Multipurpose Prevention Technologies: Opportunities and Challenges to Ensure Advancement of the Most Promising MPTs
In Frontiers in Reproductive Health, PHI’s Bethany Young Holt and co-authors explore how Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (MPTs) have the potential to revolutionize sexual and reproductive health.
- Bethany Young Holt, PhD, MPH
- Jim A. Turpin and Joseph Romano
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Focus Areas
Communicable Disease Prevention, Data, Technology & Innovation, Women, Youth & Children -
Issues
Reproductive & Sexual Health -
Programs
CAMI Health
Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (MPTs) are safe, effective, accessible, and acceptable tools that combine prevention of at least two sexual and reproductive health risks, like HIV, other STIs and unintended pregnancy.
In Frontiers in Reproductive Health, PHI’s Bethany Young Holt and co-authors explore the challenges, opportunities and future of MPTs, which have the capacity to revolutionize reproductive and sexual health.
Read the opinion article“MPTs present significant reproductive health and general opportunities for addressing multiple indications in at-risk populations, particularly adolescent girls and young women in regions of the world where risk of HIV, other STIs and unintended pregnancies remains high.”
Over the past decade there has been a growing array of new MPT candidates proposed, with over two dozen in active development: intravaginal rings, vaginal and rectal gels, vaginal inserts and films, systemic delivery implants, subdermal microarray patches, and oral tablets containing contraceptives, anti-HIV and/or other STI prevention drugs.
Yet, significant funding is required to bring these MPTS to market. Public and private partnerships between academic researchers, small companies, big pharmaceuticals, the USG, and other supporting groups are needed to foster an end- to-end approach while promoting the advancement of economically viable end-user friendly MPT products.
Given the current limited resources for expansion of MPT product development, ongoing strategic thinking and action is needed to optimize use of technical capacities, enhance collaborative approaches, identify resources to help fill gaps, and add rigor to the development process with the aim of advancing the most promising products.
Originally published by Frontiers in Reproductive Health
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