Would a microbicide eliminate the need for condoms?
No. When used consistently and correctly, male or female condoms are likely to provide better protection against HIV and STIs than microbicides, so they will still be the preferred option. But for people who cannot or will not use condoms, and particularly for women whose partners refuse condoms, using microbicides can save lives and have a substantial impact on the spread of HIV. In fact, researchers developed a mathematical model that shows that if even a small proportion of women in lower income countries used a 60% efficacious microbicide in half the sexual encounters where condoms are not used, 2.5 million HIV infections could be averted over 3 years.
