PROVIDENCE, RI, United States (UPI) — A drug given orally to treat HIV is also safe if used as vaginal gel and could prevent the sexual transmission of HIV, says a U.S. study.

Researchers at the Miriam Hospital and Brown Medical School found the microbicide vaginal gel tenofovir produced mild or no side effects in both HIV positive and HIV negative women. Tenofovir is the active ingredient in the anti-retroviral drug Viread.

The microbicides are designed to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases and may be formulated as vaginal gels, foams, creams or suppositories.

‘The results of this study may change the way the research community looks at developing safe and effective microbicides,’ said lead author Dr. Kenneth H. Mayer, of Miriam Hospital in Providence. ‘Analyzing the compounds that already have been shown to be successful HIV treatment drugs, and evaluating them for their potential to prevent transmission of infection is an innovative approach that shows great promise.’

The findings are published in the Feb. 28 issue of the journal AIDS, currently available online.

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