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Abascal, Studies for the anal version of the gel are still ongoing. Due to the sensitive nature of the anal lining, the anal gel must be methodically and carefully formulated, lest it actually make infection more likely. The first results from those studies should be available sometime in 2011. If the trials are a success, I can't imagine an anal Ten-gel not getting fast-tracked as well.
This is a great breakthrough, but I'm dismayed that there is no mention of studying the gel anally (yes, both males & females, straight and gay, engage in anal sex), no is there a mention of one of the highest effected populations, Men who have sex with Men (MSM). Innovative microbicide interventions should mandate studies in all at risk populations. Let's take a lesson from the Guardasil debacle, where adolescent and young adult males were not approve for use of the vaccine years after girls.
Richard
Unless the plan is to spike the majority of sexual lubricants with this stuff, I can't imagine it being useful in a place like the US or Europe. In the developing world, women typically can't tell their partners to wear a condom, so this would provide them with an option to protect themselves. In the developed world, such a substance could provide a false sense of security and a lower rate of condom utilization.
November 1, 2010 • Cleveland, OH