|
 Scott Wiener, a member of the city's Board of Supervisors, said in
an op-ed published by the Huffington Post that he takes Truvada, in
an effort to raise awareness about the drug's benefits.
The pill, part of a therapy called pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP,
can cut the likelihood of HIV infection for those at high risk by as
much as 92 percent if taken daily, according to the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
But Wiener, who appears to be the first public official to publicly
attest to taking the drug, said many people avoid using it because
of the stigma surrounding the human immunodeficiency virus, which
causes AIDS.
"We still see enormous stigma, shame, and judgment around HIV, and
around sexuality in general. That is precisely why I decided to be
public about my choice: to contribute to a larger dialogue about our
community's health," Wiener wrote in his article titled "Coming Out
of the PrEP Closet."
As of the end of June, 15,971 San Franciscans were living with HIV,
with 85 percent of new diagnoses occurring among gay, bisexual and
transgender populations, according to the San Francisco Department
of Public Health.
Yet many such men who are good candidates for the drug do not
believe their risk of being infected is high enough to warrant its
use, according to a recent study conducted in New York.
The drug, which can cost as much as $14,000 a year, is available to
those insured by Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program for the
poor, as well as many private providers, the department said.
[to top of second column] |
People without insurance can access the drug through certain health
department programs or apply for financial assistance through the
drug's manufacturer, Gilead Sciences Inc, the department said.
A hearing is scheduled for Thursday to investigate the city's
efforts to provide the treatment more widely and discuss whether the
drug could be made available to all city residents for free,
regardless of income.
In May, the CDC issued new recommendations urging healthcare workers
to consider offering Truvada to healthy individuals who are at
substantial risk for HIV infection.
(Reporting by Curtis Skinner; Editing by Robert Birsel)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
