New on the HRC/Eldis HIV and AIDS Resource Guide: Microbicides - A potential new tool to prevent sexual transmission of HIV What are microbicides? Microbicides are products such as gels or creams which could help prevent the sexual transmission of HIV. They are currently being developed and could join the field of HIV prevention methods within the next five to ten years. In women's hands Microbicides represent a major step forward in realising sexual and reproductive health and rights as they provide an option for people who cannot or do not use condoms consistently. In particular, they could give women the opportunity to take control of their sexual health as their use may not require partner cooperation. As a result, they have the potential to save millions of lives. This HRC/Eldis key issues guide provides an in-depth introduction to microbicides, including how they are likely to work, their potential benefits and the important issues in their development, distribution and promotion. Produced in collaboration with subject experts, the guide highlights important research and links to summaries of documents, websites and other key resources. Access the guide at: http://www.eldis.org/hivaids/microbicides.htm