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National | Health

HIV prevention drug gets the go ahead

New Zealand is set to become the first country in the world to subsidise the HIV prevention pill PrEP. Also known as Truvada, the drug is already being used to treat people living with HIV. Dr Tawhanga Nopera has been HIV positive for 20 years and says the drug can change the way your body responds to the HIV virus by not allowing it to replicate if it enters your system.

"Prep is a drug that if you take it and adhere to the guidelines around taking it can prevent you from contracting it," says Nopera.

The drug is aimed at Transgenders and males who have sex with men. Pharmac have consulted with HIV organisations in Aotearoa looking at data around HIV internationally, and will now subsidise the drug for those most at risk of contracting HIV.

"Because of the sexual practices of men having sex with men the risk of contracting HIV is higher so its funded for men who have sex with men, transgender people as well are a high-risk group but that does not mean people who feel they might be at risk of HIV cannot have discussions with HIV specialists to get prescriptions for PrEP."

The prevention pill will be readily available for $5 every three months. Dr Tawhanga Nopera contracted HIV 20 years ago, at a time he says when the practitioners were just developing the combination strategies that doctors now use to treat people living with HIV.

"Had the drug been available in my youth when I was 22 I most certainly would've taken it and it would've prevented me from catching HIV."

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