HIV is just one of the major health risks that gets everyone rattled these days. It is indeed a bit disconcerting when you find out about the facts.
The CDC reports that about 1 in 4 sexually active gay and bisexual men are at risk. Men who have a sexual preference to men account at least half of the 1.2 million people in the United States who are positive with HIV.
Now here comes Truvada, the pill said to be as equally effective as condoms in avoiding HIV. This antiretroviral drug also known as PrEP, has gained praises from different sectors. It can prevent more than 90% of sexually transmitted HIV infections as stated in KFORNews. Some think that this pill may be the key to eradicating the AIDS epidemic.
The big question now is, why aren't people taking advantage of this drug? Let's tackle some of the pros and cons of Truvada.
Pros:
Sarit Golub, a Hunter College professor, studied the psychological effects of the drug. She said that the drug even extends its effects more than simply preventing the condition. It brings about a major change to the psychology related to the HIV stigma.
Based on the findings of her research, it indicated that about 40-60% of gay men have thoughts about HIV while they are having sex or most of the time. This what she refers to as "psychological tragedy."
While under the PrEP medication, her patients depicted remarkable results of decreased levels in anxiety, depression and stress.
"What PrEP is able to do is separate the act of prevention of HIV from the act of sexual intimacy," Golub said. "And to me, I think that is one of the tremendous powers of PrEP for individuals and for us as a broader community."
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, the Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene assistant commissioner, said that PrEP can influence anxiety levels about sex.
"For men who have sex with men and who are of a certain age, there has never been a time that they've had sex without having to be very, very worried about HIV constantly," said Dr Daskalakis. His role was very vital in the FDA'S approval of Truvada for PrEP.
Daskalakis admiited that PrEP is not a permanent solution. The drug may appeal to an individual months after getting out of a monogamous relationship, moving to a new environment, or realizing an interest for higher-risk sexual activities.
Cons:
There have been reporte side effects of Truvada. Namely, fatigue, headaches, rash, and gastrointestinal problems.
Some patients had kidney and liver issues. As a preventive measure, the patients should have their blood chemistry checkup once in every three months. This is just to monitor kidney and liver function as well as to guarantee that they are HIV-negative. If a patient gets HIV while under the PrEP regimen, the individual must take an alternative treatment so he or she won't develop resistance to the drug.
Another issue against the drug - taking prescribed pills may be harder for most. The drug alone can cost about $1,500 every month without insurance coverage. Most of PrEP users, as per Daskalakis and Golub, are responsible individuals. These people just want an added precaution if they decide to perform sexual activities with somebody whose status is still unknown.
"Our ultimate tagline is that we need to customize people's prevention for what is appropriate for their lifestyle," Daskalakis explained, whether people choose condoms or the PrEP treatment.
