HIV prevention drug could save NHS £1 billion over 80 years

Conclusion Evidence to support the use of Prep is building. Studies have shown that it is very effective at reducing the chances of becoming infected with HIV, for men at risk of infection through unprotected sex with men. The question is more about the cost of treatment – and who should fund it – than whether it works. NHS England previously went to court to say that it should not be responsible for funding Prep, as it is a preventive treatment, and therefore should come under health promotion budgets held by local authorities. The High Court ruled that the NHS was able to fund the drug. NHS England has since said it will begin making the drug available through selected sexual health clinics this autumn, as part of a 3-year trial. Studies such as this provide important new evidence about the potential long-term costs and benefits of providing Prep. However, it's important to keep in mind that the study is based on modelling data using many different assumptions – which could turn out to be incorrect as the years go by. While Prep was cost-effective over the long term in all the sensitivity calculations done by the researchers, the time taken for it to become cost-effective varied widely, mainly depending on the cost of the drugs. This study was limited to the effects of Prep on men who have sex with men, so we don't know whether the results would apply to women who have sex with men, or people at risk of HIV infection through drug use. For information about HIV testing...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medication Source Type: news