Foreign Policy Blogs
Foreign Policy Blogs

Landmark study in HIV prevention

Health

by  |  on July 31st, 2010  |  0 comments

In case you missed it, June 20th marked an historic day in the search for an effective method of HIV prevention.  The Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) announced its results from a groundbreaking study that affirmed the effectiveness of a microbicide  The nearly 3-year study showed a 39% reduction in HIV infection rates amongst participants overall and a 54% reduction in those participants with high adherence.  CAPRISA estimates that use of the gel could reduce infections by half a million in South Africa alone.  The results are particularly encouraging because the microbicide gel empowers women to take control of their HIV status, particularly in instances where women face difficulties negotiating safe sex.

 

Author

Cynthia Schweer Rayner

Cynthia Schweer Rayner is an independent consultant and philanthropy advisor specializing in public health, social entrepreneurship and scalable business models for positive social change. As a recovering management consultant, she spent several months living in South Africa, and later co-founded the US branch of an organization providing support to orphaned and vulnerable children. In 2009, she was an LGT Venture Philanthropy Fellow, working with mothers2mothers (m2m), a multinational non-profit organization employing mothers living with HIV as peer educators to positive pregnant women. She currently works with individuals, companies and nonprofits to finance and develop models for positive change. Cynthia has an MBA from INSEAD and a BA in English Literature from Georgetown University. She currently lives in Cape Town and visits New York frequently, where she co-owns a Manhattan-based yoga studio, mang'Oh yoga (www.mangohstudio.com).


©2011 Foreign Policy Blogs – Blogger? Log In Here!

FPA Home | Bookstore | Events | Great Decisions

Contact us | Become a Blogger | Advertise