Since 2009, when MPTs officially became a “thing,” we have had a lot of conversations about MPTs and answered even more questions. We have spoken with friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, seatmates on plane flights – you name it. Until recently, not many people had heard of MPTs, and we spent a large part of these conversations doing quite a bit of explaining.

Most people we talk to seem universally on board with the concept of MPTs, thinking that it “just makes sense” as a prevention approach. However, because there aren’t many ready-to-use MPTs on the market (condoms being the sole exception) they are also hesitant to get “too excited” about future products still in development. For many, MPTs sound great – but intangible, disconnected from reality.

If you are an advocate for youth health and wellbeing, you need to know about multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs) – innovative tools on the horizon to address a gap in the sexual and reproductive health of women and girls. It’s a long name, but there’s a reason behind that. First, these tools are called multipurpose prevention because they simultaneously protect against various combinations of HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) AND unintended pregnancy. Second, the add-on of technologies illustrates that the field is developing a range of product types that deliver prevention in innovative ways. This includes intravaginal rings, vaginal inserts, films and patches, vaginal gels combined with barrier methods, implants, oral tablets, long-acting injectables…the list goes on!

It remains unacceptable that women and girls worldwide continue to confront preventable sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, as well as face high rates of unintended pregnancies. It is unacceptable that advocates, scientists, and politicians still need to convince people that investing in, innovating around, and creating a supportive policy environment for women’s health is imperative. Public health figures should speak for themselves –  women need access, innovation, more options for disease and pregnancy prevention. It has been nearly 40 years since the emergence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, 60 years since the first birth control pill became available, and 90 years since penicillin was discovered and became a successful treatment for bacterial STIs. While many critical advances have been made in the decades following these sexual and reproductive health milestones, the continued suffering of millions of women worldwide means that we, as a public health community, need to do better.