The Case for Microbicides: Arming women in the battle against HIV/AIDS.

[and-justice-for-all]

Leah Katz

Friday, February 2, 2007

HIV/AIDS is the pandemic of our time. The statistics are staggering: 22 million people have died from AIDS, 42 million are living with AIDS, and there are 14,000 new infections every day. It is estimated that the number of children living with HIV today is 1.2 million and that by the year 2010 there will be 25 million AIDS orphans. Sub-Saharan Africa, the region hardest hit by the epidemic, is home to 21.5 million adults and 1 million children living with HIV...

More: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070219/microbicides

[pinto]

1. Here's a good site - "Global Campaign for Microbicides"

http://www.global-campaign.org/index.htm

Global Campaign for Microbicides

The Global Campaign for Microbicides is a broad-based, international effort to build support among policymakers, opinion leaders, and the general public for increased investment into microbicides and other user-controlled prevention methods. Through advocacy, policy analysis, and social science research, the Campaign's diverse network of over 250 NGOs works to accelerate product development, facilitate widespread access and use, and protect the needs and interests of users, especially women.

Specifically, the goals of the Campaign are to:

Raise awareness and mobilise political support for increased funding for microbicide research, female condom and cervical barrier methods;
Create a supportive policy environment for the timely development, introduction and use of new prevention technologies; and
Ensure that as science proceeds, the public interest is protected and the rights and interests of trial participants, users, and communities are fully represented and respected.
The Global Campaign pursues its work through a small core staff and by funding partner organisations to pursue activities that directly advance the Campaign goals and objectives. The Campaign Secretariat is housed at PATH, an international, nonprofit organisation that improves the health of people around the world.