HIV med, Truvada, up to 90% effective at preventing infection

As we all ushered in the 22^nd annual World AIDS Day last week, great news has surfaced
concerning gay men’s health and HIV infection.

Truvada, a pill which combines two antiretroviral HIV medications, received National attention
as studies, funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as well as the National
Institute for Health, showed its powerful effectiveness combating the HIV virus as it enters the
blood stream. This is tremendous news. The pill curbed HIV infection in 44% of its participants,
but even better, when the pill was taken on a strict daily regimen, the effectiveness of preventing
infection was near or around 90%.

Head of the study at the NIC, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci welcomed the study’s findings saying,
“That’s huge… That says it all for me.”

This is amazing news in the fight against HIV, the greatest news, some claim, regarding the
epidemic in years.

But by any and all means, this does not mean that gay, bi-sexual and questioning men should
start having unprotected sex.

“The results are encouraging, but it’s not time for gay men to throw away their condoms,” said
Dr. Kevin Fenton, chief of the Center For Disease Control’s AIDS division.

As an estimated 56,300 Americans are newly infected with HIV each year, combined with the 1.1 million Americans who are currently living with the virus, and adding to the mix an approximate 21% of the population who are infected with the virus b..., safe sex and education are still the most powerful ally in the fight against AIDS.

Men who are considering abandoning condom use should keep in mind that Truvada, although readily available, is quite expensive (it costs about $30 - $35 / a pill; near $13,000 a year) and is not covered under many insurance companies’ prescription plans. And remember, those men who subscribed to a strict daily regimen of taking the pill showed the strongest results, but still 10% contracted the virus.

Truvada does have common and unpleasant side effects including nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, to name a few, and shouldn’t be considered a magic solution to HIV prevention messages and negotiating safety with sex partners. And also importantly, Truvada doesn’t protect men from the host of other serious STI’s out there, syphilis being one example of a STI on the rise here among gay men in Los Angeles.

As international attention is brought to the AIDS epidemic this World AIDS Day, champion the advances we’ve all made fighting the disease but remember the fight is not over. Keep getting tested regularly for HIV, keep protecting yourself and your partners by engaging in safer sex. Pick up some free “Wrap it Before you Tap it” condoms throughout the city of West Hollywood, and do your part in keeping yourself and your partners safe.

For more information on Truvada, please visit the NY Times article on the drug at: nytimes.com

And for local statistics of HIV rates in Los Angeles and beyond, please visit the LA County public health semiannual surveillance summary at: publichealth.lacounty.gov