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House Bill Pushes Study of Topical Microbicides as HIV Prevention for Women
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By My-Thuan Tran, CQ Staff
A bill advocating more federal financing for the development of topical microbicides that could prevent HIV infection in women was introduced yesterday by Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.
Microbicides are gels or creams that kill the HIV bacteria before it is transmitted, allowing women to have an extra protection against the disease other than condoms.
Not enough microbicide research is being conducted by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, Schakowsky said.
The Microbicide Development Act would implement a federal plan to develop < microbicides with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It would also establish an NIH division that would conduct microbicide research and consolidate other departments already conducting microbicide research.
The bill also authorizes funding in fiscal 2006-07 to fund these research activities, with levels to be established in planning with NIH. It would would require development and implementation of a federal strategic plan to coordinate ongoing activities among NIH, CDC, and the United States Agency of International Development. It would also establish a research and development unit within the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and expedite the development and implementation of a federal strategic plan at NIH for microbicide research.
Source: CQ HealthBeat News
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