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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsS.F. Supervisor Wiener says he's taking HIV-prevention drug
San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener on Wednesday became what appears to be the first public figure in the country to disclose that he's taking a drug that prevents HIV infection - a pill that public health officials said could save lives but has remained largely unused due to stigma and lack of awareness. Wiener's announcement is significant because so few people have been willing to talk openly about their use of Truvada, a drug that's been weighed down by controversy. He said he hopes his revelation will lift some of the stigma associated with Truvada and encourage more men to consider taking it.
Critics have suggested that taking the daily pill could make people more likely to engage in unsafe sex, but that claim hasn't been backed up by research. Still, the idea has persisted, and people have been slow to embrace a drug that public health officials believe could be key to stopping, or significantly slowing down, the spread of HIV.
Wiener's disclosure, which he made in an online essay published Wednesday evening, comes as San Francisco pushes an aggressive campaign to persuade more gay men to take the drug, which is referred to as PrEP, for pre-exposure prophylaxis. Truvada, an antiviral drug that has been used to treat HIV infection for more than a decade, is the only pill approved for prevention.
At a meeting Thursday, Supervisor David Campos is expected to discuss a new initiative to make Truvada more accessible in San Francisco and distribute it to any resident who needs it. The initiative includes a plan to help pay for the drug for residents who can't afford it. Truvada can cost up to $14,000 a year, although it's covered by most insurance plans, and the drugmaker will help with the cost for people who need financial help.
http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/S-F-supervisor-discloses-PrEP-use-in-hopes-of-5763189.php
RandySF
(58,823 posts)If it works, great. But I am a little worried it might let one's guard down.
Behind the Aegis
(53,956 posts)It is too late for many of my friends, but I have others living with this disease and it is not an easy life and very expensive.
Of course critics think it could make people more unlikely to engage in unsafe practices, I think so too. No studies to prove it?! I want on the ground floor of that money maker! Sometimes, water is just...well, wet. It isn't an unreasonable conclusion to think some will engage in riskier behavior if given this drug; I think it can be chalked up to "human nature." It doesn't mean it should be given a chance.
RandySF
(58,823 posts)But there's a lot of snack oi out there, and I liken this promise to taking a pill and thinking I can go rock climbing without safety gear.
XemaSab
(60,212 posts)and quite a few of them aren't cleared up with antibiotics.
LuvNewcastle
(16,846 posts)Only an idiot would start taking that drug and think he or she could frequent orgies or anything like that. I know we have plenty of idiots around, but hopefully doctors who prescribe this drug are talking to their patients about herpes, hepatitis, etc. Also, nothing in life is a sure thing. There is still the chance that people can get HIV. Look at how many women who get pregnant while taking the pill.
XemaSab
(60,212 posts)It's a good thing.
LuvNewcastle
(16,846 posts)I only learned about the drug a couple of months ago. I discussed it with my doctor at my last visit, and he said that he needed to read up on it -- contraindications and side effects, that sort of thing. I'm on a lot of meds already, so we might have to make some changes before I can take it.
All cautions aside, though, I think the drug is a godsend. I tell people about it, especially younger people who might be more sexually active. This is real progress, if it does what they say it will do. I grew up with the AIDS crisis, and I am so happy to see this day!