Preventive HIV Treatment Shown Effective
Preventive HIV Treatment Shown Effective
New research finds just two people out of more than 400 became infected in a year
MONDAY, Nov. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Medications taken to prevent HIV infection in high-risk people appear to work well in "real-life" use, a new study suggests.
During a year of taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), only two people out of more than 400 high-risk people became infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. And it seems that those who became infected didn't take the medication properly, the study said.
The new study found the HIV infection rate was as much as 20 times lower than in several previous HIV studies, background information in the current study said.
Gay and bisexual men at high risk for HIV infection "should be counseled about pre-exposure prophylaxis," said Dr. Kenneth Mayer, director of HIV Prevention Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, who's familiar with the study findings. Already, he said, "pharmacy records suggest that tens of thousands are using it."
But the treatment is not without problems. The most important issue is that PrEP is expensive, potentially costing about $1,300 a month, said study lead author Dr. Albert Liu, clinical research director with the San Francisco Department of Public Health. However, the treatment is covered by most insurance companies, and medication assistance programs are available, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The treatment can also cause mild side effects, such as stomach upset, loss of appetite and mild headache. But most of these go away soon after starting treatment, according to AIDS.gov.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis combines two drugs -- tenofovir and emtricitabine -- into one pill, marketed as Truvada. The goal of the treatment is to prevent high-risk people from becoming infected with HIV. The treatment was approved for use in the United States in 2012, background information in the study said.
Gay and bisexual men account for two-thirds of new HIV infections, the study said.
The new study is unique because it provides insight into how the preventive treatment works in the community at large instead of among people recruited for a study, Liu said.
Preventive HIV Treatment Shown Effective
New research finds just two people out of more than 400 became infected in a year
MONDAY, Nov. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Medications taken to prevent HIV infection in high-risk people appear to work well in "real-life" use, a new study suggests.
During a year of taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), only two people out of more than 400 high-risk people became infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. And it seems that those who became infected didn't take the medication properly, the study said.
The new study found the HIV infection rate was as much as 20 times lower than in several previous HIV studies, background information in the current study said.
Gay and bisexual men at high risk for HIV infection "should be counseled about pre-exposure prophylaxis," said Dr. Kenneth Mayer, director of HIV Prevention Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, who's familiar with the study findings. Already, he said, "pharmacy records suggest that tens of thousands are using it."
But the treatment is not without problems. The most important issue is that PrEP is expensive, potentially costing about $1,300 a month, said study lead author Dr. Albert Liu, clinical research director with the San Francisco Department of Public Health. However, the treatment is covered by most insurance companies, and medication assistance programs are available, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The treatment can also cause mild side effects, such as stomach upset, loss of appetite and mild headache. But most of these go away soon after starting treatment, according to AIDS.gov.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis combines two drugs -- tenofovir and emtricitabine -- into one pill, marketed as Truvada. The goal of the treatment is to prevent high-risk people from becoming infected with HIV. The treatment was approved for use in the United States in 2012, background information in the study said.
Gay and bisexual men account for two-thirds of new HIV infections, the study said.
The new study is unique because it provides insight into how the preventive treatment works in the community at large instead of among people recruited for a study, Liu said.
