Microbicides
Preparing for microbicide access and use
International advisory group and user’s needs key to ensuring access to microbicides
Authors:
; Access working group: Microbicide Initiative
Publisher:
International Partnership for Microbicides , 2002
This report from the Microbicides Initiative outlines key steps needed to ensure equitable access to microbicides. The paper sets out priorities that draw on five main dimensions of access: acceptability and use, a supportive policy and social environment, availability, affordability, and regulatory approval and licensing. The document stresses the importance of understanding user preferences and constraints, and finding ways to address these. It also highlights the need to ensure that microbicide development benefits from current global initiatives, which are transforming the research, development and distribution of public health goods, to meet the needs of those most vulnerable to infection.
The paper recommends key activities to be implemented in the immediate future. Firstly, it recommends that international funding agencies make explicit provision for microbicides access in addition to research and development costs. It also recommends establishing an international body to accelerate microbicide development, to ensure universal access and to assist in developing appropriate regulatory requirements. Other recommendations include: creating an international working group, representing public and private sector interests, to establish policy, legal and monetary measures that ensure accessibility; piloting initiatives to establish a framework for ‘microbicides preparedness’; and conducting a detailed analysis of potential distribution systems, which prioritise the needs of the user.
