13th June 2013, the ECHO trial results have been released at the South Africa HIV&AIDS Conference in Durban. We thank the ECHO study team, the funders that invested resources into this, WHO that has been following through and providing guidance, to women who participated in the study – whoever comes across them say thank you – we owe it to you brave women!! We must work hard to demand for comprehensive and integrated HIV and Family programme services that gives all women everywhere free from HIV and faraway from unwanted pregnancies.
READ PUBLIC PRESS STATEMENTS
- Women Advocates statement on ECHO Trial Results – Global HC-HIV Civil Society
- Hormonal contraceptive methods and HIV acquisition in women – WHO, UNAIDS, UNFPA, Joint Statement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUgnLa24GBc
Various observational studies showed that women using hormonal contraceptive may be at higher risk for acquiring HIV; other studies showed this was not the case. World Health Organization released guidance for hormonal contraception and women at risk for HIV as part the Medical Eligibility Criteria. The WHO guidance statement on hormonal contraception and HIV acknowledge the uncertainty about whether DMPA-IM or similar injectables impact HIV risk.
The Evidence for Contraceptive Options and HIV Outcomes (http://echo-consortium.com was launched in 2015. The ECHO study is an open-label randomized clinical trial that compares three methods of contraception, including the progestin-only injectable depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), a progestin implant – Jadelle and the copper intrauterine device (IUD), to evaluate whether there is a link between use of any of these methods and increased risk of acquiring HIV infection. The trial started in 2016 in four countries; Kenya, South Africa, Zambia and Eswatini – ECHO results are expected to be announced in July 2019.
ICWEA and other partners have participated in various global debates, discussions and engagement at the global and country level to ensure voices of women are represented to inform the design of the study, the process and continued engagement of women and SRHR advocates in a meaningful way. ICWEA staff are members of the ECHO Global Advisory Group since 2015 – http://echo-consortium.com/echo-global-community-advisory-group-gcag-members/
ICWEA is working with partners and advocates in East and Southern Africa to provide inputs and be part of the national task forces convened by various Ministries of Health; organizing convenings at national and regional level including the trial countries.
For more information – contact Margaret Happy – mhappy@icwea.org
Resources
- Hormonal Contraceptives and HIV – An introductory fact sheet, AVAC, March 2017
- Putting Women at the Center: Informed choice in 2018 and beyond – Infographic, AVAC, October 2018
- Results 4 Informed Choice website from The Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs
- ECHO Trial website
- Track the Research with a range of references, AVAC
- Quarter 1 2019 Advocacy Tool for ECHO, ICWEA/ Updated January 3, 2019
- Every Woman Matters: Statement from Civil Society Meeting on HC-HIV, February 24-25, 2019
- Women Speak: Preparing for the results of the ECHO trial – Consolidated and Country-specific Reports from Civil Society Forum Meetings in ECHO trial countries, AVAC, April 2019
Webinars
- Webinar – With WHO on hormonal contraception and HIV, April 2017
- Webinar – Hormonal contraception and HIV: Putting new developments in context, March 2017
- Webinar – An Update on Hormonal Contraception and HIV, April 2016
- PxPulse podcast: 2018 and HIV Prevention: AVAC’s Take, January 2018
- FP 2020 webinar: Hormonal Contraception and HIV Risk: Understanding the ECHO Trial, April 2019
