Rectal-specific microbicide applicator: evaluation and comparison with a vaginal applicator used rectally.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• HIV Prevention Research
• Sexual Health

Background:

• Rectal microbicides are crucial for HIV prevention among men who have sex with men.
• Developing acceptable and user-friendly delivery systems is essential for effective microbicide implementation.
• Existing delivery methods may not be optimal for rectal administration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the acceptability of a novel rectal microbicide applicator.
• To compare the acceptability of a rectal applicator versus a standard vaginal applicator for rectal microbicide delivery.
• To identify areas for improvement in rectal microbicide delivery systems.

Main Methods:

• 95 young men who have sex with men used a rectal applicator with placebo gel for 90 days.
• 24 participants then used both rectal and vaginal applicators with tenofovir/placebo gel for 7 days.
• Acceptability was measured using a 1-10 Likert scale, comparing the two applicators.

Main Results:

• Both applicators showed high future use intention (mean scores 9.3 and 8.8).
• The vaginal applicator was rated significantly higher (7.8) than the rectal applicator (5.2).
• Participants suggested improvements for both applicators regarding portability, aesthetics, and comfort.

Conclusions:

• The novel rectal applicator was not superior to the standard vaginal applicator.
• While future use intention is high, user-reported preferences suggest a need for better rectal delivery systems.
• Further research should focus on developing more user-friendly and efficient rectal microbicide delivery devices for HIV prevention.