In theory, it shouldn’t be too difficult to protect oneself
against HIV and other STIs, as well as pregnancy. Condoms, after
all, are very effective. But in practice, it’s not so simple.
Many of the people at high risk for HIV, for instance, are women
who don’t have much control over whether their partners wear
protection. Taking daily medication or applying drug-laden gels
also have their downsides—people forget, they find it
inconvenient, there’s social stigma. So finding ways to provide
protection thats get over these hurdles is an important research
goal. Scientists at the University of Washington think a new
delivery platform may be a step in the right direction. They’ve
created nanofibers embedded with pre-existing drugs against
HIV-1, HIV-2, and sperm. Theoretically, these stretchy
microfabrics could be inserted into the vagina directly or on
the surface of another device, such as a vaginal ring, and act
as both a physical and chemical barrier. The real kicker is the
fact that the nanofiber can release