Article on nonoxynol-9

[Louie]

Commenting on Does nonoxynol-9 protect against HIV? :

I saw this page today, which pretty much goes along what Cecil said about how ineffective the N-9 spermicide is against the spread of HIV.

HIV preventive backfires : Common spermicide may increase risk of infection

STUDY DETAILS
In the study that backfired, 990 female sex workers were randomly assigned to N-9 or a dummy gel. Fifty-nine women in the group that received the active agent became infected with HIV, compared with 41 who got the placebo — a significant difference.

A higher rate of genital lesions — openings in the vaginal mucosa that may allow HIV to more easily sneak though — in the treated group appeared to blame, Van Damme said.

Some of the women used the gel alone, others had partners who also wore a condom, she said.

Researchers stressed that the N-9 spermicide still works to prevent pregnancy.

There is also the possibility that N-9 might work as a microbicide in women who are not prostitutes, said Howard Levine, head of research at Columbia Labs, which markets the product under the name Advantage-S.

“To say N-9 is harmful is an overstatement,” he said, “given that the women in the study had sex as many as 40 times a day.” In company-sponsored trials of the agent, four was the maximum number of times the women had intercourse and the drug proved perfectly safe, he said. The gel is applied each time a woman has sex.