Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis is highly protective against HIV infection

Researchers from the Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit (MRC CTU) at UCL and Public Health England have presented results at a conference in Seattle, Washington, indicating that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly protective against HIV for gay and other men who have sex with men in England. The PROUD study (Pre-exposure Option for reducing HIV in the UK: immediate or Deferred), led by the MRC CTU at UCL and Public Health England in partnership with 12 NHS trusts in England, looked at whether offering daily HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to men who have sex with men (MSM) was a reliable way to prevent them from becoming infected if exposed to the virus. The results released at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) held this week indicate that PrEP is highly protective for this group, reducing the risk of infection by 86%. The results will be submitted to a peer reviewed journal this April. The researchers highlighted that MSM who took part in the trial were at very high risk of HIV and that PrEP is highly effective in a real world setting. The sexual health research clinics that took part in the PROUD study were able to integrate PrEP into their routine HIV risk reduction package with ease. Participants incorporated PrEP into existing risk reduction strategies, which included condom use.