Trial Test for Preventative HIV Medication

A drug that was originally used to prevent HIV infection is now in clinical trials to determine its effectiveness as a preventative. Truvada, which was approved for this purpose by the FDA in 2012, is now being distributed among gay and bisexual men who are at high risk for exposure to the virus. The men will be followed for one year.

The trial, conducted by Dr. Darrell Tan through Toronto’s St. Michael’s hospital, has raised some serious concerns. In an interview held on CBC Radio Thursday, Tan pointed out that Truvada is being used by people who do not have HIV, which makes it difficult to determine how well it is tolerated or its benefits. The drug could possibly increase resistance to the virus and cause people to engage in more sexually risky behavior.

The larger public health concern is the rate of HIV transmission. According to data from the Public Health Agency of Canada, the infection rate among the gay male population has not decreased at all since the year 2000.

Len Tooley, who works at Canada’s Source for HIV and HEP C Information, states that while condoms work well against the virus, they are not a complete solution.