This World AIDS Day, Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO), Australian AIDS Councils and the National Association of People Living with HIV have come together to demand immediate access to pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, which is a ground-breaking new tool that could dramatically drive down HIV infections in Australia.
PrEP is a single pill taken each day to prevent HIV in people who are otherwise at very high risk of acquiring HIV. To date, there is no documented case of a person getting HIV when they are taking PrEP daily. Regular HIV and STI screening provided alongside PrEP will also lead to earlier detection and treatment of STIs.
In 2014, Australian Health Ministers agreed to a goal of virtually eliminating new HIV infections by 2020. The proven success of PrEP in clinical trials makes rapid access to PrEP for those who need it a critical measure to achieve this goal.
Although PrEP is not yet licensed in Australia, gay men, some people in relationships with people living with HIV, trans people and other people at high risk of becoming HIV infected are already asking their doctors for prescriptions to enable them to import PrEP from overseas.
We call on all Australian and State/Territory governments to urgently provide PREP access programs now and for the Commonwealth government to fast track licensing of Truvada through the Australian regulatory system and the PBS.
For more information, visit: www.afao.org.au for details.
Image: courtesy of Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO)