Norway has begun to distribute free medicine that effectively prevents HIV
Norway became the first country in the world to start free of charge distribution among risk groups of drugs for HIV prevention, the effectiveness of which reaches 99%. This was announced in October by the Minister of Health.
For me, the news about a medicine that effectively prevents HIV infection came as a surprise - as I think it will be for many of you: everything that most of us know about HIV is still exhausted by Zemfira's line “you have AIDS - and that means we will die ". And even this news itself, although dated October 21, passed unnoticed in runet. On "Giktayms" - the first exclusive material on this topic in Russian.
By medical standards, Truvada is still practically a startup: the drug was developed by Gilead Sciences and approved for use by the FDA in 2004.
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Reading such news, first of all you expect a dirty trick: not in a lottery, but in cards, and did not win, but lost. But if this is a conspiracy, then global: Numerous studies show the high effectiveness of Truvada in HIV prevention. The 2012 article states that the risk of HIV infection is reduced by 76–99% , depending on the number of pills per week (maximum effectiveness is achieved with daily intake). The Washington Post last year cited three more studies in which the effectiveness of Truvada ranged from 86 to 100%.
The drug is used in the health care of several countries, including the United States, Canada, France and South Africa. Israel, at the very end of October of this year, announced the launch of a pilot project, similar to the Norwegian one, by its results, a decision will be made on withdrawing and not bringing the program to the national level. However, the situation is not everywhere unclouded: for example, the decision of the Ministry of Health of England to refuse to purchase Truvada caused an uproar in the midst of charitable organizations .
The head of the Israeli HIV Research Center Kaplan, Professor Steger, cites the main argument of opponents of the free distribution of Truvada:
However, he also notes: “The same can be said about smokers with lung cancer. We do not have to prevent it, but it would be worth a try. ”
In Norway, the struggle of lobbyists to become the first country in which Truvada is distributed free of charge among risk groups - gay, bi and transgender - took two years. But now their example should push other countries. At the same time, this is not even news about “they have the money for this” - in the end, as Business Insider writes , “HIV prevention is cheaper and safer to treat it”, and the same professor Steger remarked that, although the cost of prevention can reach thousands shekels (multiplied by 17 $ at the current rate) per month, the treatment of the carrier during the life can cost millions.
I think many have heard the news of the announcement of an HIV epidemic in Yekaterinburg. After clarifying the information, it turned out that this is not entirely news: the situation itself was long ago - now only public attention has been attracted to it. In fact, the epidemic threshold of 1% has already been exceeded in twenty regions .
In general, across the country, the number of people infected with HIV has reached 1 million. Since 2006, Russia has seen an annual increase in the number of new HIV infections by an average of 10% per year, according to the government. At this rate, the epidemic threshold for HIV incidence will be overcome nationwide in 4 years.
Of course, like any medicine, Truvada has side effects - not only physiological , but also social: as it spreads, more and more people refuse to use condoms in principle , although these pills do not protect against other sexually transmitted diseases.
For me, the news about a medicine that effectively prevents HIV infection came as a surprise - as I think it will be for many of you: everything that most of us know about HIV is still exhausted by Zemfira's line “you have AIDS - and that means we will die ". And even this news itself, although dated October 21, passed unnoticed in runet. On "Giktayms" - the first exclusive material on this topic in Russian.
By medical standards, Truvada is still practically a startup: the drug was developed by Gilead Sciences and approved for use by the FDA in 2004.
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Tenofovir / emtricitabine, known under the trade name Truvada, is a combination of two antiretroviral drugs used to treat and prevent HIV infection. On July 16, 2012, the Food and Drug Administration recommended the use of the tenofovir / emtricitabine combination for the prevention of HIV infection.
- Wiki
Reading such news, first of all you expect a dirty trick: not in a lottery, but in cards, and did not win, but lost. But if this is a conspiracy, then global: Numerous studies show the high effectiveness of Truvada in HIV prevention. The 2012 article states that the risk of HIV infection is reduced by 76–99% , depending on the number of pills per week (maximum effectiveness is achieved with daily intake). The Washington Post last year cited three more studies in which the effectiveness of Truvada ranged from 86 to 100%.
The drug is used in the health care of several countries, including the United States, Canada, France and South Africa. Israel, at the very end of October of this year, announced the launch of a pilot project, similar to the Norwegian one, by its results, a decision will be made on withdrawing and not bringing the program to the national level. However, the situation is not everywhere unclouded: for example, the decision of the Ministry of Health of England to refuse to purchase Truvada caused an uproar in the midst of charitable organizations .
The head of the Israeli HIV Research Center Kaplan, Professor Steger, cites the main argument of opponents of the free distribution of Truvada:
This is an ethical and philosophical question: should society pay for sex without a condom?
However, he also notes: “The same can be said about smokers with lung cancer. We do not have to prevent it, but it would be worth a try. ”
In Norway, the struggle of lobbyists to become the first country in which Truvada is distributed free of charge among risk groups - gay, bi and transgender - took two years. But now their example should push other countries. At the same time, this is not even news about “they have the money for this” - in the end, as Business Insider writes , “HIV prevention is cheaper and safer to treat it”, and the same professor Steger remarked that, although the cost of prevention can reach thousands shekels (multiplied by 17 $ at the current rate) per month, the treatment of the carrier during the life can cost millions.
What about us?
I think many have heard the news of the announcement of an HIV epidemic in Yekaterinburg. After clarifying the information, it turned out that this is not entirely news: the situation itself was long ago - now only public attention has been attracted to it. In fact, the epidemic threshold of 1% has already been exceeded in twenty regions .
In general, across the country, the number of people infected with HIV has reached 1 million. Since 2006, Russia has seen an annual increase in the number of new HIV infections by an average of 10% per year, according to the government. At this rate, the epidemic threshold for HIV incidence will be overcome nationwide in 4 years.
A spoon of tar
Of course, like any medicine, Truvada has side effects - not only physiological , but also social: as it spreads, more and more people refuse to use condoms in principle , although these pills do not protect against other sexually transmitted diseases.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/398835/
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