Of all the people who started using Prep, pre-exposure prophylaxis, 39% discontinued this type of HIV prevention. The Prep Panel numbers, linked to the Ministry of Health, cover the period between 2018 and 2022.
Prep consists of taking, every day, a combination of two antiretrovirals — tenofovir and emtricitabine — which are effective against the AIDS virus. Thus, it is possible to prevent HIV infection by up to 95%.
Figures from the Ministry of Health show that since 2018, 64,000 people have started using pre-exposure prophylaxis. Of this total, about 24,800 people abandoned this method of HIV prevention. For infectious disease specialist José Valdez Ramalho Madruga, who is coordinator of the AIDS Committee of the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases, the discontinuation of use can be explained by social and behavioral factors such as the beginning of a stable relationship.
The doctor from the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases also believes that people are losing their fear of HIV thanks to the effectiveness of treatments that are currently available.
Despite the effectiveness of current treatments, the infectologist points out that there is still no definitive cure for the AIDS virus. Therefore, pre-exposure prophylaxis is still an effective option for those who intend not to become infected with HIV.
Prevention through pre-exposure prophylaxis is available free of charge through the Unified Health System and is recommended for any adult with an active sex life. Use is a priority for sex workers, trans women and homosexual men.
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