Monthly vaginal ring advances toward potential approval as new HIV prevention method

(Microbicide Trials Network) With a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency, a vaginal ring intended to be used for a month at a time moves closer to potentially becoming a new HIV prevention method for cisgender women in sub-Saharan Africa, who despite being the face of the epidemic, have few options for protecting themselves against HIV. If approved, the dapivirine ring would be the first biomedical prevention method specifically for women and the first long-acting method.