Cummins James E, Allen C Leigh, Lee Sonia, Senn Theresa E
Preclinical Microbicide and Prevention Research Branch (PMPRB), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Rockville, MD, United States.
Contraception Research Branch (CRB), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, United States.
Front Reprod Health. 2023 Sep 1;5:1244659. doi: 10.3389/frph.2023.1244659. eCollection 2023.
There is strong global need for the development of Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (MPTs) that prevent HIV, pregnancy, and/or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, despite decades of research focused on the development of MPTs, numerous research gaps remain, contributing to reproductive health disparities. This commentary will highlight biomedical, socio-behavioral, and implementation science gaps in MPT research. Biomedical gaps and barriers include limited dosage forms, challenges around drug selection and stable coformulation of multiple drugs, and an unclear regulatory pathway. Behavioral, social, and structural gaps include lack of research around MPT preferences for some subgroups of potential end users, lack of knowledge around whether MPTs improve uptake, adherence, and persistence vs. separate products, and a need to further understand how social and cultural factors might impact MPT interest and use. Gaps in implementation science research will need to be addressed to better understand how to implement MPTs to maximize effectiveness and benefit. This commentary will also identify opportunities for integrating biomedical and behavioral science around MPTs.
全球迫切需要开发能够预防艾滋病毒、怀孕和/或其他性传播感染（STIs）的多功能预防技术（MPTs）。然而，尽管数十年来一直专注于MPTs的开发研究，但仍存在许多研究空白，导致生殖健康方面的差异。本评论将重点介绍MPT研究中的生物医学、社会行为和实施科学方面的空白。生物医学方面的空白和障碍包括剂型有限、药物选择和多种药物稳定共配制方面的挑战以及监管途径不明确。行为、社会和结构方面的空白包括缺乏针对某些潜在最终用户亚组对MPT偏好的研究、缺乏关于MPTs与单独产品相比是否能提高接受度、依从性和持续性的知识，以及需要进一步了解社会和文化因素如何可能影响对MPT的兴趣和使用。需要解决实施科学研究方面的空白，以更好地了解如何实施MPTs以实现最大效果和益处。本评论还将确定围绕MPTs整合生物医学和行为科学的机会。
