NSW trials new HIV drug PrEP, thousands of men enlist

When news of people in Spain playing HIV sex roulette spread on the internet last week, it caused a lot of buzz because while scientists are busy searching for a cure to HIV, some people apparently are spreading it purposely. Among those developing a cure is the Kirby Institute which is conducting a clinical trial in New South Wales (NSW).

The clinical trial is for the new drug pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) which prevents HIV infection. The trial targets to get 3,700 mal recruits, so far over 1,100 NSW men have signed up, reports ABC.

The trial recruited males because 70 percent of HIV transmissions in Australia in 2014 happened between men who had sex with other men, says the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations.

NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner launched in Sydney the Expanded PrEP Implementation in Communities (EPIC-NSW) study which aims to end HIV transmission in the Australian state by 2020. The University of NSW’s Kirby Institute, with the support of ACON, leads the research.

ACO President Dr Justin Koonin says PrEP is a potential game change in preventing HIV transmission in NSW. “When we combine this with our increasing rates of HIV testing among gay men and stronger uptake of treatment among people living with HIV, we may be able to deliver the biggest reduction in HIV transmission rates in NSW for more than two decades,” Gaynewsnetwork quotes Koonin.

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration recently approved Truvada for PrEP. ACON is supporting for PrEP’s inclusion in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme so the new HIV drug could be affordable and accessible to more Australians.

Professor Sharon Lewin, from Melbourne’s Doherty Institute, says PrEP hopefully could dramatically reduce HIV infections in Australia. She cites the experience in the US where a dramatic cut in new HIV infections was observed after Truvada was introduced.