scholarly journals Challenging the HIV Epidemic in Ontario Through PrEP and HIV Testing

Author(s):  
Steven Winkelman

The Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) is a non-profit network which collaborates with health clinics, AIDS service and community organizations, and policy leaders in order to improve the health and wellbeing of people living with and at risk of HIV. I joined the OHTN as a member of the Collective Impact team, with a focus on examining the barriers and facilitators to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake in Ontario. PrEP is a once-daily pill which is highly effective in preventing HIV infections for HIV-negative people, however usage remains relatively low in Ontario. In this role, I liaised with the Knowledge Synthesis team at OHTN to collect, analyse, and synthesize recent scientific literature on Pre and Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in order to create a comprehensive annotated bibliography on PrEP research. Key findings were drawn from the research to identify potential next steps to increase PrEP use for priority populations in Ontario. Findings from the annotated bibliography were presented to OHTN staff, and have been used to assist in the development of two PrEP study proposals; 1) a cisgender and transgender women-focused PrEP education package and HIV risk screening tool, and 2) a pharmacist-led PrEP delivery pilot. I also worked with the Testing and Clinical Initiatives team at the OHTN, to aid in the implementation and evaluation of two HIV-testing projects: the GetaTest pharmacy-based HIV-testing study, and the GetaKit HIV self-testing pilot program. In this role I drafted health communication materials; analysed survey data and drafted project reports for stakeholders; and provided perspectives on the HIV-care continuum, particularly on PrEP initiation, adherence, and efficacy. My work with the OHTN was important to public health because it sought to expand access to HIV testing and prevention services for priority populations in Ontario, including men who have sex with men, and cis and trans women.

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
David A M C van de Vijver ◽  
Ann-Kathrin Richter ◽  
Charles A B Boucher ◽  
Barbara Gunsenheimer-Bartmeyer ◽  
Christian Kollan ◽  
...  

Background Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective HIV prevention strategy for men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM). The high cost of PrEP has until recently been a primary barrier to its use. In 2017, generic PrEP became available, reducing the costs by 90%. Aim Our objective was to assess cost-effectiveness and costs of introducing PrEP in Germany. Methods We calibrated a deterministic mathematical model to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic among MSM in Germany. PrEP was targeted to 30% of high-risk MSM. It was assumed that PrEP reduces the risk of HIV infection by 85%. Costs were calculated from a healthcare payer perspective using a 40-year time horizon starting in 2018. Results PrEP can avert 21,000 infections (interquartile range (IQR): 16,000–27,000) in the short run (after 2 years scale-up and 10 years full implementation). HIV care is predicted to cost EUR 36.2 billion (IQR: 32.4–40.4 billion) over the coming 40 years. PrEP can increase costs by at most EUR 150 million within the first decade after introduction. Ten years after introduction, PrEP can become cost-saving, accumulating to savings of HIV-related costs of EUR 5.1 billion (IQR: 3.5–6.9 billion) after 40 years. In a sensitivity analysis, PrEP remained cost-saving even at a 70% price reduction of antiretroviral drug treatment and a lower effectiveness of PrEP. Conclusion Introduction of PrEP in Germany is predicted to result in substantial health benefits because of reductions in HIV infections. Short-term financial investments in providing PrEP will result in substantial cost-savings in the long term.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 242-248
Author(s):  
Anthony Idowu Ajayi ◽  
Mohammed Sanusi Yusuf ◽  
Elmon Mudefi ◽  
Oladele Vincent Adeniyi ◽  
Ntombana Rala ◽  
...  

Sexual Health ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosalind Coleman

Commitment to ambitious and time-bound targets for HIV interventions has been part of the response from the beginning of the HIV epidemic. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) HIV primary prevention workA is built on five pillars that include offering pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to population groups at substantial risk of HIV infection. After a slow start, countries are now setting coverage targets for PrEP, but the weakness of epidemiological, demographic and behavioural data at subnational level in many countries where there is a high burden of new HIV infections, makes it difficult to define the locations and populations where to offer PrEP. This article reviews the history and challenges of PrEP target setting and suggests some possible ways of strengthening the process. Reviewing program data will identify gaps in reaching key and other priority populations for whom coverage targets were set and help to refine the offer of PrEP.


Author(s):  
Francesc López Seguí ◽  
Unai Oyon Lerga ◽  
Laura Laguna Marmol ◽  
Pep Coll ◽  
Angels Andreu ◽  
...  

Introduction: Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention has been implemented in several countries. Previous literature has shown that its cost-effectiveness (and, under some specifications, cost-saving character) is dependent on the reduction in price due to generics, the time-horizon and its effectiveness. The intervention has never been studied in Catalonia, a territory with extensive implementation. Methods: Economic evaluation of the implementation of HIV pre-exposition prophylaxis using administrative data from Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) who receive the treatment (at the generic price). A deterministic compartmental model and a social perspective with a micro-costing approach over the time horizon 2022-2062 are used. A baseline 86% effectiveness of PrEP is assumed. Results: Daily oral PrEP is found to be cost-saving: discounted savings in costs are attained after 16 years, and after 40 years they reach 81 million euros. In terms of health indicators, 10,322 additional discounted QALYs are generated by the intervention. Results are sensitive to sexual behavioral patterns among MSM, the price of PrEP (reduced if offered on-demand), its effectiveness and the discount rate. Conclusions: The use and promotion of PrEP in Catalonia is predicted to result in substantial health and monetary benefits because of reductions in HIV infections. Short-term investments in the promotion of PrEP will result in important cost-savings in the long term.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renee Heffron ◽  
Kenneth Ngure ◽  
Josephine Odoyo ◽  
Nulu Bulya ◽  
Edna Tindimwebwa ◽  
...  

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can provide high protection against HIV infection and is a recommended intervention for HIV-negative persons with substantial HIV risk.  Demonstration projects conducted in diverse settings worldwide illustrate practical examples of how PrEP can be delivered. This manuscript presents estimates of effectiveness and patterns of PrEP use within a two-year demonstration project of PrEP for HIV-negative members of heterosexual HIV serodiscordant couples in East Africa. Methods: The PrEP delivery model integrated PrEP into HIV treatment services, prioritizing PrEP use for HIV-negative partners within serodiscordant couples before and during the first 6 months after the partner living with HIV initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART).  We measured PrEP uptake through pharmacy records and adherence to PrEP through medication event monitoring system (MEMS) bottle caps and quantification of tenofovir in plasma among a random sample of participants. We estimated HIV infections prevented using a counterfactual cohort simulated from the placebo arm of a previous PrEP clinical trial. Results: We enrolled 1,010 HIV serodiscordant couples that were naïve to ART and PrEP.  Ninety-seven percent of HIV-negative partners initiated PrEP. Objective measures suggest high adherence: 71% of HIV-negative participants took ≥80% of expected doses, as recorded via MEMS, and 81% of plasma samples had tenofovir detected.  Four incident HIV infections were observed (incidence rate=0.24 per 100 person-years), a 95% reduction (95% CI 86-98%, p<0.0001) in HIV incidence, relative to estimated HIV incidence for the population in the absence of PrEP integrated into HIV treatment services.   Conclusions: PrEP uptake and adherence were high and incident HIV was rare in this PrEP demonstration project for African HIV-negative individuals whose partners were known to be living with HIV.  Delivery of PrEP to HIV-negative partners within HIV serodiscordant couples was feasible and should be prioritized for wide-scale implementation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (25) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison E Brown ◽  
Hamish Mohammed ◽  
Dana Ogaz ◽  
Peter D Kirwan ◽  
Mandy Yung ◽  
...  

Since October 2015 up to September 2016, HIV diagnoses fell by 32% compared with October 2014–September 2015 among men who have sex with men (MSM) attending selected London sexual health clinics. This coincided with high HIV testing volumes and rapid initiation of treatment on diagnosis. The fall was most apparent in new HIV testers. Intensified testing of high-risk populations, combined with immediately received anti-retroviral therapy and a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programme, may make elimination of HIV achievable.


HIV Medicine ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 252-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Fernández-Balbuena ◽  
MJ Belza ◽  
J Castilla ◽  
J Hoyos ◽  
ME Rosales-Statkus ◽  
...  

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