HIV Prevention Debates Continue

With the dramatic increase in the number of patients on HIV treatment over the past decade and the recent still controversial emergence of pre-exposure prophylaxis  (PrEP) programs, more and more experts assert it is possible to treat our way out of the HIV epidemic.  Clearly increasing data supports that position because HIV positive individuals on treatment are much less infectious and, thus, less likely to transmit HIV to an uninfected partner.

The widespread implementation of this approach has led in some places to a decreased emphasis of more traditional prevention messages such as delaying sexual debut and limiting the number of sexual partners one has.

 

Today fewer youth are hearing messages of risk avoidance and increasingly think, “if I get infected I’ll just take a pill.”

This would be a truly unfortunate outcome, especially in countries like Zambia where 50% of its population is under age 15, and Uganda with the world’s youngest population with more than 78% under age 30, if fundamental prevention messaging were lost.

An article by Edward Green and Allison Ruark in National Review Online based on data from South Africa provides an interesting perspective on this very important discussion.

CAF believes it important that all perspectives in this discussion be heard and is posting this article for that purpose.    To effectively end HIV/AIDS and bring about the dawn of an HIV-Free Generation let us actively use all the tools available simultaneously rather than abandoning any on the battlefield that is already strewn with far too many casualties.