The good news about Truvada/PrEP continues this week.
Researchers from UCLA, publishing in the Oxford Journal, say that PrEP, as far as they can tell, for short- to medium-term use, is as safe as over-the-counter aspirin for human consumption, and in terms of possible side effects.
As HIV Equal reports:
Researchers from the University of California Los Angeles compared five major studies on PrEP for HIV infection with two major studies on aspirin Safety. Each medication was given a score based on how numbers needed to harm (NNH), or cause a reported side effect.
The report concluded that the use of Truvada as PrEP was favorable to Aspirin in terms of safety, but that more studies on long-term use were needed. Still, those users who have engaged in short or medium term PrEP should be reassured of the drug’s safety.
Per the Oxford Journal piece, “While long-term studies are needed, providers should feel reassured about the safety of short- and medium-term PrEP.”
This news comes a few months after a three-year study of gay men taking PrEP in San Francisco that showed zero new HIV infections, and it comes after a terrific op-ed piece in adult industry publication AVN that explains in detail why the LA-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation has been so bizarrely anti-PrEP — it all comes down to money, of course, and how much less they’ll take in at their HIV testing centers and clinics if everyone gets on PrEP. Also, executive director Michael Weinstein really hates the porn industry, for whatever reason.
This is cool. Beht how ken a brutha get his hands on summa these? #AskingForAFriend
Really? Lemme come back first, we have to book for a round table discussion! Lol
Dedicated to HIV patients only? Isn’t it sulpsoed to be meant for non-HIV ppl?(Their partners)?
Truvada is part of the arsenal of drugs on ground for the suppression of the HIV virus. It’s made up of two drugs only. You add a third drug on top and you have the right combination for treating HIV instead of preventing it. (highly active antiretroviral therapy)
@Francis, I know its part of the nuclear arsenal used to fight it, however that $1300 price tag you put up there made it sound like an entirely different drug. How come its that expensive? I know most people with HIV won’t even be able to afford that kind of drug.
So my question is- Do people with HIV get free ART in Nigeria? Or is the price subsidized for +Ve people? And also, is the reason for the huge price tag(of PREP) because the people that its intended for are -Ve?
They should make it cheaper if they want it to replace Condoms(which it cant btw, condoms do alot more work than HIV prevention) .And also the way the drug works is kind of inconvenient; once you start taking it, you have to keep taking it.. If you stop taking it at some point and then continue later, it loses its effectiveness.
ART is free in Nigeria. That price is for developed countries where the drugs aren’t free and some insurance companies don’t cover it.
There used to be a subsidy on HIV drugs but it was removed by someone. Can’t remember if it was Obasanjo. Now it’s free of charge but with the way donors are abandoning ship it might soon be back to subsidy things.
I don’t think the price tag has anything to do with HIV status. Na one price for all man
Another wahala be say some people on it can party for all the continents combined and doing shitload of drugs and alcohol while on Truvada is a NO-NO
Well apparently there are none………in the short & medium term?
Ha. Biko are there different types of truvadas, cuz d one am taking is like whiskey?
The whiskey effect is most probably the Efavirenz unless you’re experiencing a very low documented side effect of Truvada
Oh I see. But can d effect ever stop?
The duration of the effect varies for patients. Some never have it. Some have it for like a week or two and then it’s gone while others might take a while to shake it off.
As long as the effect is there, the rule is to take the medicine at a fixed time at night only. Once you drink the pill, you climb ya bed and sleep at once
Alright, thanks
You’re welcome
This is all well and good. But I have to wonder if there’s PrEP medication available or even remotely obtainable for Nigerians…
Every man with him own agenda sha. $1300 a month for Truvada no be beans. Kaching! If you reduce HIV test funding, HIV begins to rise especially in places where on a good day HIV testing practices is already poor.
@Mandy e full Nigeria but it’s dedicated to HIV patients only.
Good news for Truvada whores…
PrEP is ok, when used appropriately, for example an HIV negative person in a committed long term relationship with an HIV positive partner.
But we all know the makers of Truvada are pushing for it to be used beyond that for commercial gain.
They want it to replace condoms. In their studies, they conveniently ignore the rise in other STD infections preventable by the use of condoms.
PrEP is already being promoted to protect the ‘vulnerable’ in the UK. The ‘vulnerable’ being those that continuously take addictive recreational drugs to have unprotected sex. Is that the proper use of PrEP?
I wouldn’t hail this as a welcome development in HIV prevention unless used in genuine scenarios.
http://sagbachronicles.com/2015/07/04/to-prep-or-not-to-prep/
The only problem I have with this drug is the side effects.