Senators Applauded for New Legislation
Promoting HIV Prevention
Technology for Women*

In Washington, DC, Bipartisan
members of the U.S. Senate today introduced
legislation to accelerate the
development of HIV micorbicides, a
technology aimed to put HIV prevention
in the hands of millions of
women around the world.
The Microbicide Development
Act of 2003 was immediately hailed
by international AIDS advocates, scientists,
and public health organizers
who endorse a comprehensive and
accelerated global prevention trategy
to defeat HIV/AIDS.
"Senators Jon Corzine (D-NJ),
Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Gordon
Smith (R-OR), and other Senate cosponsors
have taken a powerful step
forward to make a difference in the
lives of millions of women at risk of
HIV infection- from Sub-Saharan Africa
to inner-city and rural communities
in the United States," said Polly
Harrison, Director of the Alliance for
Microbicide Development.
Scientists are currently testing approximately
65 different microbicide
compounds to determine whether they
will help to protect against HIV and/
or other infectious diseases. Six
microbicides are currently being readied
for U.S. Food and Drug Administration
clinical trials that will assess
their effectiveness in humans. It is estimated
that development of a firstgeneration
microbicide will require an
investment of at least $500 million.
"Women currently comprise 50
percent of all new HIV infections globally,"
said Senator Jon Corzine (D-NJ),
lead sponsor of the legislation. "The
Federal government must move
quickly to ensure that all women have
the tools to protect themselves, their
families, and communities from the
devastation of HIV and AIDS."
Biologically, women are four times
more vulnerable to HIV infection. That
vulnerability is increased due to
women's lack of economic and
social power in many societies where
they often cannot control sexual encounters
or insist on protective measures
such as abstinence or mutual
monogamy. The typical woman who
gets infected with HIV in such contexts
has only one partner- her husband.
Recognizing the growing need for
an HIV prevention tool that is controlled
primarily by women, the Microbicide
Development Act of 2003 is intended
to achieve better coordination
and expanded resources for microbicide
research and development activities
at the U.S. National Institues of
Health (NIH), Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), and
U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID). A similiar measure
is expected to be introduced in the
House of Representatives. The legislation
establishes a branch dedicated
to microbicide research and development
within the NIH's National Institute
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Microbicide research at NIH is currently
conducted with no single line of
administrative accountability or specific
funding coordination. In addition,
the bill requires coordination between
other Federal agencies supporting
microbicide development, including
CDC and USAID.
With 15,000 new HIV infections
occurring globally each day, new prevention
tools are urgently needed.
According to a report from the
Rockefeller Foundation, a microbicide
could avert 2.5 million new HIV infections
over three years using the most
conservative estimates.
Lori Heise, director of the Global
campaign for Microbicides stated,
"Congress and the Administration
must include microbicide development
and research as an essential part
of its omnibus global HIV/AIDS
policy."
(*This Press Release was recieved on April 10th, 2003)