PrEP may no longer be available on the NHS

Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a medication taken by someone who is HIV negative, who have an HIV positive partner, to help to prevent them from contracting HIV.  The NHS has recently concluded that this life saving medication (which is cheaper than the medication for someone who is HIV positive) is not its responsibility, and so it will no longer fund the drug.

A working groups has recently concluded that spending £25m on PrEP would prevent around £800m in treating the same group if they were HIV positive.  However with the responsibility for testing for STIs passing to Councils around the UK, the NHS no longer considers that it should fund this treatment.  Council budgets are not protected in the same way that NHS budgets are, and are under increased pressure across the UK.

PrEP may not be right for everyone, but it does offer a choice to people.  It allows people in mixed-status couples to maintain a safer sexual relationship.  With the number of people living with HIV growing every year, the financial burden on our public services increases.

Better2Know  believes that there should be a greater emphasis on prevention of HIV to help prevent people contracting this life changing virus.