International Rectal Microbicide Advocates (IRMA) is an international non-profit organization

Non-profit organization

Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...

 which promotes awareness of rectal microbicides

Rectal microbicide

A rectal microbicide is a microbicide for rectal use. Most commonly such a product would be a topical gel inserted into the anus so that it make act as protection against the contract of a sexually transmitted infection during anal sex....

.

History

The International Rectal Microbicide Advocates was formed in 2005 through a collaboration between the Canadian AIDS Society

Canadian AIDS Society

The Canadian AIDS Society is a national coalition of over 120 community-based AIDS organizations across Canada.Registered as a charity since 1988, CAS has a mandate to improve the response to HIV/AIDS across all sectors of society, and to support people and communities living with...

, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago

AIDS Foundation of Chicago

The AIDS Foundation of Chicago is a non-profit organization based in Chicago and which is active in the field of HIV/AIDS.-Partners:The AFC was one of the founding organizations of the International Rectal Microbicide Advocates....

, and the Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (which disbanded in 2011).

Activities

IRMA has reviewed and encouraged research into the safety of personal lubricants for anal sex.