The crucial role PrEP plays in HIV prevention

Despite meaningful progress in HIV prevention, the HIV epidemic is far from over, with 31,000 new diagnoses in the U.S. each year.

HIV prevention medicine, also known as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis or PrEP, remains a critical tool in reducing transmissions.

While prep use rose 17% from 2023 to 2024 in the us, approximately 600,000 people who could benefit are not taking the medicine.

“Important to have different PrEP options so that people can make choices on therapies that suit their lives best. So for many people taking a tablet everyday would be fine. Some of them might not be able to adhere to such a regimen,” said Dr. Jean Van Wyk, chief medical officer at ViiV Healthcare.

Prep Aware Week begins on October 19 and is a moment to address the impact HIV continues to have on specific communities and underscores the evolving HIV prevention landscape and available comprehensive strategies for HIV prevention, which may include prep options in the form of daily pills or long-acting injectables.

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