Date of Publication

1-20-2016

Abstract

Background:

What is PrEP and who gets it?

PrEP is the use of medication by individuals to prevent HIV contraction, approved in 2012 after demonstrating safety and efficacy in the iPrEx study and Partners PrEP2 trials.

HIV infection risk is 92% lower in patients using PrEP.

Truvada®, a combination of tenofovir and emtricitabine taken orally daily, is the only approved PrEP regimen and is intended to compliment other prevention strategies such as condoms.

HIV negative-individuals at risk for exposure to HIV have been identified as men who have sex with men (MSM), IV drug users, heterosexuals who have unprotected sex with partners of unknown HIV status, and those in serodiscordant relationships.

Barriers to PrEP Implementation

PrEP is effective when patients adhere; however, both the medical community and some high-risk populations have been slow to adopt it as an HIV prevention strategy.

Surveys have shown clinicians perceived barriers to PrEP such as adverse side effects, viral drug resistance, increased high-risk behavior, cost, and training.

HIV in Vermont

New diagnoses of HIV among Vermont residents has remained relatively stable over the last twenty years.

Vermont CARES, a non-profit, offers free and anonymous HIV tests and in-person risk-reduction counseling. Clients are increasingly asking about PrEP as a prevention strategy, but the response from the medical community is difficult to ascertain.

Advisor(s)

Jerry Larrabee, MD, University of Vermont College of Medicine

Peter Jacobsen, Vermont CARES

Agency

Vermont CARES

Subjects

Access to Health Services, HIV, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health, Public Health Infrastructure, Social Determinants of Health

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License

Facilitators and Barriers to Prescribing PreExposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for the Prevention of HIV
COinS