Community PrEP activists applaud PROUD study decision and call for increased activism to push for NHS provision

Community PrEP activists from PrEPster.info and I Want PreP Now today applauded the decision to extend provision of pre-exposure HIV prophylaxis (PrEP) drug Truvada to participants in the England PROUD study until June 2016.

Friday 19 February 2016 – For immediate release   

Community PrEP activists applaud PROUD study decision and call for increased activism to push for NHS provision

Community PrEP activists from PrEPster.info and I Want PreP Now today applauded the decision to extend provision of pre-exposure HIV prophylaxis (PrEP) drug Truvada to participants in the England PROUD study until June 2016.

The PROUD study showed PrEP to be 86% efficacious against HIV infection and participants were due to stop receiving Truvada in April 2016. However, a decision on provision of PrEP on the NHS is not due until June 2016, a delay that would have left hundreds of gay men and transgender women without free access to the HIV prevention drug.

The study will now be extended so that all participants can continue taking PrEP, and be offered a clinic visit after the NHS decision in June 2016, when it will be known if PrEP is available on the NHS. If NHS England decides not to provide PrEP, the study will advise participants on how to obtain PrEP online. If NHS England does decide to provide PrEP, participants on the study will be transferred onto the NHS programme, if PrEP is available very soon after the NHS decision.

Greg Owen, co-founder of website I Want PrEP Now said: “We salute those who have made the extension of drug availability possible to those on the PROUD study. This decision shows how researchers, clinicians, drug companies and community can work together to ensure continued access to PrEP for those who stepped up to be part of this study.”

Will Nutland, co-founder of PrEPster.info said: “PROUD participants have put trial drugs in to their bodies to further research on HIV prevention – something that we will all benefit from. Continuing to provide Truvada to these participants until an NHS decision is made is the right and ethical thing to do. Now it’s time to focus our energies on ensuring that PrEP is made available on the NHS this summer, so that these people, and others who would benefit from PrEP, can access it safely, reliably and with the support of our excellent NHS staff.”

PROUD study participants wishing to continue accessing PrEP through the study are advised to contact their trial clinic directly.

PrEPster.info: Will Nutland  @DrWillN @teamprepster

Marc Thompson 

I Want PrEP Now: Greg Owen  @greg0wen @iwantprepnow

I Want PrEP Now and PrEPster.info are 2 independent volunteer run projects that seek to provide information about and access to PrEP in the UK. I Want PrEP Now provides information on how to access generic PrEP online. PrEPster works to agitate for PrEP access in England and beyond.