VAC supports International AIDS Society Conference call for global access to PrEP

The Victorian AIDS Council (VAC) has welcomed the call from the 8th International AIDS
Society Conference (IAS 2015) in Vancouver for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to be made available to
protect all people at high risk of acquiring HIV.
The ‘Vancouver Consensus‘ statement issued out of the conference currently taking place (19–22 July)
is the strongest call yet from the global HIV community for widespread access to PrEP. When taken as
prescribed, PrEP is a medication that significantly reduces a person’s risk of getting HIV.
“VAC is advocating for better access to PrEP in Australia for people at risk of HIV, including men who have
sex with men, so it’s good to see global leaders in the field supporting this key strategy in effective HIV
prevention,” said Greg Carter, President of VAC.
“PrEP still hasn’t been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for use in Australia, so we hope
this acknowledgement of its importance by the world’s top HIV experts will help substantiate the case for
wider access to PrEP for everyone who needs it.
“The recognition of PrEP as part of an effective prevention response to HIV worldwide would be a fantastic
legacy of this conference,” said Johann Ruth, Acting CEO of VAC.
The Vancouver Consensus also calls for access to antiretroviral (ARV) treatment for all people living with
HIV upon diagnosis, drawing on recent results from the START study showing the benefits of immediate
treatment for people diagnosed with HIV.
Australian guidelines around the prescribing of antiretroviral drugs for PLHIV removed any restriction on
people commencing therapy in 2014. However, starting ARV treatment remains an individual choice based
on readiness and an individual’s ability to adhere to the treatment regimen.