Microbicides in HIV infection prophylaxis – not only ethical challenges

SummaryThe increasing number of HIV infections transmitted through heterosexual contacts and the increasing incidence of infections in women make it urgently needed to find a chemical agent which could be applied locally and could prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. However, the previous experience with nonoxynol-9 and subsequent suspension of clinical studies on other preparations are not optimistic. In the absence of an effective HIV vaccine, even a partially active microbicide would still be a highly desirable intervention.