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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jul/26/hiv-charity-funds-prep-drug-terrence-higgins
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| HIV charity funds PreP drugs in England and Northern Ireland | HIV charity funds PreP drugs in England and Northern Ireland |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| People at risk of HIV who are unable to afford PrEP drugs that give almost 100% protection from the virus will get access to the medication under a new scheme, it has been announced. | People at risk of HIV who are unable to afford PrEP drugs that give almost 100% protection from the virus will get access to the medication under a new scheme, it has been announced. |
| The Terrence Higgins Trust’s PrEP Access Fund will help 1,000 individuals in England and Northern Ireland for three months at a time, taking the form of vouchers for the PrEP provider Dynamix. | The Terrence Higgins Trust’s PrEP Access Fund will help 1,000 individuals in England and Northern Ireland for three months at a time, taking the form of vouchers for the PrEP provider Dynamix. |
| PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is given to people who are not HIV-positive to prevent them from contracting the virus. According to the National Aids Trust, the drug is nearly 100% effective when taken as prescribed. | PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is given to people who are not HIV-positive to prevent them from contracting the virus. According to the National Aids Trust, the drug is nearly 100% effective when taken as prescribed. |
| Rapid rise in anti-HIV PrEP pills linked to drop in condom use | Rapid rise in anti-HIV PrEP pills linked to drop in condom use |
| PrEP is available on the NHS in Scotland, and as part of an unlimited trial in Wales. NHS England is currently running a limited impact trial, which means the drug is available to only 10,000 people. The trial began in September 2017 and is set to end in 2020. | PrEP is available on the NHS in Scotland, and as part of an unlimited trial in Wales. NHS England is currently running a limited impact trial, which means the drug is available to only 10,000 people. The trial began in September 2017 and is set to end in 2020. |
| There is a limited number of spaces on the trial for gay and bisexual men, with many clinics taking part already having reached their quota for those demographics. Many men are therefore being left without cost-free access to PrEP. | There is a limited number of spaces on the trial for gay and bisexual men, with many clinics taking part already having reached their quota for those demographics. Many men are therefore being left without cost-free access to PrEP. |
| In his speech at the 22nd Annual Aids Conference in Amsterdam, the Terrence Higgins Trust’s CEO, Ian Green, observed that for men being turned away from the NHS trial, the only other way to access PrEP was to buy it online. “Many individuals just do not have the money to do that,” he said. | In his speech at the 22nd Annual Aids Conference in Amsterdam, the Terrence Higgins Trust’s CEO, Ian Green, observed that for men being turned away from the NHS trial, the only other way to access PrEP was to buy it online. “Many individuals just do not have the money to do that,” he said. |
| These are the people the fund will seek to assist, he added | These are the people the fund will seek to assist, he added |
| Green was also critical of NHS England. He said it was completely unacceptable that individuals were being left at risk of contracting HIV, and called on the organisation to make PrEP more widely available. He described the need for Terrence Higgins Trust to step in to help to fund PrEP as an embarrassment. | Green was also critical of NHS England. He said it was completely unacceptable that individuals were being left at risk of contracting HIV, and called on the organisation to make PrEP more widely available. He described the need for Terrence Higgins Trust to step in to help to fund PrEP as an embarrassment. |
| Other activists and LGBT+ organisations have also criticised the NHS trial. The CEO of London Friend, Monty Moncrieff, criticised NHS England on Twitter. | Other activists and LGBT+ organisations have also criticised the NHS trial. The CEO of London Friend, Monty Moncrieff, criticised NHS England on Twitter. |
| Fantastic initiative from @THTorguk getting #PrEP to more people in need, and a great challenge to the NHS dragging of heels in @NHSEngland & NI. Great work @ianrgreen @Greg0wen & your teams, but frustrating that we even need it #PrEPNow https://t.co/hbHlMcRUWq | Fantastic initiative from @THTorguk getting #PrEP to more people in need, and a great challenge to the NHS dragging of heels in @NHSEngland & NI. Great work @ianrgreen @Greg0wen & your teams, but frustrating that we even need it #PrEPNow https://t.co/hbHlMcRUWq |
| NHS England announced in June that it was considering extending its trial to another 3,000 participants. The National Aids Trust said the move was welcome, but that it provided only temporary relief. “With continuing high demand for PrEP, clinics will again be full and turning people away within a few months,” the organisation said. | NHS England announced in June that it was considering extending its trial to another 3,000 participants. The National Aids Trust said the move was welcome, but that it provided only temporary relief. “With continuing high demand for PrEP, clinics will again be full and turning people away within a few months,” the organisation said. |
| Thirty-two organisations, including the Terrence Higgins Trust, Stonewall and the National Aids Trust prefaced Green’s speech last week by coming together to sign a statement calling for a full rollout of PrEP in England and Northern Ireland. | Thirty-two organisations, including the Terrence Higgins Trust, Stonewall and the National Aids Trust prefaced Green’s speech last week by coming together to sign a statement calling for a full rollout of PrEP in England and Northern Ireland. |
| “We cannot wait until 2020 to do something about the current situation,” the statement said. “We need a national programme as soon as possible to ensure PrEP is made available to everyone in England who needs it.” The statement asks that PrEP be made available in sexual health clinics by 1 April 2019. | “We cannot wait until 2020 to do something about the current situation,” the statement said. “We need a national programme as soon as possible to ensure PrEP is made available to everyone in England who needs it.” The statement asks that PrEP be made available in sexual health clinics by 1 April 2019. |
| Dan, a 25-year-old bisexual man – whose name has been changed – was unable find space on the NHS PrEP trial. He told the Guardian that buying PrEP privately can cost around £280 a year, which, even while he is in full-time work, is unmanageable. | Dan, a 25-year-old bisexual man – whose name has been changed – was unable find space on the NHS PrEP trial. He told the Guardian that buying PrEP privately can cost around £280 a year, which, even while he is in full-time work, is unmanageable. |
| But for him, being turned away from the trial was representative of a wider lack of information problem, and he considers himself lucky to even be aware of the drug. | But for him, being turned away from the trial was representative of a wider lack of information problem, and he considers himself lucky to even be aware of the drug. |
| “Right now it either seems like you know about it or you don’t,” he said. “There’s no actual awareness being raised by the government or the NHS that this is even available.” | “Right now it either seems like you know about it or you don’t,” he said. “There’s no actual awareness being raised by the government or the NHS that this is even available.” |
| As an LGBT+, black, African individual, Dan falls into a number of particularly high-risk categories, and he believes the NHS should to do a better job at reaching out to others like him. “At-risk people should be the priority,” he said. “I know people who are HIV positive who could have potentially not contracted the virus had PrEP been made available to them much earlier.” | As an LGBT+, black, African individual, Dan falls into a number of particularly high-risk categories, and he believes the NHS should to do a better job at reaching out to others like him. “At-risk people should be the priority,” he said. “I know people who are HIV positive who could have potentially not contracted the virus had PrEP been made available to them much earlier.” |
| Ultimately, challenging the continuing stigma surrounding HIV and Aids is, Dan suggests, key to solving some of these problems, and he encourages public organisations to engage in more positive conversations about living with the virus. | Ultimately, challenging the continuing stigma surrounding HIV and Aids is, Dan suggests, key to solving some of these problems, and he encourages public organisations to engage in more positive conversations about living with the virus. |
| Dan plans to use the Terrence Higgins Trust’s PrEP Access Fund when it becomes available, calling its creation ‘a step in the right direction’. | Dan plans to use the Terrence Higgins Trust’s PrEP Access Fund when it becomes available, calling its creation ‘a step in the right direction’. |
| Terrence Higgins Trust’s PrEP Access Fund is currently expected to open in the autumn. | Terrence Higgins Trust’s PrEP Access Fund is currently expected to open in the autumn. |
| Aids and HIV | Aids and HIV |
| LGBT rights | LGBT rights |
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