Vaginal ring somewhat effective at preventing HIV infection
Some women fail to consistently use device, first trials find
By Laura Beil
A vaginal ring infused with an antiviral drug appears to offer protection against HIV infection, although not as much as doctors had predicted. Women who used the ring had a 27 percent lower risk of HIV infection than women who received a placebo, scientists reported February 22 in the New England Journal of Medicine. A second separate study had similar results, finding a 31 percent reduction. Both studies were released during the annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston, Mass.
The trials, conducted by international teams of researchers, involved women in sub-Saharan Africa, a region hard-hit by the epidemic. Public health officials hope that discreet, long-lasting protection will help women protect themselves from infection (SN: 11/14/15, p. 14).