16  November 2017 - In a proposal released this week, PHARMAC has announced its intention to fund the HIV-prevention drug PrEP – meaning the medicine is one step closer to becoming available to those at highest risk of HIV in New Zealand.

PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a daily pill taken by people who don't have HIV, but who are at high risk of acquiring the virus.

The medications in Truvada (emtricitabine with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) are already available as a treatment for people living with HIV, but government funding for a preventive purpose could make an enormous difference to the community. PrEP has been proven to be extremely effective in preventing HIV transmission and has already made a significant impact on HIV transmission rates in other countries where it is more widely available.

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