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Sunday, December 20th, 2015

The HIV Drug Half a Million Women Need

Author:     Heather Boerner
Source:     The Daily Beast
Publication Date:     12.19.1512:02 AM ET
 Link: The HIV Drug Half a Million Women Need
Stephan:   This is a cautionary tale about epidemics and pharmaceutical profits. And it poses a question: Is it more important for a few people to make money, or for an epidemic to be stopped? Truvada, the drug that is the focus of this report, costs $1,500 a month cash price in most U.S. drugstores -- $18,000 a year. Many health policies cover much of this if risk can be proven it is true, but it is still expensive and often individuals don't qualify. Given the only 30 per cent of people with HIV have it under control and transmission rates continue to concern, it would seem it was in the social interest to see that as many at-risk people as possible should have comfortable access to this drug, Less than 1% actually do.
Credit: Justin Sullivan

Credit: Justin Sullivan

Although a daily pill can prevent HIV infection, very few people actually take it.

About 1.2 million Americans are at high risk for HIV and could benefit from taking the pill, sold under the brand name Truvada, in a strategy that doctors call “pre-exposure prophylaxis,” or PrEP, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Studies in men who have sex with men show that taking PrEP reduces the risk of contracting HIV by 92%. Studies in injection drug users have found that PrEP reduced the risk of infection by more than 70%.

Yet only about 21,000 people – less than 1% of those who could benefit – are taking PrEP, the CDC’s Jonathan Mermin said.

Although the Food and Drug Administration approved Truvada in 2012, one-third of primary care doctors have never heard of PrEP, according to a national survey that has not yet been published.

“We have this sea change in HIV prevention, but it is one of the best-kept secrets in medicine,” said J.D. Davids, managing editor at TheBody.com, an online […]

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1 Comment

  1. Steve Hovland on Sunday, December 20, 2015 at 8:02 am

    I know someone who is HIV positive who has survived for many years without taking medications. He does this by having a healthy diet. Also remember that there are a variety of plant extracts that have anti-viral components.