Who is IRMA?

Created in 2005, the International Rectal Microbicide Advocates (IRMA) is comprised of over 1,000 advocates, policymakers and leading scientists from 6 continents working together to advance a robust rectal microbicide research and development agenda - with the goal of creating safe, effective, acceptable and accessible rectal microbicides for the women, men, and transgender individuals around the world who engage in anal intercourse. IRMA works to confront the institutional, socio-cultural and political stigma around the public health need for rectal microbicide research, and to increase funding and commitment within this field of inquiry. IRMA - the bottom line in HIV prevention. AIDS Foundation of Chicago is the IRMA Secretariat.

Read all about the origins of IRMA and our rectal microbicide advocacy work in the July/August 2011 edition of POZ Magazine. Click here for the article.

• Join our highly active, moderated listserv. Click here for IRMA membership information.
  

IRMA's newly-launched Project ARM - Africa for Rectal Microbicides aims to expand African mobilization and enhance community capacity around rectal microbicide advocacy in order to ensure broad participation in research activities and well-informed community input into the development of an African rectal microbicide agenda.

Click here for a fact sheet on Project ARM.

Read more about Project ARM in a blog post by IRMA Chair Jim Pickett featured on Science Speaks.

What is a rectal microbicide?

Currently in development, a microbicide is a cream or gel, or maybe a douche or an enema, that could be used to reduce a person’s risk of HIV infection vaginally or rectally. Rectal microbicides could offer both primary protection in the absence of condoms and back-up protection if a condom breaks or slips off during anal intercourse. For those unable or unwilling to use condoms, rectal microbicides could be a safe and effective alternative means of reducing risk, especially if they were unobtrusive and/or enhanced sexual pleasure enough to motivate consistent use. Such alternatives are essential if we are to address the full spectrum of prevalent sexual practices and the basic human need for accessible, user-controlled HIV and STD prevention tools. Women, men, and transgender individuals will all need rectal microbicides.

*Click here for the Rectal Microbicides 101 fact sheet, updated in May, 2010. Click here to access the fact sheet in other languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian.

*Click here for more materials in Spanish, on the IRMA-ALC page.

Lube safety materials

Safety of lubricants for rectal use: A fact sheet for HIV educators and advocates
Get the fact sheet in Spanish. French. Portuguese. Russian. Chinese. Thai.

Safety of lubricants for rectal use: Questions & Answers for HIV educators and advocates
Get the Q&A in Spanish. French. Portuguese. Russian. Chinese. Thai.

[Thanks to the Global Forum on MSM and HIV for providing the wonderful array of translations of our lube safety documents. The Thai translations are courtesy of IRMA allies Natalie Keretho and Wipas Wimonsate.]