A study has confirmed the effectiveness of a drug called PrEP, which stops HIV from infecting the body, as a real-world preventative treatment. The research on 24,000 people taking PrEP across England has been described as "reassuring." The Terrence Higgins Trust HIV charity is calling for easier access to the drug, as many people, including women, do not know it exists. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which led the PrEP Impact Trial with the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said it was the most extensive ever real-world study.
The study was conducted at 157 sexual health clinics across England between October 2017 and July 2020. The results showed that PrEP reduced the chances of getting HIV by around 86% when used in everyday life, taking into account inconsistent or incorrect use. Clinical trials suggest the medication is 99% effective. Dr John Saunders, a consultant in sexual health and HIV who worked on the study, said that this trial has further demonstrated the effectiveness of PrEP in preventing HIV transmission and has, for the first time, shown the protective effect reported by earlier attempts, but at scale, and delivered through routine sexual health services in England.
The Terrence Higgins Trust HIV charity welcomed the study's publication. Still, there was "more to be done" to increase access to and awareness of the drug, particularly among some minority groups. Debbie Laycock, head of policy, said that there are specific communities and individuals at the moment who could benefit from PrEP but aren't accessing it. She also called for PrEP to be made available in pharmacies and online to widen access.
Dr Saunders said that "real-world effectiveness" depended on many factors, particularly whether the drug was taken correctly. PrEP, which contains existing HIV treatment drugs tenofovir disoproxil and emtricitabine, works by stopping HIV from entering the body and making copies of itself. It can either be taken as a daily pill or on an "event" basis before sexual intercourse.
