The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) has released a new research study showing that the made-in-BC HIV Treatment as Prevention® (TasP® ) strategy coupled with Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has dramatically reduced premature HIV/AIDS-related deaths and new HIV infections in British Columbia, Canada.
The study, published in Lancet HIV, looked at the impact of three milestones in the fight against HIV – the introduction of highly effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 1996, TasP® in 2010, and PrEP in 2018.
ART suppresses the amount of HIV in biological fluids, such as semen or blood, to undetectable levels. As a result, People Living with HIV (PLWH) are no longer infectious and can enjoy a near normal lifespan, free of AIDS. TasP® expands access to free ART to all people immediately after an HIV diagnosis. PrEP refers to the use of two antiretroviral drugs taken daily to prevent HIV infections among individuals at high risk of contracting HIV.