Scientists announced today that a new type of contraceptive gel that is also designed to protect against sexually transmitted infections will be the first of its kind to begin clinical efficacy trials at the National Institutes of Health's Contraceptive Clinical Trials Network.

The gel, known by the brand name BufferGelTM, was jointly developed by researchers at The Johns Hopkins University and the private firm ReProtect LLC. The new trial will test whether women using BufferGel and a diaphragm can reduce the risk of pregnancy as effectively as women using a conventional spermicidal detergent and a diaphragm.

BufferGel is applied vaginally before sex, like conventional spermicides. Unlike these spermicides, which use detergents to kill sperm, BufferGel contains no soaps. Developers deliberately avoided including soaps or detergents because they can irritate the vaginal lining after frequent use.