Your generosity has enhanced CAMI Health’s ability to advance global women’s health and empowerment! Every minute, a young woman is newly infected with HIV. In low resource countries, 225 million women have an unmet need for family planning, resulting in 74 million unintended pregnancies each year. CAMI Health works to advance comprehensive approaches to women’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH), including the development of Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (MPTs), female-initiated products that enable women to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) simultaneously. As Secretariat of the Initiative for Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (IMPT), we put an emphasis on the incorporation of end-user perspectives into the product development process, ensuring that MPTs are desired, accessible, and acceptable to the women who need them most.
Thanks to your support of our global outreach efforts, mainstream recognition of the MPT field is expanding. Here are a few examples of our accomplishments over the past few months:
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Regional Webinar on MPTs
On May 13, in collaboration with the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (RHSC) ForoLAC, the IMPT hosted the first LAC Regional Webinar on MPTs. This live, Spanish-language webinar contextualized the need for MPTs within regional epidemiological data and the social realities faced by LAC women. We were thrilled to be joined by over 50 LAC-based sexual and reproductive health (SRH) stakeholders and hope to use this as a stepping stone for engaging LAC-based researchers and advocates in the IMPT’s work. You can view the slides and a recording of the live webinar on the CAMI Health website.
CCTN and MPT Stakeholder Round Table Discussion on Hormonal Contraceptives (HC) in MPTs
As a follow-up to the September 2014 convening on HC in MPTs, the IMPT, in collaboration with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), recently convened a round table discussion that brought together members of the Contraceptive Clinical Trials Network (CCTN) and MPT stakeholders. The convening aimed to drill down on research gaps and challenges identified at the first meeting, and assess the status of ongoing research related to combining HC with ARVs. The group also explored issues related to bleeding patterns and acceptability, and discussed key questions surrounding successful MPT development and uptake. Slides from the meeting are available on the CAMI Health website.
MPTs Featured in New York Magazine
MPTs were recently featured in New York Magazine in an article that highlights them as the most promising frontier in women’s health prevention. We are thrilled to see MPTs gaining more mainstream recognition!
CAMI Health and the IMPT have busy summer and autumn seasons ahead. Our upcoming technical meetings, conference presentations, and publications include:
Indian Society for the Study of Reproduction & Fertility (ISSRF) Newsletter: We are thrilled that the forthcoming ISSRF Newsletter will focus focus exclusively on MPTs and will also feature articles by IMPT members. Edited by IMPT Steering Committee member Nomita Chandhiok, the Newsletter would be circulated to 1,200 ISSFR members, as well as Indian medical schools and research organizations.
STI MPT Panel at ISSTDR: In collaboration with the UCSF Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, and the Australian Sexual Health Alliance, and World Health Organization, the IMPT is co-sponsoring an exciting session on STI mpts at the 21st meeting of the International Society for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research (ISSTDR)in Brisbane, Australia on 16 September. The discussion will focus on engaging STI researchers, clinicians, product developers and advocates in the MPT field.
Technical Convening on Clinical Trial Design Issues for MPTs: As an initial step in assessing the issues related to MPT clinical trial design, the IMPT will be convening funders, trial design experts, product developers, and other MPT stakeholders this autumn or early winter to discuss some of these critical challenges.
General Membership Meeting of the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (RHSC): IMPT Secretariat staff looks forward to connecting with other SRH partners at the 16th General Membership Meeting of the RHSC. A session panel submitted by the IMPT is under review for presentation at this meeting. Stay tuned for more details.
International Conference on Family Planning: We are thrilled to announce that the IMPT’s panel, “Multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs): a promising response to current challenges around hormonal contraceptive methods and HIV,” was recently accepted as part of the program at the International Conference on Family Planning in Nusa Dua, Indonesia.
North American Forum on Family Planning: MPTs will be featured in two sessions at the North American Forum on Family Planning in Chicago. The first will give a general overview of the status of MPT development, and the second will give technical insight into combining hormonal contraceptives with HIV prevention drugs in MPTs.
To learn more about CAMI Health, the IMPT, and our work to advance MPTs, please visit www.cami-health.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
On behalf of CAMI Health and the IMPT, we thank you for your steadfast commitment to women and girls. We are excited about the promising work ahead of us to make simultaneous prevention a reality; and we hope you will join us by supporting our efforts!
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” —African Proverb
Your generosity has strengthened CAMI Health’s efforts to advance innovative prevention strategies for women’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH)! CAMI Health promotes female-initiated approaches to SRH, including Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (MPTs), tools that provide simultaneous protection from unintended pregnancy, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). These technologies will put women’s health in women’s hands and could help to reduce maternal mortality, avert the risks of untreated STIs, and improve women’s economic and educational opportunities.
Thanks to your support of our global outreach efforts, the MPT field has been expanding and gaining more mainstream recognition. Here are a few examples of what we have been able to accomplish over the past few months:
Round Table on Commercialization and Social-Behavioral (CSB) Issues for MPTs. On 17 March, the Initiative for Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (IMPT) convened its first Round Table on CSB issues for MPTs, aimed at investigating the complex CSB context of MPT product development. The meeting was a critical step in the IMPT’s goal to inform a global MPT product development strategy beyond technical elements by identifying and integrating MPT CSB elements into the traditional product development pipeline. The meeting was held in conjunction with the Microbicide Trials Network (MTN) Annual Meeting, which allowed us to get input from a range of perspectives, including the feedback of clinical trial site representatives. Thanks to the thoughtful engagement of the participants, we were able to drill down on some of the critical questions and challenges for MPT development in the CSB arena. We are currently developing a meeting summary, which will be available on the CAMI Health website.
MPT Workshop in Kenya. The IMPT Kenya Task Force recently held a meeting aimed at strategizing ways to message and raise awareness around MPTs and microbicides. The meeting was organized by Everlyne Ombati, an AVAC Fellow at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and a member of the IMPT Network of Experts (NoE). The group discussed ways to prevent false expectations around immediate product availability and developed messaging aimed at avoiding stigma.
Redesigned MPT Resource Center – Coming Soon! As Secretariat for the IMPT, CAMI Health serves as the information hub for the MPT field and we are currently in the final stages of redesigning our online resource center. The new resource center will feature a searchable database of MPT-related peer-reviewed research, media articles, presentations, meeting summaries, outreach materials, and technical reports. You can still access the previous version of the resource center while we put the finishing touches on this new tool. To keep up-to-date on the most recent developments in the MPT field, be sure to subscribe to our monthly eblast, “MPTs: Articles from the Field.”
Thanks to your support, we are planning several exciting technical meetings and webinars for the coming months, including the following convenings:
On behalf of CAMI Health and the IMPT, we thank you for your steadfast commitment to women and girls. We are excited about the promising work ahead of us to make simultaneous prevention a reality; and we hope you will join us by supporting our efforts.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” –African Proverb
Your generosity has strengthened CAMI Health’s efforts to advance global women’s health and empowerment! Every minute, a young woman is newly infected with HIV, and each year, there are 86 million unintended pregnancies worldwide. CAMI Health works to advance female-initiated approaches to sexual and reproductive health (SRH), including Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (MPTs), SRH tools that enable women to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) simultaneously.
Thanks to your support of CAMI Health’s global outreach efforts, the momentum around MPTs is growing and these crucial innovations are gaining more mainstream recognition. A few examples of our accomplishments over the past few months are below.
Special Supplement on MPTs in the BJOG: The International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Released in October, this special supplement of the BJOG features 16 MPT-specific articles, bringing together international science, funder, provider, advocacy, and policy experts in the MPT field. The supplement was edited by Dr. Manjula Lusti-Narasimhan of the Department of Reproductive Health and Research at the World Health Organization, in collaboration with Dr. Bethany Young Holt, Executive Director of CAMI Health. Highlights of supplement include: overviews of MPTs in development; papers that detail the complexities and importance of integrating the input of women into MPT product development; and original studies detailing the growing and interrelated incidence of HIV and STI infection among young women in Sub-Saharan Africa and China, making the case for MPT development.
World AIDS Day Op-Eds. December 1st marked World AIDS Day, and provided an opportunity to highlight MPTs as a promising development in HIV prevention. Featured in the Guardian and RH Reality Check, CAMI Health Executive Director Dr. Bethany Young Holt wrote two op-ed pieces that emphasized the need for broad-spectrum HIV, STI, and pregnancy prevention methods. We are thrilled to see MPTs gaining more coverage in mainstream media!
Webinar on MPT Acceptability in Uganda, Nigeria, and South Africa. CAMI Health, in collaboration with AVAC, hosted a live webinar in November, which focused on the acceptability of MPTs among women in Uganda, Nigeria, and South Africa. The webinar summarized the methods and key findings from a market research study conducted by Ipsos Healthcare, and provided an opportunity to discuss ways in which we can inform MPT product development in a more meaningful way. The webinar can accessed on demand on the CAMI Health website.
South Africa Fact Sheet and Messaging Framework. The IMPT’s South Africa Regional Working Group recently developed a fact sheet and messaging framework to support advocates as they raise awareness and support for MPTs in South Africa. The documents provide a menu of messaging options for government stakeholders, researchers, and NGOs, allowing them to tailor messages for various audiences and purposes.
“With an MPT I Can…” Campaign. We are continuing to promote this social awareness campaign among our IMPT partners worldwide, and would love for you to participate too. Tell the world what an MPT would do for you!
2015 will be an exciting year for CAMI Health as the MPT field continues to grow and evolve. Thanks to your support, we will:
On behalf of CAMI Health and the IMPT, we thank you for your steadfast commitment to women and girls. We are excited about the promising work ahead of us to make simultaneous prevention a reality; and we hope you will join us by supporting our efforts.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” –African Proverb
Your generosity has enabled CAMI to continue its efforts to save lives and empower women and girls! Expanding choices for women to protect their sexual and reproductive health may lead to improved well-being and autonomy. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read about our recent accomplishments toward the development of Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (MPTs).
In addition to this social awareness campaign, CAMI Health has been on the move to network with supporters and educate funders, community groups, and the public about the value and need for MPTs!
“With an MPT I can…” Campaign. This social awareness campaign was designed to raise awareness of the MPT field by focusing on the potential impact of MPT investment and development on women’s lives. To this end, CAMI has invited IMPT partners from throughout the world to invite women from their communities to participate by taking photographs of themselves holding signs that say, “With an MPT I Can…” with their personal fill-in-the-blank after being briefed on what MPTs are. You, too, can participate! Go to: http://www.cami-health.org/mpt-campaign
CAMI Video. Featured here is a compelling video making the case for MPTs and explaining the enormous potential of public health impact on a global scale – for women, for young girls, for families, for communities. The message is packaged in 3.5-minute video that was well-conceived and professionally produced. Go to: http://www.cami-health.org/mpts-video
Significant scientific developments have also been underway with CAMI/IMPT hosting technical meetings and convenings for stakeholders. In partnership with the NICHD, BMGF, and USAID, CAMI held a 2-day, in-person meeting 18-19 September in Washington, DC, “Hormonal Contraceptives in MPTs” attended by product developers and supporting agencies to discuss relevant contraceptive research and what can be learned for the MPT development pipeline, including recommendations for the use of hormonal contraception in MPT products.
Then on 26 September, CAMI hosted a webinar “MPT Manufacturing Issues” attended by funders, advocates and manufacturers to address the requirements, variables and risks associated with achieving commercial scale manufacturing.
NOW LIVE! CAMI Website and the MPT Product Development Database. CAMI’s new website both visually appealing and user-friendly will accommodate the needs of our expanding membership. Visit us soon and search for MPTs in the pipeline on our also newly-launched, interactive MPT Product Development Database. The database allows you to look up 70+ MPT products in the pipeline, by delivery method, development stage, active ingredient, etc. CAMI staff continues to work with IMPT collaborators to keep product information current.
CAMI and IMPT partners look ahead with enthusiasm and optimism towards steady progress this winter!
HIV R4P 2014 and BJOG: CAMI/IMPT will be in Capetown, South Africa, for HIV R4P this 28-31 October 2014 as conference presenters on MPTs and the BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology’s will announce its special supplement on MPTs co-edited by IMPT members!
Regulatory Webinar: Upcoming in November will be a webinar on regulatory issues for MPT Development with a focus on bioequivalence.
To learn more about CAMI and our work to advance MPTs, please visit www.cami-health.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
On behalf of CAMI and the IMPT, we thank you for your steadfast commitment to women and girls. We are excited about the promising work ahead of us to make simultaneous prevention a reality; and we hope you will join us by supporting our efforts!
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” —African Proverb
Your generosity has enabled CAMI to continue its efforts to save lives and empower women and girls. Expanding choices for women to protect their sexual and reproductive health may lead to improved well-being and increased autonomy. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read about our recent accomplishments toward the development of Multipurpose Technologies (MPTs)!
“Women’s Health in Women’s Hands” was the title of an event hosted by CAMI/IMPT on 2 July 2014 in Oakland, CA, to discuss the need and potential for MPTs – globally and regionally. Featured speakers included Manjula Lusti-Narasimhan (WHO), Ina Park (California Department of Public Health), and Bethany Young Holt (CAMI/PHI). Through this event we engaged new supporters of MPTs, including community advocates, health professionals, and funding organizations!
Additional accomplishments since our quarterly report in April:
Meet CAMI’s new Project Coordinator:
We are excited to introduce Laura Dellplain as our Project Coordinator who will provide budget, administrative and project support for CAMI and the IMPT. Laura comes to CAMI with an MHS in Social Factors in Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
CAMI and IMPT partners look ahead with enthusiasm and optimism towards steady progress this fall:
To learn more about CAMI and our work to advance MPTs, please visit www.cami-health.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
On behalf of CAMI and the IMPT, we thank you for your steadfast commitment to women and girls. We are excited about the promising work ahead of us to make simultaneous prevention a reality; and we hope you will join us by supporting our efforts!
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” —African Proverb
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