Trial period proves a success in treatment
A LOCAL sexual health service is getting the word out about HIV treatment following a new study which has proven its effectiveness.
The PrEP Impact Trial – organised by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) – involved more than 24,000 participants between October
2017 and July 2020 to study the real-world usage of pre-exposure prophylaxis, commonly known as PrEP.
It found that PrEP can reduce the chance of getting HIV by 86 per cent, which is hoped to further the delivery of the government’s plan to achieve zero HIV transmissions by 2030.
Dr John Saunders, from the UKHSA, said: “This trial has further demonstrated the effectiveness of PrEP in preventing
HIV transmission and has, for the first time, shown the protective effect reported by earlier trials, but at scale and delivered through routine sexual health services in England.
“Now we know just how effective PrEP is in real-world settings, substantially reducing the chance of acquiring HIV.
“It’s vital that all those who can benefit from PrEP can access it – HIV testing and PrEP is available for free from sexual health services.”
In response to the results, Spectrum – a sexual health service in Barnsley – is hoping to promote the access of this drug further and help lower HIV rates in the borough.
While figures revealed that 13 people were formally diagnosed with HIV last year, only 171 of the 291 people who are identified as having a need for PrEP are accessing it.
A spokesperson told the Chronicle: “Currently the uptake of PrEP in the Barnsley area is good, however, we are still looking at ways of improving our reach further and getting the message about PrEP out to the public.
“Currently we send out messages and run campaigns across our social media channels and attend as many community events as possible to inform people about PrEP and its benefits.
“In addition, we also have a relationship and sexual education team and an outreach team in the Barnsley service, who deliver information to the community via targeted groups and through sharing information to various agencies.”
Those who wish to discuss testing or medication are free to contact Spectrum for a consultation.