Pre-exposure prophylaxis as a prevention strategy for HIV seroconversion in the men who have sex with men population with comparison of its effectiveness in other at-risk groups
Since the beginning of the United States AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s, the medical community has overcome significant challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections. Many advancements in suppressing HIV viral loads and maintaining healthy immune system function in HIV positive patients have been achieved with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Moreover, these drugs have been shown to be effective for preventing HIV infections. Once-daily Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) has been approved by the FDA for this purpose. The availability of this preventive therapy, commonly known as preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), necessitates educating at-risk patient populations about its prophylactic benefits. In order to select appropriate candidates for PrEP prophylaxis, its efficacy in different at-risk populations needs to be determined. This investigation examines disparities in PrEP’s efficacy among at-risk groups and proposes explanations that may guide the medical provider in offering PrEP therapy to patients who could benefit. Additionally, current clinical trials and studies with alternative PrEP options will be explored
