Following desk research, nearly 4000 individuals participated in femaletofemale interviews in Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, France, India, Kenya, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Thailand and Venezuela. The sample survey was aged 1845 years. In addition, pharmacists, general practitioners and medical specialists were interviewed.

In most countries, women considered HIV/AIDS, only second to education, as the most important issue. The number of women who had ever used a condom varied from 7% in the Philippines to 42% in France; nevertheless, personal concern regarding HIV/STDs was present among more than 50% of women in most countries, ranging from 14% in Thailand to 95% in Venezuela.

Up to 7080% of women in some developing countries expressed interest in having a microbicide available for use. The price they were willing to pay was high: for example, in Kenya and Côte d'Ivoire more than 60% would pay up to five times the price of a condom for a microbicide. Particular preference was given to a product that would have a dual use, i.e., to prevent HIV/STDs as well as pregnancy.

Based on the results, which are based on a hypothetical product, the EU Programme estimated  a high potential demand for microbicides among urban women. Some examples of potential demand and potential market values: 0.7 million users in Kenya for $3.8 million, 16.5 million users in Brazil for $979 million and 1.9 million users in France for $115 million.

Bob Hill, Hillmark Consulting, 23 Millfield, Berkhamsted HP4 2PB, United Kingdom; Tel: 441422864773; Fax: 441442877742; e-mail: hillmark.consulting@virgin.net ; Lieve Fransen, EU HIV/AIDS Programme in developing countries, VIII/G/1: Health & Family Planning, AIDS, 12 Rue de Genève (G1208/38)

Dr Erica Gollub, of the University of Pennsylvania, who initiated HIV-prevention programmes to improve reproductive health in the USA, created a similar experimental programme in the Bouches-du-Rhône region in France called "Femme: mon corps et moi" ("Woman: my body and me"). The programme aims to help women who have high-risk behaviour for HIV or STDs to protect themselves.

The first woman counsellor counselled 8-12 female client volunteers on protection methods available without medical prescription and at no charge, in five two-hour sessions. The counsellors discussed anatomy; contraception and prevention practices; pregnancies, abortions, STDs and AIDS; the relative importance of  the different means of risk reduction (condoms, diaphragms with spermicides, spermicides alone) and the acceptability of the female condom (in France, only the male condom is sold).

Health professionals find it too difficult to imagine women's situations; and often do not allow women to talk about their sexuality amongst themselves. Some women find it difficult to follow discussions of the fertility cycle and to answer a written questionnaire. The language barrier was another difficulty encountered in counselling for many immigrant women.

Counselling sessions and interviews with over 80 women show that:

• Women accept the programme because it offers them a place where they can talk and learn self-support.
• Women want to learn to protect themselves. Many have already refused unprotected relations.
• Many women practice oral or anal sex without protection to keep their virginity.
• Violence, notably rape,  is frequent in their lives.
• There is great interest in female-controlled barrier methods.

Public health workers in the Provence are organising conferences to inform social and health professionals about risk reduction in women, forming support groups for women in jail, adopting a communication campaign and training gynecologists. The department of Bouches-du-Rhône has already trained 12 new counsellors in this programme.

"Femme: mon corps et moi" believes that by teaching women how to "reduce the risks," a new concept in France among heterosexual populations, women become actors in maintaining their health and in preventing infection.