As rates of HIV diagnoses rise among gay men, advocates campaign to raise awareness for preventative treatment after unsafe sex
Two years ago, James Krellenstein had unprotected sex. Luckily, the 22-year-old knew exactly what to do. The next day, he took a train from his parents’ house on Long Island to see a doctor at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. The doctor prescribed James PEP – a strong combination of drugs usually prescribed for people who already have HIV.
Months later, Krellenstein found out his partner from that night was indeed HIV-positive. But James remained negative. PEP’s little-known effectiveness in preventing the virus taking hold in someone’s body has led it to be dubbed the “morning-after pill for HIV”.
Yet Krellenstein’s experience remains rare. While the idea of treating people who may have been exposed to HIV with PEP has gained ground among doctors and activists over the last few years, most local governments in the United States have yet to implement a comprehensive PEP distribution or education program. That’s left many who are most at risk from contracting HIV unaware the option even exists.
Peter Moskowitz
The Guardian
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