How would it feel if you know you could go back
to the days when you don’t have to worry when
having sexual intercourse? Exhilarating right? Well
now you can. According to a report, you don’t
have to worry about it anymore. In fact, you
don’t have to have HIV before you deal with it.

With a daily pill, you reduce the risk of contracting
the virus.

The drug is known as the pre-exposure
prophylaxis (PrEP), it has been tried in the UK and
its yielding results.

According to studies via a Proud Trial, the PrEP
has been discovered to cut the risk of HIV
infections most especially amongst the gay folks
as they are known to be the most prone to the
virus by a whooping 86%.

According to reports, PrEP has been available to
at-risk groups in the United States since 2012.
The Proud trial, which took place across 12 NHS
trusts in Brighton, London, York, Manchester,
Birmingham and Sheffield, was set up to provide
real-world evidence on the pill’s effectiveness,
and to answer outstanding questions, such as
whether providing it would lead to reduced use of
condoms.

The pill used in the trial, Truvada, is a
combination of two antiretroviral drugs which has
previously been used to treat HIV infection.

Developed by Gilead, its newly established ability
to prevent as well as treat the virus marks a
major turning point in efforts to combat HIV
among high-risk groups. “These results are
extremely exciting and show PrEP is highly
effective at preventing HIV infection in the real
world,” said Sheena McCormack, professor of
clinical epidemiology at the MRC Clinical Trials
Unit at University College London. “Concerns that
PrEP would not work so well in the real world
were unfounded.

As great as this sounds, there is a presiding
financial argument. As its quick availability is
needed, the cost of it still remains an issue.

Professor Simon Barton, chair of the HIV Clinical
Reference Group for NHS England, which will
review the cost-effectiveness of PrEP, said the
Proud trial findings were “very important”. “The
challenge now is to translate the benefits
demonstrated in the study into practice,” he said.

“We have already begun work to carefully consider
how this treatment could be delivered equitably
and most efficiently by liaising closely with the
Local Government Association, Public Health
England, clinicians and patient representatives.”
Dr Michael Brady, medical director of sexual
health charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, said:

“PrEP is, quite simply, a game-changer…this
research shows just how effective PrEP can be in
preventing transmission of the virus in groups at
greatest risk; offering another line of defence
alongside condoms and regular testing. It is not a
vaccine and it won’t be for everyone, but once
approved, we expect it to significantly increase
the momentum in our fight against the virus.

Therefore, we urge the Government, NHS England
and local authorities to make PrEP a key priority
in the fight against HIV.”

Ok

That's right!