Published in:
01-02-2013 | Original Paper
Adherence and Acceptability in MTN 001: A Randomized Cross-Over Trial of Daily Oral and Topical Tenofovir for HIV Prevention in Women
Authors:
Alexandra M. Minnis, Sharavi Gandham, Barbra A. Richardson, Vijayanand Guddera, Beatrice A. Chen, Robert Salata, Clemensia Nakabiito, Craig Hoesley, Jessica Justman, Lydia Soto-Torres, Karen Patterson, Kailazarid Gomez, Craig W. Hendrix
Published in:
AIDS and Behavior
|
Issue 2/2013
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Abstract
We compared adherence to and acceptability of daily topical and oral formulations of tenofovir (TFV) used as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention among women in South Africa, Uganda and the United States. 144 sexually active, HIV-uninfected women participated in a cross-over study of three regimens: oral tablet, vaginal gel, or both. We tested for differences in adherence and evaluated product acceptability. Self-reported adherence for all regimens was high (94 %), but serum TFV concentrations indicated only 64 % of participants used tablets consistently. Most women in the U.S. (72 %) favored tablets over gel; while preferences varied at the African sites (42 % preferred gel and 40 % tablets). Findings indicate a role for oral and vaginal PrEP formulations and highlight the importance of integrating pharmacokinetics-based adherence assessment in future trials. Biomedical HIV prevention interventions should consider geographic and cultural experience with product formulations, partner involvement, and sexual health benefits that ultimately influence use.