July 2012 — The results of the CAPRISA 004 study invigorated the world of HIV prevention. A promising step toward giving women a new tool to protect themselves, this was the first time that a microbicide trial showed a statistically significant decrease in HIV acquisition, with an estimated 39 percent reduction in risk. Encouragingly, it also showed an estimated 51 percent decrease in new herpes infections.
The significance of the trial, however, is greater than just the results. This microbicide research was led by a South African institution, a global first. The Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal spearheaded the trial with FHI 360 and CONRAD as collaborating partners. The study exemplifies the principles of country ownership and capacity building.
