Criteria for Drugs Used in Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Trials against HIV Infection

摘要

In 2004, almost 5 million people became newly infected with HIV, emphasizing the continuous need for effective prevention strategies. The development of an effective preventive vaccine faces many difficulties and is not likely to occur within the next decade. Behavioural changes, such as consistent and correct condom use and abstinence from high-risk behaviour, probably contributed to the fall in HIV incidence recently reported in several African countries and in India [1]. Recently, it was shown that male circumcision reduced the risk of acquiring HIV by 60% [2] and the risk of male-to-female transmission by 30% [3]. However, behavioural interventions may not be able to curb the HIV epidemic as much as needed, prompting the need to find additional, more effective preventive strategies. There is also a need for “female-initiated intervention”. Women around the globe continue to be infected with HIV by their male partners and often feel unable to insist on condom use.