Microbicides Development Act Reintroduced in Senate; Only AIDS-Related Legislation to Coincide With World AIDS Day
Senators will introduce legislation today calling on the CDC and NIH to "redoubl[e]" their efforts to develop microbicides, which could help prevent the spread of HIV and other STDs in women and their sexual partners, according to a press release from the Global Campaign for Microbicides. Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.) will introduce the Microbicides Development Act of 2002 with the support of Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). A similar act was introduced in the House in June by Rep. Connie Morella (R-Md.) to boost federal spending on microbicide development (Global Campaign for Microbicides release, 11/29). Microbicides are substances used to kill a number of viruses and bacteria and work similarly to spermicides (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 11/27/00). Corzine said that the act "could save millions of lives within a decade. ... Federal support for microbicide research and development is crucial if we are going to produce another form of prevention" (Global Campaign for Microbicides release, 11/29).
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