Truvada, (a two-drug combination therapy currently used to treat HIV in Australia) has been approved for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in HIV negative people in the US

Truvada, when used within a comprehensive HIV prevention approach incorporating expanded access to rapid HIV testing, condoms and prevention information, PrEP offers major risk reduction game-changing potential for individuals at particularly high risk of acquiring HIV, as the HIV negative partner in a serodiscordant gay relationship.

According to ACON,  the approval by the US Food and Drug Administration of the use of Truvada in conjunction with a range of other current and emerging prevention approaches delivers “game-changing potential in relation to the course of the epidemic”.

The approval of an existing HIV treatment for use as PrEP is a world first, and the latest in a series of ground-breaking HIV-related announcements from the FDA and other US Federal health agencies over the last 12 -18 months.

A/CEO Geoff Honnor says this most recent announcement adds to the indelible impression of an energised, innovative and revitalised US HIV response in stark contrast to Australia’s national response.

“The commitment of the NSW Government to new HIV prevention technologies and approaches has been clearly demonstrated,” Mr Honnor says. “However, on current form, it will be years before there is national focus and energy sufficient to enable the trials and demonstration projects that are the necessary precursors to enabling PrEP here in Australia.

“For instance, Australia is now possibly the only country in the world that doesn’t offer the rapid HIV testing that provides the greatly enhanced access to testing that everyone else takes for granted, and that will be essential to delivering against Australia’s commitment to the UN Political Declaration on HIV made in the UN General Assembly in 2011.