Lemon Juice is not a Vaginal Microbicide

[Guest guest]

Congratulations to the India list (AIDS INDIA e FORUM) for its comment on the

ethics of the study of lemon juice as a microbicide.

It is unfortunate that so many treatment and prevention technology trials which

are no less questionable, including of microbicides, go forward without comment

on their ethics.

But while the moderators comment about sex workers in Australia/India might have

an chic anti-imperialist ring, it is simplistic and irrelevant to talk about

Australian sex workers in this context because the simply do not have the

characteristics needed to test prevention technologies - repeated significant

exposure to HIV through unprotected sex. The nationality of the sex workers on

whom unethical trials are conducted isn't salient unless it's to call for

unethical trials on sex workers to take place in rich as well as poor countries.

While the information that a study has been published should be available,

these lists, have an obligation to limit misinformation that could generate

exposure to HIV. I was horrified recently to see Sex Work list allow these

claims for lemon juice to be published with the misleading heading that it is

" nature's microbicide " . Haill's website also says this - alongside a

picture of Piot on its opening page, obviously to give the false

impression of UNAIDS endorsment.

Sex worker peer educators, and anyone else in India who works with sex workers,

knows well the impact of quacks, claims of miracle cures and promotion of

unproven potions A key task for those of us responsible for programming is to

limit the damage done by rumours and misconceptions that undermine the only

prevention technology that works - condoms and lubrication. Around sex work this

is particuarly important because the prevention technology used by sex workers

is often chosen, not by sex worker, but by clients and others for whom

protection of sex workers' health is not an issue.

So I would like to add to the moderators warning about the ethics that LEMON

JUICE IS NOT A VAGINAL MICROBICIDE and that any sex worker who uses it for

vaginal or anal sex instead of condoms is placing themselves at risk and any

organisation or person who encourages others to use it as a microbicide risks

placing others in danger.

Cheryl Overs

E-mail: <Covers@...>