June 19, 2013
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CDC recommends PrEP for injection drug users

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The CDC recommends that pre-exposure prophylaxis be considered for those at risk for HIV acquisition due to injection drug use, according to a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

CDC recommends that daily emtricitabine plus tenofovir disproxil fumarate (Truvada, Gilead) be the preferred regimen for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), as opposed to tenofovir alone, which was used in the Bangkok Tenofovir Study. The combination treatment has the same tenofovir dose and has no additional toxicities. The combination treatment also is approved as PrEP for those at risk for sexual HIV acquisition, which also is a high risk for injection drug users.

Data from the Bangkok Tenofovir Study suggested a nearly 50% reduction in HIV incidence among injection drug users who received tenofovir disproxil fumarate (Viread, Gilead) as part of a PrEP regimen.

“Among the approximately 50,000 new HIV infections acquired each year in the United States, 8% were attributed to injection drug use in 2010,” CDC officials wrote. “Providing PrEP to [injection drug users] at very high risk for HIV acquisition could contribute to the reduction of HIV incidence in the United States.