The Human Rights Campaign issued a statement on Oct. 18 supporting the use of an HIV prevention strategy known as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).  PrEP is an HIV prevention strategy that includes taking anti-HIV medication to significantly reduce the risk of contracting HIV.  Specifically, HRC is explicitly endorsing the use of Truvada, the only brand name anti-HIV drug combination currently approved for PrEP.

Truvada is not a new drug and was actually approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012.  Previously, Truvada had been approved as an antiretroviral agent in adults and children over the age of 12 that were already infected.  In July 2012, Time Magazine issued a fact sheet that provided basic information about Truvada.  Studies showed that, for gay and bisexual men practicing safe sex, Truvada decreased the risk of infection by 42 percent.  For heterosexual couples with one HIV-positive partner, the risk for the uninfected partner was 75 percent lower with Truvada.

Updated research shows that the effectiveness may be even higher than previously shown.  According to the Guardian, a research trial funded by the U.K. Medical Research Council and supported by Public Health England, taking the pill daily could mean a 99 percent reduction in risk.  If the study results come out as promising as they seem to be so far, the U.K. National Health Service (NHS) hopes to make them available to individuals who are at high risk.

The main obstacle is the price.  Currently, the brand-name drug from manufacturer Gilead goes for about $1,000 per month.  Health insurers and state-funded programs like NHS will have to find a way to make the drugs afforable and cost-effective.  Though the desire is there, negotiations will determine the future of PrEP.