Extending her internship with Planned Parenthood, Leah Katz ’07 is building local awareness and support for a new AIDS and STI prevention device known as microbicides. Currently undergoing clinical trials, microbicides come in the form of creams, gels or suppositories and are designed to prevent sexually transmitted infections when applied topically by women.
“It’s so important because, except for condoms, there is no real way for women to prevent contracting AIDS,” Katz said.
This is especially pertinent in developing countries, as female sex workers and other women often don’t have the option of requiring men to wear condoms. Recent research estimated that the use of microbicides in lower income countries could potentially prevent up to two and a half million HIV/STI infections in just three years.
Microbicides may be contraceptive or non-contraceptive, allowing women who desire to get pregnant to do so without risking the chance of contracting HIV.
FDA approval, however, is still pending, with results not expected until the end of the decade. Professionals are currently performing tests and trials that weigh the possible risks and effectiveness of microbicides.
“Unfortunately lack of funding from the larger pharmaceutical companies has slowed microbicide research and development” Katz said. “Microbicides represent a traditional ‘public health good’, a product that could yield tremendous benefits for society, but for which there is no promise of a high profit in the long run.”
While patience may be the only option on a national level, Katz is working within the Wesleyan community and beyond by starting a coalition called Students for Microbicides. The group plans to hold their first meeting February 28, with the mission of raising awareness on college campuses and in local communities. A similar mission exists at Yale, and the two groups hope to eventually collaborate for a broader Connecticut-based campaign.
“The reason that microbicides are not on the market, in my opinion, is lack of awareness, especially American awareness,” Katz said. “And America is where most of the pharmaceutical money is, so we’re trying to let people know about it as much as we can.”
In addition to flyers and meetings, the group is planning a variety of informational and inspirational lectures, as well as upcoming Microbicides Awareness Week in April.
Last October Katz organized for feminist thinker Jamie Roseman to come to Wesleyan and speak on the importance of microbicides for the advancement of women on a global scale. Katz is also helping to plan the upcoming Feb. 24 lecture by Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards, co-authors of he book, Grassroots: A Field Guide for Feminist Activism.
“What I hope Wesleyan students get out of this lecture are real ideas, and tools to put those ideas to work” Katz said. “[Students] shouldn’t feel discouraged, but rather encouraged to do something about what you believe in.”
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