HIV research receives $100 million boost

A US university has received a $100 million (£56,000) grant to research HIV, targeting the group where infection is rising most – women.

Scientists at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) will study medicines that would benefit people who are HIV positive, including gels which would be of particular benefit to females.

They would no longer need to rely on condoms and be able to better protect themselves, according to Pilot Online.

Further study of combination products would also help protect against other sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.

Microbicides, such as creams, tablets, films and oral pills will also be studied by the group, which comprises 50 researchers at the EVMS Arlington headquarters.

Federal body, the US Agency for International Development, awarded the grant to the project, which is known as CONRAD.

The Agency started CONRAD, which was formerly known as Contraceptive Research and Development, with start-up cash in 1986.

According to Aids charity Avert, more than half of the 30.8 million adults estimated to be HIV positive worldwide are women.

There are about two million children with the virus.

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