Head of Metropolitan’s HIV Division Siraaj Adams said perhaps “advocacy” was needed to drive the price down further to make it cheaper for medical aids to pay for high risk clients to take it.
What not to do:
In large-scale trials of thousands of local women‚ a similar preventative pill didn’t work because the women didn’t take it.
Researchers realised that people who are not sick will only take a daily drug if they perceive themselves to be at risk of disease.
Intensive research has shown a person has to believe they are at high risk of contracting HIV to motivate regular and correct use of the drug.
If they don’t believe they are at a high risk of getting HIV‚ even if they are‚ they are unlikely to use the drug.
Who cannot take Truvada:
If you are HIV-positive‚ you cannot take the drug as it will not treat HIV and you will develop resistance to the drug.
Truvada users have to be negative and have blood tests every three months to ensure they remain negative.
If a user of Truvada tests positive‚ they have to be switched to different drugs that contains three ARVs. Truvada is made of two ARVs and can only be used as prevention.
A test to determine healthy kidney function is conducted every three months to ensure Truvada is not damaging the user’s kidneys.
A patient with kidney damage would not qualify to use the drug.
What doctors need to do:
The SA HIV Clinicians Society is training doctors on who to prescribe it to and how to do so.
“This requires taking a detailed sexual history to find out of the person is engaging in risky behaviour‚” said president of the SA HIV Clinicians Society‚ Francesca Conradie.
“Some doctors are squeamish about this‚” said Conradie but it is necessary.
Can a person stop taking it?
A person who enters a stable relationship‚ and who is no longer at risk of HIV‚ may choose to stop taking it.
They need 28 days after their last risky encounter before stopping it.
It takes 20 days for a woman and seven days for a man for Truvada to enter the body’s tissues in sufficient quantities to start working. – Tiso Black Star Group Digital/The Times
Dummies guide to Truvada
What not to do:
In large-scale trials of thousands of local women‚ a similar preventative pill didn’t work because the women didn’t take it.
Researchers realised that people who are not sick will only take a daily drug if they perceive themselves to be at risk of disease.
Intensive research has shown a person has to believe they are at high risk of contracting HIV to motivate regular and correct use of the drug.
If they don’t believe they are at a high risk of getting HIV‚ even if they are‚ they are unlikely to use the drug.
Who cannot take Truvada:
If you are HIV-positive‚ you cannot take the drug as it will not treat HIV and you will develop resistance to the drug.
Truvada users have to be negative and have blood tests every three months to ensure they remain negative.
If a user of Truvada tests positive‚ they have to be switched to different drugs that contains three ARVs. Truvada is made of two ARVs and can only be used as prevention.
A test to determine healthy kidney function is conducted every three months to ensure Truvada is not damaging the user’s kidneys.
A patient with kidney damage would not qualify to use the drug.
What doctors need to do:
The SA HIV Clinicians Society is training doctors on who to prescribe it to and how to do so.
“This requires taking a detailed sexual history to find out of the person is engaging in risky behaviour‚” said president of the SA HIV Clinicians Society‚ Francesca Conradie.
“Some doctors are squeamish about this‚” said Conradie but it is necessary.
Can a person stop taking it?
A person who enters a stable relationship‚ and who is no longer at risk of HIV‚ may choose to stop taking it.
They need 28 days after their last risky encounter before stopping it.
It takes 20 days for a woman and seven days for a man for Truvada to enter the body’s tissues in sufficient quantities to start working. – Tiso Black Star Group Digital/The Times
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