Research Briefs on HIV Prevention

Numerous products are under development for the prevention of HIV.  Working with partners around the world, Family Health International (FHI) has been developing, coordinating, and implementing research on microbicides to test their safety, acceptability, and effectiveness in preventing HIV and other STIs. We are also testing whether a drug widely used to treat HIV can also be used to prevent it in people at high risk of infection. The following briefs highlight our most recent work in HIV prevention research.

Risk of Pregnancy Should be Considered When Designing Effectiveness Trials of HIV-Prevention Drugs (2007)

A recently published article, supported by USAID and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, summarizes key issues related to pregnancy that should be carefully considered during the design of trials that test the effectiveness of HIV-prevention drugs. The issues were raised during several meetings of HIV-prevention researchers and selected experts.

Study Procedures Can Influence Participation in HIV-Prevention Trials (2007)

USAID-supported research from FHI and partners in South Africa and the United States confirms the positive impact that high-quality counseling and dedicated study participants can have on an HIV-prevention trial.

FHI Oral Tenofovir Study (2006)

Family Health International is working in Africa to see if a widely used HIV treatment drug, called tenofovir, can also prevent HIV in men and women who are at high risk of HIV infection.

Research Identifies Factors Important to Microbicide Acceptability (2006)

With several microbicide formulations in development or already in clinical trials, understanding issues surrounding microbicide acceptability is necessary should one of the products effectively prevent HIV infection. In a study conducted in Pune, India, researchers from Family Health International and partners have identified factors that may predict microbicide use and thus be useful in designing strategies for future microbicide introduction.