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Abstract
Exploring the potential impact of microbicides on sex workers
C. Overs
Issues: When available microbicides will be an important new way for women to protect themselves from HIV. But while microbicides will certainly protect women who have only vaginal sex with one or few partners, there is potential for increased risk to male, transgender and female sex workers.
Description: If a microbicide is less than 100% effective for vaginal sex and it replaces condoms it could increase HIV among female sex workers, especially in higher seroprevalence settings. Even a highly effective vaginal microbicide could place female sex workers at increased risk of orally aquired STIs and anally aquired HIV and will not benefit men and transgenders. Clients will favour microbicides over condoms for offering protection during skin to skin sex and many sex workers are unable to afford to keep different products for different types of sex. Microbicides will be easier to counterfeit than condoms and their correct use will be more difficult to teach/understand.
Lessons learned: Consulting with community leaders brought up many issues that were otherwise being overlooked in microbicide development
Recommendations: We need to build capacity now to ensure that enough correct information about microbicides quickly enough to ensure that they reduce not increase HIV. Resources should be made available to enable sex worker organizations and leaders to develop the research skills and advocacy upon which the success of microbicides will depend
AIDS 2006 - XVI International AIDS Conference
Abstract no.
CDC0652
Suggested Citation
" C. Overs
Exploring the potential impact of microbicides on sex workers.
:
AIDS 2006 - XVI International AIDS Conference:
Abstract no.
CDC0652"
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