New HIV prevention technology

Building on new evidence that HIV treatment also prevents the transmission of the virus, the management office runs clinical trials researching the effectiveness of new prevention technologies.

Population effects of AntiRetroviral Therapy (PopART)

The prevention of HIV infection is assuming ever greater public health importance as widespread antiretroviral therapy increases HIV prevalence. Widespread use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all adults testing HIV positive could substantially reduce HIV transmission. PopART will investigate the feasibility of undertaking a future cluster randomised trial to reduce HIV transmission. The trial will compare population clusters where enhanced identification of HIV infection and universal provision of antiretroviral therapy has been implemented in order to reduce HIV transmission at a population level, versus control sites, which will be HIV testing and providing antiretroviral therapy according to ‘local standard of care’.

Microbicides Development Programme (MDP)

The Microbicides Development Programme (MDP) is a partnership of African and European researchers working together to fight HIV. MDP conducts clinical trials to test the safety and effectiveness of products which could help women protect themselves against this disease. MDP is funded by the UK government through its Department for International Development (DfID) and Medical Research Council.

MDP has completed the MDP 301 clinical trial which evaluated the safety and effectiveness of PRO 2000 for reducing the risk of HIV infection in women