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The Dapivirine Vaginal Ring is an effective user-controlled HIV prevention option and should be available to women who want and need it.
The Dapivirine Vaginal Ring reduces risk of HIV via vaginal sex. AVAC and partners have been at the forefront of advocating for the ring as a vital part of a comprehensive package of options for HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health.
On this page, find highlights of this advocacy work and links to key resources. To learn more about the importance of integrating HIV prevention options with services for sexual and reproductive health go to Advance HIV/SRH Integration. Turn to PrEPWatch.org for a comprehensive look at resources for countries, policy makers and the full range of stakeholders working on product introduction.
Understanding the Ring—Research and Regulatory Decisions to Date
- March 2022: The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) approved the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring for use by women.
- In December 2021, WHO restated their commitment to support countries as they consider whether to include the DVR as an additional prevention option for women.
- In December 2021, International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) withdrew their application to the US FDA, following FDA feedback that approval was unlikely at this time based on available data and the current HIV prevention landscape for women in the United States.
- In January 2021, WHO officially recommended the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring (DVR) be included as a prevention choice for women at risk of HIV.
- What’s Up with The Dapivirine Vaginal Ring: Understanding next steps after the EMA opinion — Check out this primer to understand the status of the ring, the process to reach markets and users, and the advocacy to go with it. AVAC, July 2020.
- Opinion of the European Medicines Agency. EMA, July 2020.
- AVAC’s Take — Read AVAC’s press release on the EMA opinion and critical next steps
- Dapivirine Vaginal Ring resource pages — Visit these pages for comprehensive resources on evidence and research, regulatory status, planning for introduction, and more:
Putting the Ring in Context
- PrEP Ring Perspectives: Voices for Prevention — This video series, developed by the MOSAIC Project, features the voices of former participants in the research trials that tested the dapivirine vaginal ring. Videos from Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and a compilation video showcase trial participants explaining why the ring works for them and their need for future access to this HIV prevention method.
- In this episode of Px Pulse, AVAC's podcast, the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring is center stage. After decades of research and advocacy, the ring is now one step closer to becoming available as a discreet, woman-initiated HIV prevention option. Listen here.
- Double down on multilayered prevention approaches — This chapter from AVAC Report 2019 offers a new analysis and solutions for old, siloed problems and calls for "multilayered" prevention.
- Research Fundamentals: Partial Protection — In this episode of AVAC’s special research literacy series (part of AVAC’s Px Pulse podcast production), advocates and scientists explore the meaning of partial protection. AVAC, July 2020.
- Advancing HIV and SRH Integration — Visit AVAC’s page on HIV and SRH integration and SRHintegration.org for resources to inform advocacy and demand the policies and programs needed to fully realize HIV prevention with sexual and reproductive health and rights. AVAC and FP2020.
- Learning from “Like” Products to Accelerate the Introduction of New Prevention Options – This blog takes a look at what facilitated the success and uptake of similar products to the vaginal ring and what lessons to apply in planning for introduction of the ring. December 2019.
- The Dapivirine Ring: The case for action — This report outlines how to build streamlined, adaptable platforms to deliver current and future ARV-based HIV prevention options, with a particular focus on women. FSG & OPTIONS Consortium, September 2017.
- End-user research findings — This digestible compendium includes findings related to the dapivirine ring and remaining gaps where more research is needed to better understand how to get the ring to those who need and desire it. OPTIONS, March 2020.
- The Dapivirine Ring Design Guide — A report on human-centered design to increase uptake and use. USAID and PEPFAR, 2017.
Advocacy To Date and To Come
- Put A Ring On It: Four reasons to make the dapivirine ring an HIV prevention option for women and girls — This blog details the benefits of the ring as a woman-initiated biomedical option. AVAC, June 2020.
- The Common Agenda — This report features recommendations and advocacy priorities for each stage of the process of product introduction for the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring. OPTIONS, December 2019.
- What Young Women Want — This letter from young African women advocates outlines their HIV prevention research priorities—originally submitted to the DAIDS during the open-comment period concerning the structure and agenda for its next funding cycle (2021-2027). Young women from South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe, December 2017.
- Inside My Purse — This blog platform is by and for adolescent girls and young women across Africa and encourages visits and contributions from everyone who cares about promoting health, wellness and empowerment among young women. IPM.
- HIV Prevention for Young Women — This clip from Malawi’s TV News Outlook features Ulanda Mtamba, 2018 Fellow talking about the importance of comprehensive HIV prevention for young women, including the ring. January 2019.