[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 40 (Thursday, March 8, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2919-S2920]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. OBAMA (for himself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Dodd, Mrs. 
        Clinton, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Schumer, and Mr. Kerry):
  S. 823. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to 
facilitating the development of microbicides for preventing 
transmission of HIV/AIDS and other diseases, and for other purposes; to 
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, today is International Women's Day, a day 
to celebrate the social, economic, and political achievements of women 
around the world. We have come a long way in equality for women since 
that first International Women's Day in 1909. Yet, even as we celebrate 
these victories, we must acknowledge and increase awareness of the 
myriad struggles that women continue to face today. The battle against 
HIV/AIDS is one such struggle, and one that women in this Nation and 
across the world are losing. And that is why today, I am reintroducing 
the Microbicide Development Act, to help women protect themselves 
against deadly HIV infection.
  The devastation that HIV/AIDS is causing around the world is, sadly, 
not news to any of us. During a visit to Africa last August, I was 
reminded of this tragedy. I visited an HIV/AIDS hospital in South 
Africa that was filled to capacity with people who walked hours--even 
days--just for the chance to seek help. I saw just a few of the 15 
million orphans in Africa who lost their parents to this epidemic. All 
the while, I

[[Page S2920]]

remembered in the back of my mind that in some areas, 90 percent of 
those infected with HIV are unaware of their status, and this epidemic 
will only continue to get worse.
  But what we don't always focus on is the particular devastation HIV/
AIDS is bringing to women worldwide. As of 2006, nearly half of the 
over 37 million adults living with HIV/AIDS worldwide were women. In 
sub-Saharan Africa, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is 3 times higher among 
women ages 15 to 24 than among men of that age group. The severity of 
the problem hits close to home as well, with HIV/AIDS being the leading 
cause of death for African American women ages 25 to 34.
  Women have unique biological vulnerabilities that make them twice as 
likely as men to contract HIV from an infected partner during 
intercourse. And for many women, particularly in the developing world, 
social and cultural norms deny them the ability to insist on mutual 
monogamy or condom use, thus limiting their tools for prevention. In 
many situations, women who become infected have only one partner--their 
husband. In fact, studies in India have shown that among women infected 
with HIV, 93 percent were married, and 91 percent overall had only one 
partner--their husbands. Focusing solely on ABC's--abstain, be 
faithful, use condoms--is clearly failing these women. There is a 
naivety in thinking that abstinence and fidelity are real options for 
all men and women around the world, and so we have a moral obligation 
to expand prevention tools.
  Yet despite the fact that women have been increasingly devastated by 
this disease, female-initiated methods of prevention are limited and 
current prevention options are not enough.
  Topical microbicides represent a woman-initiated method of prevention 
that would put the power of prevention in the hands of women. 
Mathematical models predict that even a partially effective microbicide 
could prevent 2.5 million infections over 3 years and that gradual 
introduction of newer and better microbicides could ultimately save a 
generation of women. Topical microbicides, therefore, represent a 
critical element in a comprehensive strategy to fight the HIV/AIDS 
pandemic.
  A number of groups, including the International Partnership for 
Microbicides, the Alliance for Microbicide Development, the National 
Women's Health Network, the Global Campaign for Microbicides, and the 
Gates Foundation, have led the effort to develop a prevention tool for 
use by women. The National Institutes of Health has invested in 
microbicides research, including support for the newly formed 
Microbicides Trial Network. I would be remiss if I did not also 
recognize the efforts of the CDC and USAID in microbicide development. 
With 10 microbicide candidates currently in clinical development and 
over 30 in preclinical development, we are making headway in this 
field.
  But we cannot let this momentum slow. We must continue to prioritize 
microbicide research and development. Increased Federal support and 
coordination, which is provided for in the Microbicide Development Act, 
will give a clear sign that the Federal Government is willing to put 
forth the effort critical to the development of an effective product to 
protect our mothers, daughters, sisters, and other loved ones. I echo 
the words of Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of 
Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who said that, ``with leadership, 
collaborative effort, sufficient financial resources, and product 
development expertise, a microbicide is within reach.'' Congress should 
support our Federal health agencies and their partners in their 
efforts, and passage of the Microbicide Development Act would give an 
unambiguous indication that this work is a priority for all of us.
  In closing, I point out that we have made tremendous strides in 
medical treatment for individuals infected with HIV/AIDS. But this 
treatment comes with a price tag that is unsustainable. Between 2003 
and 2005, for every one person receiving anti-retroviral treatment, ten 
more individuals became infected. We are not able to treat all of those 
currently infected let alone this exponentially growing number of 
individuals who will need treatment down the line. Universal treatment 
today would cost roughly $7 billion. Given that we only fund PEPFAR and 
the Global Fund at $2 billion, that $7 billion price tag, which is only 
going to grow, appears rather daunting. This financial situation serves 
to underscore the moral obligation we have to invest in microbicides 
and other prevention tools. Let us hope that during International 
Women's Days to come, we will be celebrating tremendous success in the 
fight against HIV/AIDS rather than the loss of yet another generation 
of women.
  I thank you for this time, and I urge my colleagues to support the 
Microbicide Development Act.
                                 ______