You may recall that last November came a report that Truvada, a retroviral drug combination in use for two years to treat people already infected with HIV, had been revealed to cut transmission of new infections in HIV-negative men by 44 percent.
Test results on African women are showing the drug is ineffective, the AP reports:
Women taking Truvada (true-VAH'-duh), made by Gilead Sciences Inc., are just as likely to get HIV as other women who have been given dummy pills, an interim analysis of the study found. Even if the study were to continue, it would not be able to determine whether the pills help prevent infection, since the results are even this far along, researchers said.
The finding is disappointing because another study last fall concluded that Truvada did help prevent infections in gay and bisexual men when given with condoms, counseling and other prevention services. Many AIDS experts view that as a breakthrough that might help slow the epidemic.
Family Health International, a nonprofit involved in AIDS research, announced the new results on Monday.
Previously…
Drug Seen to Drastically Cut HIV Transmission in Gay Men Hailed as 'Major Advance' [tr]
