The Brazilian Ministry of Health announced last Wednesday, May 24, its plans to adopt pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the risk of HIV infection before exposure to the virus. The strategy aims to protect individuals with increased exposure to risk of infection, like serodiscordant couples, sex workers, trans persons, and men who have sex with men (MSM).

“Brazil is one of the leaders again in HIV prevention and treatment,” said Minister of Health Ricardo Barros during the press interview to announce the measure.

The drug should be made available to these individuals through the Unified Health System (SUS) six months after publication of the Clinical Protocol and Therapeutic Guidelines, scheduled for next Monday (May 29).

Truvada

Truvada combines the antiretroviral drugs tenofovir and emtricitabine. The effect will be similar to that of a contraceptive pill. Persons taking it daily will develop a sort of “immune barrier” to HIV and will thus be protected when having sex with individuals that may be infected.

However, as with the contraceptive pill, persons taking the drug should not fail to use condoms, test regularly for HIV, and treat other sexually transmitted diseases, which tend to leave the patient even more vulnerable to HIV infection.

The Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) will alter Truvada’s registration in order to allow the drug’s use in pre-exposure prophylaxis. Today, Truvada is only approved in Brazil for treatment of the disease, not prophylaxis.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

Since 2013, the Ministry of Health has supported research projects on the acceptability and feasibility of PrEP in Brazil, generating evidence to develop the national policy. Although the studies are still under way, it is already clear that the procedure has received good acceptance and adherence by users.  The project led by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ) with the support of FIOTEC is funded by Unitaid, an organization working in the global response to HIV/AIDS.

The initiative includes two other Latin American countries besides Brazil: Mexico and Peru. The objective of the World Health Organization (WHO), represented by Unitaid, is to replicate the results obtained in Brazil in the rest of the world.

*Based on information from the Ministry of Health