World AIDS Day: Can Vaginal Rings Help Prevent HIV Infection?

A South African company will be manufacturing affordable and accessible vaginal rings that protect against HIV, the non-profit organisation Population Council announced on the eve of World AIDS Day. The Council announced on November 30, that Kiara Health, a Johannesburg-based firm, is all set to introduce the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring next year, estimating that 1 million of the revolutionary product could be made in a year. 

AIDS experts have approved that Kiara Health's venture could have a remarkable impact on the sexual health of women across the globe, VOA News reported. The Population Council owns the rights to the rings, which are approved in nearly a dozen countries by the World Health Organisation. 

What Are Vaginal Rings?

A vaginal ring (commonly known as Nuva Ring) is identified as an effective contraceptive method by many health ministries across the world. It is better understood as a soft silicone ring installed inside the vagina, which releases a continuous dose of the oestrogen and progestogen hormones for 28 days into the bloodstream to prevent pregnancy. 

The ring also thickens the cervical mucus, which makes it more difficult for sperm to move through the cervix, and thins the lining of the womb so a fertilised egg is less likely to implant itself.

The vaginal ring can be self-implanted and has to be replaced every month. The UK government's National Health Service states that a vaginal ring is a 99% effective birth control method. 

How Does The Vaginal Ring Protect From HIV?

A variation of the vaginal ring called the dapivirine vaginal ring (DPV-VR) is a device that can emits a drug, dapivirine, which reduces the risk of a woman getting infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) through vaginal intercourse.

It currently costs $12 to $16, but with Kiara Health taking the lead to produce it in Africa, AIDS experts expect the price to drop. Ben Phillips, a spokesperson at the U.N. AIDS agency, said, "For women whose partners won't use a condom or allow them to take oral (preventive HIV) medicines, this gives them another option," he said.

Kiara Health's Initiative

About 5 lakh rings have been donated to women across the African continent, giving them the agency to their own sexual and reproductive health. The Population Council has currently authorised a firm in Sweden to manufacture the rings, which are being purchased by donors to give out to African women. 

With African developers now coming into picture, the rings can be made more accessible worldwide. The developers are also working on a version that will last up to three months, which should also lower the yearly cost.

Need For HIV Protection

HIV remains the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age in Africa and 60% of new infections are in women, according to figures from WHO. 

The WHO has recommended the dapivirine ring be used as an additional tool for women at "substantial risk of HIV." The Organisation cited two advanced studies in its approval, saying the ring reduced women's chances of getting HIV by about a third, while other research has suggested the risk could be dropped by more than 50%.

The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) of India had estimated in 2021 that 24 lakh Indians are affected and living with AIDS, with 62.97 thousand new infections that year. (Latest available data).