October 18, 2011 - New York, NY - Thirteen prominent U.S. HIV/AIDS organizations have
issued an open letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Gilead Sciences calling for prompt regulatory
review of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention in gay and bisexual men and transgender women (men
who have sex with men, or MSM). The letter urges FDA and Gilead to start the review process that could allow
safe and appropriate approved PrEP use as a public health intervention, and not to delay review because of
distinct questions about the safety and efficacy of PrEP in heterosexual populations. The letter is
available online at: www.avac.org/letters/fda-gilead
Pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, is a new HIV prevention method in which an uninfected person takes a daily HIV
medication to reduce HIV infection risk. Data from an international study released in November, 2010 called iPrEx
found that men and transgender women who have sex with men who received a daily single-tablet dose of the HIV
drugs tenofovir and emtricitabine along with condoms and safe sex counseling had an average of 42% fewer HIV
infections than those who received condoms and counseling alone.
Advocates assert that the need for new HIV prevention strategies for MSM is urgent. The U.S. Centers for
Disease Control (CDC) estimates that MSM account for more than half of all new HIV infections in the United
States. CDC logged an estimated 34% increase in HIV infections in young gay men between 2006 and 2009, and
a 48% HIV increase among young black/African American gay men over the same period.
"We desperately need new strategies and tools to reduce the rapidly increasing rates of HIV infection
in black gay and bisexual men," said Phill Wilson, executive director of the Black AIDS Institute. "We've had
evidence of PrEP's effectiveness in MSM for almost a year now. It's time to use every tool at our disposal to
reduce the 50,000 new HIV infections that occur each year in this country. Prompt FDA review will help
ensure that appropriate guidelines for PrEP use are established that can reduce HIV infections and
safeguard public health."
Data on PrEP in heterosexuals raise important but unique questions that may require further study. Two
major trials in Africa found that PrEP reduces HIV infection risk in heterosexual men and women substantially.
But two other studies present conflicting information about how PrEP works in heterosexuals. Critical and
necessary efforts to understand how PrEP interacts with hormonal contraception, or how PrEP may impact
pregnancy, however, should not delay access to a potentially lifesaving form of HIV prevention for MSM.
Before the results of the heterosexual PrEP studies were announced, the FDA and Gilead Sciences, the maker
of the drugs, were reported to be ready to move quickly to consider approval of PrEP for those MSM who could benefit
from the approach. Recent signs indicate, however, that FDA review of PrEP for this population may not start until
the agency acquires more data on PrEP among heterosexuals-despite the urgent need for new HIV prevention
strategies for MSM, and the fact that PrEP data in MSM were announced nearly one year ago.
"The FDA and Gilead Sciences should move quickly to ensure a thorough review of PrEP for MSM now, while
they both work simultaneously and swiftly to thoroughly address questions and concerns about PrEP among
heterosexual populations," said Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC "Prompt FDA review of PrEP
in MSM is the right thing to do for public health. In the midst of a growing HIV epidemic, HIV
prevention delayed is HIV prevention denied."
A PDF version of this document is available here .
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About AVAC: Founded in 1995, AVAC is a non-profit organization that uses education, policy analysis, advocacy and a network of global
collaborations to accelerate the ethical development and global delivery of AIDS vaccines, male circumcision,
microbicides, PrEP and other emerging HIV prevention options as part of a comprehensive response to
the pandemic. www.avac.org
Contact:
Kay Marshall, kay@avac.org , +1-347-249-6375
Robert Reinhard, rjreinhard@gmail.com , +1-415-570-1010
Source: AVAC: Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention
http://www.avac.org/ht/display/ReleaseDetails/i/39277/pid/212
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