AIDS fight enters new phase with prevention pill

[Joe willie]

CHICAGO (AP) — Condoms and other safe-sex practices have accomplished only so much. Now the 30-year battle against AIDS is on the verge of a radical new phase, with the government expected to endorse a once-a-day pill to prevent infection with the virus.

Some doctors are already giving patients the drug, Truvada, to ward off infection. But Food and Drug Administration approval would expand that practice and could make the highly expensive medicine more affordable. Truvada costs around $11,000 to $14,000 a year.

Approval seems likely after an FDA advisory panel Thursday endorsed the use of Truvada for prevention.

In the generation-long fight against AIDS, "it's the first time we have talked about a medication for prevention of HIV," said Dr. Lisa Sterman of Francisco, who treats HIV-positive patients.

"With this recommendation, we're nearing a watershed moment in our fight against HIV," said James Loduca, a spokesman for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. "We know this isn't a magic bullet, and it's not going to be the right prevention strategy for everyone, but it could save thousands of lives in the United States and potentially millions around the world."

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AIDS fight enters new phase with prevention pill - Yahoo! News

[H20shed65]

@Joe willie
I think I read this piece in the AJC a few days ago. Quite interesting and hopefully a harbinger of more good things to come on the HIV/ AIDS front. I'm old enough( just turned 21....again! ) to remember when HIV meant death, period. I buried a lot of friends in the 80's. I'm thrilled that medicine has made this blight less lethal, but in some ways it's been a curse as well. I see so many young people ( Christ, I sound like someone's grandpa) who look at HIV as something akin to herpes; annoying but not really serious. I fear that unless the medical profession rapidly finds a cure for this scourge, we will see another generation of people living and dying with HIV.

[smokinjoe]

Hell it be better for all if they had the cure. so many have it and dont know it. jo

[Jkirk2012]

@junglebook I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about lol! Wrong thread maybe?? The new HIV Is good news for some people! I mean people that are prone to catching it. But for most folks,in my opinion, a once a day pull would just be a hassle! Maybe a year+ injection of some sort would be better. But like @smokinjoe said it would be better if they had a cure. Off topic- if they had a cancer prevention pill I would be interested!

[Yiv2012]

Your chances of getting HIV from heterosexual sex is actually really small. You have to tear something and have direct blood-to-blood contraction.


"For all categories, the chance that the virus will be transmitted in a single sexual contact with a partner who is definitely infected is assumed to be 1 in 500; the failure rate for condoms is assumed to be 1 in 10."
The Straight Dope: What are the odds of getting AIDS from ordinary heterosexual sex?