Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
We hear a lot about new forms of treatment for HIV positive individuals, and what’s on the horizon. But what about those that are at substantial risk and HIV negative? The CDC has approved and suggests for treatment, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis or PrEP.
For a long time, the only prevention was to practice safe sex and to not share needles when using drugs. We all know these are great suggestions, and they seem to be reasonable considering the consequences. However, drug addicts are not known for taking consequences into account when they use, and some individuals are placed in situations where unsafe sex practices become the norm.
Tom Martinez, TTC’s Director of Community Programs & Services, says that PrEP “ranks right at the top” in the history of treatment or prevention measures for HIV. “…other than the discovery of anti-retroviral medications way back in the day. On the prevention side, this is the most effective option for high risk HIV negatives individuals that we’ve ever seen.” When you combine this with “Treatment as Prevention” measures, our ability to sustainably reduce the spread of HIV has never been better.
According to the AIDS.gov website,
- Is in an ongoing relationship with an HIV-infected partner;
- Is not in a mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who recently tested HIV-negative; and is a
- gay or bisexual man who has had sex without a condom or been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection within the past six months;
- heterosexual man or woman who does not regularly use condoms when having sex with partners known to be at risk for HIV (e.g., injecting drug users or bisexual male partners of unknown HIV status); or
- Has, within the past six months, injected illicit drugs and shared equipment or been in a treatment program for injection drug use.
Martinez says, “It’s for HIV negative people who are going to engage in unsafe sex, for whatever reason. They may use drugs or have different sex partners, or they just know they won’t use a condom. Because the medication is in your body before you’re exposed to HIV, it has a better ability to fight the virus. It’s up to 98% effective.”
The medication is taken on a daily basis, and some new research shows that it can be taken every other day after the 7th treatment, according to Martinez. There are those that have expressed a concern that patients will not adhere to the treatment, thus creating a risk that people think they are safe when they’re not. But Martinez says “We’ve seen that patients are adherent and they are taking the medications as directed”, and that they have no resistance to taking the medications like the resistance we have seen with using condoms.
Also, while condom use is still recommended while patients are taking PrEP medications, the 98% success rate of the treatment is arguably better than condom use alone. “I mean, when condoms are used correctly, they are about 98% effective. But most people don’t use them correctly, and, in reality, that’s about 79%.”
PrEP is most effective for the people we don’t often hear about in news stories. “For example, with the HIV negative partners of our HIV positive clients. In that population this is huge. It takes a part of the relationship that can be kind of stressful and gives them some relief from that.”
And “There are some people in relationships that don’t have a voice to negotiate for safe sex. Either the partner is physically violent or abusive. For this group of people, PrEP is really a miracle drug.”
PrEP is proving to be an effective measure against the spread of HIV infection. We’re seeing a great deal of enthusiasm among staff and patients for the treatment, because of this. It gives hope to individuals that may have previously felt that their health situation was hopeless, and it puts them on the road to a better life.
If you want more information, call us or fill out our secure contact form and mention “PrEP”.