Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, said: “Including a long-acting drug as part of the USPSTF PrEP recommendation is an important step in improving HIV prevention efforts in the United States. While daily oral PrEP is highly effective, adherence can be an issue. That is why the FDA called long-acting PrEP superior to daily oral PrEP. With PrEP uptake deeply lagging in Black and Latino communities compared to Whites, long-acting PrEP can be a game-changer.”
USPSTF finalizes recommendation for PrEP, including injectable form
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published a final recommendation Tuesday (Aug. 22) for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for the prevention of HIV, giving it a “A” grade recommendation, and included long-acting injectable PrEP in its recommendation for the first time. The move is significant because an “A” grade from the task force means there is significant evidence of a substantial net benefit and all providers are recommended to provide the service.
Advisory panel decision means insurers have to cover injectable HIV preventative
There’s evidence that long-acting injectable PrEP is more effective than the daily pill, because of spotty adherence, and many of those at risk for HIV prefer long-acting options. “You may not want to take a drug every single day,” said Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute. “I think the future of PrEP is going to be long-acting.”
U.S. health panel backs newer HIV prevention meds
It is unclear exactly how quickly insurers will need to comply with the update task force recommendation, Carl Schmid, executive director at HIV + Hepatitis Policy Institute, told Axios. The move, however, should drive awareness of PrEP options and generate conversations between providers and patients, he said.
Diverse group of health care organizations support government’s effort to reverse preventive services decision
An amicus brief filed by the HIV and Hepatitis Policy Institute and several other organizations working to eliminate HIV and viral hepatitis argues that the USPSTF recommendations are an essential component of nationwide efforts to prevent infectious and chronic diseases. The organizations write that invalidating the ACA’s preventive services provision “would strike a critical, unnecessary, and costly blow to the battle to end HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases.”