The results of this international trial show that the daily intake of two antiretrovirals, emtricitabine and tenofovir, by HIV-negative people had reduced the transmission of the virus by 44%.
Carried out in six countries, the study followed some 2,499 homosexuals and transsexuals for more than two years. Divided into two groups, the men received either a preventive treatment with placebo or a combination of two antiretrovirals.
Result, out of 100 infections recorded, 64 were observed in the group using the placebo, against only 36 in the group having received the antiretrovirals, that is to say a reduction of 44% of the rate of infection.
The study also shows that the higher the concentration of treatment found in the blood, the more protective the effect of antiretrovirals. Regular intake of antiretrovirals is therefore imperative for treatment to be effective.
For the AIDES association, “although this research result is hopeful, we are still far from making PrEP available in real life. In addition, this strategy, if it is interesting, presents disadvantages: the constraint of continuous treatment for HIV-negative people poses problems of acceptability, long-term tolerance, and cost “.
AIDES thus invites HIV-negative people to be extremely vigilant about the “wild use” of antiretrovirals to protect themselves from HIV.