A new campaign promoting both Treatment as Prevention and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis has been launched in Melbourne.
Treatment as Prevention (TasP) means when a person living with HIV gets on to antiretroviral medications which can lower the viral load in their bloodstream to undetectable levels. International studies have shown people with undetectable viral loads have very little chance of passing the virus on.
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) means an HIV-negative person takes antiretroviral medications as a means to prevent contracting HIV in the first place. International studies have shown PrEP to be highly effective.
The new campaign being run by the Victorian PrEP Accord features Chinese symbolism for ‘double happiness’ to promote the union of the two complementary strategies working together.
The Victorian PrEP Accord is a partnership between Living Positive Victoria and the Victorian AIDS Council (VAC), alongside grassroots PrEP organisations PrEPaccessNOW, Time4PrEP, PrEP’d for Change, and researchers from VicPrEP who are all committed to ensure the availability of PrEP for the Victorian community.
At present, the drug Truvada has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for PrEP use in Australia, however it has not yet been listed on Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
Several government-funded PrEP trials are currently underway in various states of Australia.
“Although there has been progress made, it’s not enough,” said Phillip Joffe, Chair of PrEPaccessNOW.
“The quick access and availability of this drug is imperative to the health and wellbeing of Australians at risk for HIV.”
Brent Allan, CEO for Living Positive Victoria said it was vital for the public to be educated about PrEP and TasP.