Activists campaign for better access to 'HIV morning-after pill'

published on September 19, 2013 in The Guardian

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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© Copyright BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
St. Paul's Hospital 608–1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 1Y6
Tel: 604-806-8477 | Fax: 604-806-9044
General inquiries: info@bccfe.ca
Media inquiries: communications@bccfe.ca
(Please do not use any of these email addresses to send personal information or book an appointment. To book appointments or contact the H2H clinic, please call 604-416-1517 or fax: 604-564-4893. Do not send your or your client's personal information via email.)

Our work serves clients and communities across British Columbia on lands and waters cared for and nurtured by the many distinct First Nations across the province. The BC-CfE humbly and gratefully acknowledge the stewards of these lands, particularly the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh) on whose unceded, traditional and ancestral territories our offices are located.