones..
A report titled “New Approaches to HIV Prevention: Accelerating Research and
Ensuring Future Access”, released by the Glboal HIV Prevention Working
Group, emphasised that there was no “magic bullet” for preventing the spread
of HIV. It also stated that the new methods being tested would need to be
used in combination with existing prevention approaches.
The six emerging approaches are male circumcision, using cervical barriers
like diaphragms, daily administration of antiretroviral drugs currently used
for HIV treatment, suppressing herpes, using microbicides, and vaccines.
Current methods include harm reduction among injecting drug users,
preventing mother-to-child transmission, blood supply safety, and changing
of behaviour including abstinence and condom use.
Fewer than one in five people who are at high risk to being infected have
access to effective prevention.
At the opening of the conference, Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder, said
women must be equipped with preventive tools such as microbicides to protect
themselves against sexual transmission of the virus.
Microbicides, which are still undergoing clinical trials, could take the
form of a gel or cream that a woman could use.
But Dr Cristina Pimenta, the Brazilian Interdiscplinary AIDS Association
executive director, warned that it should not be forgotten that despite the
technology involved in developing the new tools, one was still dealing with
human beings.
“Don't forget that there are still issues like human rights and people still
need to be educated about relationships and drugs. You can't just give them
pills,” she said.
And Malaysian AIDS Council president Prof Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman said women
must have knowledge about the virus and how it was transmitted in order to
protect themselves.
“Women should be given the power to protect themselves,” she said.
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