Findings from two European studies on PrEP were released today at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Seattle.
The PROUD study out of England assesses the effect the use of PrEP has on the frequency with which men have sex, how often they use condoms, and whether they contract other sexually-transmitted infections. The IPERGAY study out of France and Canada is investigating whether Truvada is still effective as a preventative when taken “on demand” – defined as two to 24 hours before sexual intercourse and again after – as opposed to daily.
Study advances reported today:
- The two-year PROUD study in England, which involved gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, shows daily use of PrEP reduced the risk of HIV infection by 86 percent. PROUD researchers last month announced that, given the effectiveness of daily anti-HIV drug treatment, they saw no need to pursue plans to continue and expand the study.
- The IPERGAY study, conducted at six sites in France and one in Canada, shows that “on-demand” use of PrEP also reduced risk of HIV transmission by 86 percent, and should be incorporated into prevention efforts that already include counseling and condoms.
Last year, both studies made headlines when independent data monitoring boards recommended that researchers stop giving some subjects placebos on ethical grounds after early data showed the overwhelming effectiveness of PrEP being used by other gay and bisexual men involved in the trials.
Given the continued promise of PrEP, HRC reiterated its calls to action issued last October: urging federal and state officials, as well as leading insurance companies, to accelerate action on making PrEP more available and affordable; and Gilead Sciences, the manufacturer of Truvada, to continue efforts to broaden the drug’s affordability and accessibility.
“These findings confirm the unprecedented promise of PrEP – the promise of a real chance to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic through aggressive prevention of new HIV infections,” said Jeff Krehely, vice president and chief foundation officer at HRC. “Hopefully, studies like these will continue to demonstrate that the medical community must embrace these life-changing regimens, and that affordable access to PrEP by those most vulnerable to HIV infection must be a priority.”
“There are more than 1.1 million Americans living with HIV, and approximately 50,000 new infections every year that disproportionately affect younger, Black and Latino gay and bisexual men, and transgender women,” continued Krehely. “PrEP is a critically important prevention tool that gives us an opportunity to arrest this epidemic worldwide and save countless lives.”
