RH Reality Check: The Latest Study on Depo-Provera and HIV: Far More Complex Than Most Headlines Suggest
Emily Bass, program director at AVAC

“A newly published study by Lauren Ralph et al and an accompanying commentary in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases is stirring up questions about the relationship between Depo-Provera, and other progestogen-only injectable contraceptives, and the risk of HIV acquisition among HIV-negative women. … This study is a potent reminder that this issue needs all hands on deck to clarify what is known and unknown, and to help articulate that the way forward doesn’t hinge on one number, one trial, or one opinion. … It [needs] a multi-faceted approach to match the multi-faceted reality of women’s health needs — that may not fit in a headline, but it’s the honest truth and an urgent priority” (1/12).