A rectal microbicide is a microbicide for rectal use. Most commonly such a product would be a topical gel inserted into the anus so that it make act as protection against the contract of a sexually transmitted infection during anal sex.
Along with vaginal microbicides, rectal microbicides are currently the subject of medical research on microbicides for sexually transmitted diseases to determine the circumstances under which and the extent to which they provide protection against infection.
Less commonly, rectal microbicides can have other purposes also; for example, they could be used to treat certain medical conditions as a suppository would.
Contents |
Early development of topical microbicides starting around 1998 focused on preventing of HIV transmission during vaginal intercourse.[1] The entire field lacks a proof of concept that a vaginal microbicide exists.[1] As of 2008, 16 topical microbicides entered phase I or II clinical trial and 7 advanced to an additional trial.[1] Previous studies both showed promise in new areas of research and gave disappointing results from the first generation products, as surfactants like nonoxynol-9 and entry inhibitors like carrageenan showed no efficacy in preventing HIV and were associated with risk of inflammation which raised the risk of contracting HIV in some circumstances.[1]
In 1998 researchers noted that gay men using products containing nonoxynol-9 as part of their infection prevention strategy despite lack of evidence of efficacy or any safety data for that practice.[2] At the time, the drug was under evaluation as a vaginal microbicide.[2]
Because of expected similarities between the efficacy of vaginal and rectal microbicides, some researchers have called for all vaginal microbicides to be tested for efficacy when used rectally.[3]
Preclinical testing for rectal microbicides has been conducted in macaques to get a nonhuman primate model of drug behavior.[4]
Rectal microbicides can reduce the risk of transmission of HIV during anal intercourse, particularly during sex when condoms are not used.[1]
Researchers have explored using personal lubricant as a vehicle for delivering a rectal microbicide.[5]
Research into rectal microbicides and funding for exploring their use as public health tools has faced barriers historically because of the taboo in discussing anal health and anal sex.[6] Researchers have reported feeling disinclined to request funding for "anal research" because of biases against anything to do with an anus, and public policy writers have at times faced opposition to promoting discussion on anal topics.[6]
|
||||||||||||||