IRIN Examines WHO's Efforts to Communicate HIV Risk Among Injectable Hormonal Contraceptive Users

IRIN examines the WHO's ongoing efforts to synthesize and communicate guidance about the risk of HIV infection and transmission for women taking injectable hormonal contraception, including a meeting scheduled for this week in Geneva. The news service looks at the history of the issue, including "a February 2012 [WHO] statement standing by current guidelines allowing women living with or at high risk of HIV to use hormonal contraception" and advising women on injectable contraception to use condoms concurrently; reaction from representatives of non-governmental organizations and WHO officials; and efforts by researchers to "formulat[e] a concept note on a clinical trial that could be the world's first to examine whether hormonal contraception does indeed increase HIV risk" (12/5).