[procaare] Gates Grant to Study Nipple Shield for Inactivating HIV and Preventing Transmission

["David Hock (US - NC)" <DHock@fhi.org>]

Gates Grant to Study Nipple Shield for Inactivating HIV and Preventing Transmission
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Research Triangle Park, NC, May 28, 2009 - Family Health International 

(FHI) announced today that it has received a US$100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to study a novel approach to inactivate HIV with minimal interference during breastfeeding. 

With the "Just Milk" project, FHI's Dr. David Sokal, MD, and his team focused on modifying an existing nipple shield by putting a porous felt-like material in its tip and saturating the material with a commonly used compound that can inactivate HIV without harming the child. This is the beginning development of a device that could potentially prevent thousands of these cases of mother-to-child transmission with a simple device that is low-cost, accessible, and easy to use. 

To learn more about the Just Milk project, visit http://www.fhi.org/en/AboutFHI/Media/Releases/res_BMFG_Grant_Press_Release_May2009.htm.