Meet a Friendly
Rectal Microbicide Advocate

Freshly updated as of September, 2010!
Special thanks to Jessyca Dudley for preparing these bios.

Check out our alphabetized Advocate Archive for more.

Marco Gomes
Johannesburg, South Africa

Marco Gomes, Health and HIV Policy Advisor, for the Centre for Health Policy and Innovation, and Health Policy Research Fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand first encountered IRMA by subscribing to the IRMA list serve. After Marco began exchanging information and receiving up-to-date research on microbicides development he helped with IRMA on its publication "Less Silence, More Science - Advocacy to Make Rectal Microbicides a Reality" which was released at the Microbicides 2008 conference in New Delhi.

In South Africa, Marco is currently preparing to study several existing mechanisms of action that may allow microbicides to prevent HIV transmission. Additionally, Marco is creating awareness, educating and advocating for rectal microbicides by participating in working groups, teams, and committees that develop, disseminate and review resources, and briefings on ,microbicides. When Marco is not engaging in ongoing discussions with scientists, researchers, and leaders he is enjoying life with his beautiful newborn baby, husband and family; reading and relaxing out in front of a pool.
[Posted September 2010]

Tian Johnson
Thohoyandou, South Africa

"Rectal microbicides are a clear necessity in the struggle for new HIV Prevention technologies…the onus is on advocates to ensure that access challenges and indeed successes of these tools get on the agenda at EVERY possible opportunity.”

As the Research, Advocacy and Special Projects Advisor for the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme (TVEP) Tian first became involved with IRMA through the Global Campaign for Microbicides. Currently living in Thohoyandou, South Africa Tian believes that “it is also equally important to say that rectal microbicides form but one part of a basket of interventions and technologies to further the HIV prevention agenda. They represent a facet of HIV prevention tools and sectors that should, in the ideal world, be supportive of each other to reach their clearly common goal.”

Tian is working to increase the awareness of rectal and vaginal microbicide literacy as part of TVEP’s existing Female Condom Ambassador Trainings and daily interventions in rural clinics.

“Until every woman and man in South Africa is able to access female or male condoms whenever they need them, there WILL NOT BE ANY FREE TIME to be occupied. Aluta continua!!!”
[Posted September 2010]

Marcelo Maia
New York City

As a writer, photographer and HIV activist/advocate, Marcelo Maia, advocates for rectal microbicides through his work with HIV prevention groups inclucing the NYC Planning Council Advisory Group, Consumers Committee and Connect to Protect ( C2P NYC on Facebook). Former chair of the GMHC Consumer Advisory Board (CAB), Marcelo was born in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil and now lives in New York City.

Through IRMA Marcelo learned about the work that people all over the world are doing to develop a safe and effective product that can be easily used and stop HIV transmission through anal sex.

Marcelo believes that rectal microbicides are an important priority among new HIV prevention technologies because “after so many years of safer sex campaigns that preach either abstinence or the use of condoms as the only alternatives, many young men are getting tired of the same messages."

"Still HIV is mainly transmitted by men who are positive and don’t know about their status and those mostly infected are the ones having unprotected anal intercourse or bareback sex and assuming the bottom or receptive position.”

By educating those that are HIV negative and at risk as well as reaching out to educate policy makers and philanthropic organizations to secure funding for research and development Marcelo is advocating for rectal microbicides.
[Posted September 2010]

Steve Miralles
Lima, Peru

Steve Miralles was born in Caracas, Venezuela and is currently the communications manager for Epicentro– a gay community center in Lima, Peru. Steve is a dynamic, passionate advocate and a key leader in the Latin American-Caribbean chapter of the IRMA (IRMA-ALC) and has translated things like fact sheets and PowerPoint presentationsl for IRMA-AL. Visit IRMA ALC's blog and IRMA ALC on Facebook ).

Steve is an advocate for rectal microbicides because he believes that “rectal microbicides offer the advantage that men and women practicing receptive anal sex can be in control to prevent HIV infection… The more choices we have, the more people that will use them and we’ll have less people infected by HIV”.

When Steve is not advocating for microbicides he is traveling as much as he can, reading, going out and dining with friends.
[Posted September 2010]

Click here for our alphabetized archive of previously featured advocates.