One of the latest developments in terms of HIV, is the approval of the drug Truvada by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is apparently the first drug to be consented for preventing HIV infection among at-risk individuals.
Persons engaging in unsafe sexual activities with HIV patients are eligible for using the aforesaid medication. This pill is to be taken as a means of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) coupled with safe sex practices for inhibiting HIV infection among non-afflicted people.
As an important word of caution, the team has revealed that HIV-positive people and those with unknown HIV statuses must not consume the drug. It is only to be used by persons who are HIV negative, which is affirmed by regular tests conducted every 3 months.
“Today’s approval marks an important milestone in our fight against HIV. Every year, about 50,000 U.S. adults and adolescents are diagnosed with HIV infection, despite the availability of prevention methods and strategies to educate, test, and care for people living with the disease. New treatments as well as prevention methods are needed to fight the HIV epidemic in this country,” remarked FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.
A trial was undertaken with nearly 2,499 persons engaging in high risk behaviors such as unsafe sex with HIV positive people or those with unknown diagnoses, having sex in return for commodities and multiple partner sexual activities.
Going by the results, Truvada seemed to be effective in decreasing HIV risk by roughly 75%, as compared to placebos. Some of the side effects reported with the medication included weight loss, diarrhea, nausea, headache, abdominal pain and in rare cases bone or kidney toxicity.
Experts believed that the Truvada FDA approval is an important measure against the spread of HIV among individuals.