Clinical Guidelines Released on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV

On January 14, the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute released long-awaited clinical guidelines for the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection among those at high risk. PrEP is a relatively new intervention to prevent HIV transmission, in which people who do not have HIV take a daily pill (Truvada, manufactured by Gilead) to reduce their risk of becoming infected. A lack of awareness and understanding of PrEP among both providers and prospective patients has suppressed its use. Since last summer, I have worked with activists from ACT UP/NY and Treatment Action Group to urge the AIDS Institute to expedite release of its clinical guidance document, both to promote PrEP’s effective use in our state and to inform medical providers far beyond our borders who look to New York as a leader in HIV/AIDS policy. The new PrEP guidelines for clinicians are available at www.hivguidelines.org. Please click here to view the AIDS Institute’s PrEP fact sheet for consumers.