# Article on nonoxynol-9

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/article-on-nonoxynol-9/25348>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [July 12, 2000, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/article-on-nonoxynol-9/25348 "2000-07-12T20:18:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Louie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Louie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Louie)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2000, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/article-on-nonoxynol-9/25348/1 "2000-07-12T20:18:12Z")

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Commenting on [Does nonoxynol-9 protect against HIV?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000630) :

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](http://www.msnbc.com/msn/431912.asp?cp1=1)

> [@](#):
>
> 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.