Last week, researchers in a global study revealed a groundbreaking advancement in the fight against HIV. According to the researchers, daily doses of the pill Truvada, a pill already used to treat HIV infection, cut the risk of HIV transmission in healthy gay men by 44 percent when used in conjunction with condoms, counseling and other prevention services. Gay men who stuck to a strict regimen of Truvada use cut their risk by 73 percent.
The CDC is rushing to develop protocols for doctors using Truvada as a preventative method; however, some in the black gay community are worried that Truvada, which already costs anywhere from $5,000 to $14,000 in the U.S., will be too expensive for the general population.
“Who’s gonna be able to afford that? If you’re talking about your average gay black man, what income bracket are they usually in?” asks Adrian Daniel, an online LGBT radio show host. “I work full time and I couldn’t afford that.”
There are also questions concerning the pill’s impact on inhibitions. Despite seeing a reduction in risky sexual behavior amongst the study’s participants, the question remains as to whether that effect will translate in the real world.
“I think it really is dependent upon the individual. It’s going to be different based on their exposure to HIV prevention messages and if they have access to counseling,” explains Chase Andrews, a retention and recruitment specialist at AID Atlanta’s Evolution Center. “I would hope that people don’t just think that they can pop this pill.”
Others in the field are doubtful that sexual inhibitions will be lowered.
“I think it’s absurd. I think it speaks of a certain attitude about gay men’s sexuality, that our sexuality is out of control and that we can’t assume that gay men would act with some level of personal and collective responsibility,” quips Craig Washington, special programs manager at AID Atlanta. “For some people, they may see [Truvada] as a get out of jail free card. I don’t think that will be a majority. I think that will be a minority of folks.”
Although many would agree that it’s up to the individual to reduce risky sexual behavior, Washington admits that health officials must also take responsibility for community access and knowledge.
“I think it prompts us to get serious about providing a standard in HIV prevention…. We should be providing counseling and testing and linking people to testing as much as possible,” explains Washington.
For now, doctors can prescribe Truvada for preventative use, but researchers will continue to study the drug’s effects with an 18 month extension of the study. –nicholas robinson
