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Gay Health News: A daily dose of an existing antiretroviral drug can reduce HIV infections by 44%, a new study reveals
By: Nigel Robinson
2,499 took part in study
2,499 took part in study
Daily pill reduces HIV infection risk
24 November 2010
Among sexually-active men who faithfully took the drug every day the success rate was even higher, according to a report in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The study was conducted over a three-year period among 2,499 men between 18 and 67, who were sexually active with other men but who at the time of the trial were HIV-negative.
The participants came from Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, South Africa, Thailand and the USA.
Half of the men were selected at random to take a daily dose of the drug Truvada, which is a combination of 200 milligrams of emtricitabine and 300 milligrams of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and which is government-approved and available in the USA.
Others were given a placebo. All of the men were also given safer sex instruction.
Taking a drug before potential exposure to HIV is known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.
Over the course of the three year study, 100 of the participants became infected with HIV.
Of these, 36 came from the group of participants given Truvada, and 64 from those who had received the placebo, meaning that taking the drug reduced the chance of becoming infected with HIV by 43.8%.
Those men who took the drug on 90% or more of the days had 72.8% fewer infections.
“This discovery alters the HIV prevention landscape forever,” Jim Pickett, director of advocacy at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, told news agency AFP.
“While this level of efficacy is relatively strong, PrEP is not quite ready for prime time and work remains before this strategy is rolled out.
“However we are thrilled to have a new prevention option beyond male and female condoms visible on the horizon.”
In a statement US President Barack Obama said:
“I am encouraged by this announcement of groundbreaking research on HIV prevention.
“While more work is needed, these kinds of studies could mark the beginning of a new era in HIV prevention. As this research continues, the importance of using proven HIV prevention methods cannot be overstated.”
Sir Nick Partridge, Chief Executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust said that the study was potentially very significant and could change the HIV landscape in the future.
He told the BBC: “We are nearly thirty years into this epidemic and yet there are still far too many people getting infected. The majority of new infections in the UK are among gay men. This might help men who seem incapable of using condoms and regularly put themselves at risk.”
