The Importance of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV - Pharmacy Times
PrEP therapy has revolutionized HIV treatment by protecting patients who are high risk for acquiring the virus. Approximately 37,000 people in the US are infected with HIV each year. 1 Despite the Ending the HIV Epidemic, A Plan for America, challenges still exist as it relates to the use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent new infections. In particular, current data suggest that of the more than 1 million people who need PrEP, less than 25% are actually receiving it. 2 Therefore, additional strategies are needed if we are to meet the 2030 EHE Goals of reducing new infections to fewer than 3000 per year. 3 PrEP is a medication taken in order to prevent acquiring HIV. Those who are high risk for HIV and who should consider PrEP therapy, in particular, are men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender (TG) individuals. PrEP should also be considered for individuals with multiple sexual partners, those trading sex for money, goods, or services, and people who ...