In my humble opinion, it's time more people began hearing about PrEP, spreading the word so that we can all start stopping the spread of HIV. PrEP stands for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, and the drug at its core is Gilead Sciences' anti-HIV agent Truvada.
The iPrex Study begun in 2007, which released its initial findings in 2010, proved that daily doses of Truvada are up to 99 percent effective in protecting HIV-negative individuals against the virus. The FDA approved Truvada as PrEP in July of 2012. And yet, almost two years later -- due to Gilead's reluctance to market its wonder drug, and to the fact that AIDS service organizations wary of abandoning their 30-year-old "condoms only" prevention messaging are resistant to promoting PrEP -- relatively few people have heard of Truvada and its benefits.
I wrote an article about PrEP, its pros, and its cons for the April issue of Gannett's Desert Outlook, a free glossy magazine published in Palm Springs but read throughout the Coachella Valley, Los Angeles, San Diego, and beyond. Since both White Party and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival took place in the desert last month, it's likely that countless attendees at those popular events were exposed to my words as well. It's my hope that people are giving PrEP some thought, discussing it with their doctors, and -- if they've chosen to take Truvada -- getting their prescriptions filled (and covered by insurance).
Here's the link to the article. Read on to discover whether or not Truvada is the drug for you. Regardless, I hope you'll spread the word.