HIV+Hep in the News

Among people who are eligible to receive PrEP, 78 percent of white people already had begun taking this medication by 2021, according to federal data. By comparison, only 11 percent of Black people who are eligible to take PrEP had started. This discrepancy may be especially pronounced for vulnerable populations, including people who are unhoused or who are struggling with substance use, as well as people whose work situations make getting a prescription refill logistically difficult, said Carl Schmid, executive director for the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute. “People seeking PrEP must not face any additional barriers as they seek to access the form of PrEP that best meets their individual needs,” Schmid said.

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.”

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.