Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), if used daily, reduces the risk of HIV infections to those who are in high risk due to sexual activity and drug use.
People at high risk for HIV infection include:
- 1 in 4 sexually active gay and bisexual adult men without HIV who:
-Have an HIV-positive partner, or
-Have multiple partners, a partner with multiple partners, or a partner whose HIV status is unknown and
-Have anal sex without a condom, or
-Recently had a sexually transmitted infection. - 1 in 5 adults without HIV who inject drugs who:
-Share needles or equipment to inject drugs,
-Recently went to a drug treatment program (specifically, a methadone, buprenorphine, or suboxone treatment program), or
-Are at risk for getting HIV from sex. - 1 in 200 sexually active heterosexual adults without HIV who:
-Have an HIV-positive partner, or
-Have multiple partners, a partner with multiple partners, or a partner whose HIV status is unknown and
-Do not always use a condom for sex with people who inject drugs, or
-Women who do not always use a condom for sex with bisexual men.
PrEP is more effective if used with safe sex habits like condom use and during drug treatment.
Despite the benefits, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, the problem is 1 in 3 primary care doctors and nurses do not know about PrEP. Any prescribing healthcare professional can prescribe PrEP to eligible patients.
PrEP education is crucial in reducing HIV infections for high risk patients. There are currently efforts on both local and national levels to increase the awareness of the preventative treatment option.
For more information on PrEP, click here.
