Truvada HIV PrEP Drug Found as Safe as Aspirin

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A new study suggested that taking Truvada, a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV, is as safe as taking aspirin.

UPI reported that HIV-negative people who are at risk of contracting the virus takes PrEP marketed as Truvada to protect themselves. This drug is a combination of emtricitabine and tenofovir. PrEP is effective in protecting one from HIV when taken every day.

Youth Health shared authorities previously announced that this drug is 92 percent effective in reducing one's risk of contracting HIV. In fact, The Telegraph reported that daily take of this pill could prevent 10,000 new cases of HIV in the UK by the end of the decade.

Unfortunately, there were health concerns against the drug despite its efficiency. A new study is about to end this concern.

"A lot of the concerns I hear from providers are about safety," said Jeffrey Klausner, lead author of the study. "There have been continued voices saying, 'Wouldn't it just be better if people used condoms, or reduced their number of partners?' Those are important strategies, but they don't work for everyone."

The researchers at the University of California Los Angeles, examined five previous studies on PrEP involving 15,490 participants and another two studies on aspirin safety with 61, 947 participants to end the health issues associated with PrEP.

The researchers learned that in the group taking PrEP, only 1 in 114 men who engaged in sexual intercourse with men and transgender women experienced nausea. Meanwhile, 1 in 96 is at risk for unintentional weight loss and 1 in 68 heterosexual participants are at risk for decreased white blood cell counts.

On the other hand, of those who are taking aspirin, only 1 in 909 are at risk for major gastrointestinal bleeding, 1 in 123 for any gastrointestinal bleeding and 1 in 15 men for any bleeding issue. 1 in 10 reported easy bruising in women.

"With the study showing that PrEP might be as safe as aspirin, doctors should feel more comfortable prescribing it, and patients should feel more comfortable using it," the authors concluded in a press release.

Truvada is readily-available to the average gay man who is seeking protection from HIV. However, it is still not available in the U.K.

U.K. is concentrating on the use of condom and regular HIV testing but their ways are falling short. However, the study is suggesting that PrEP could help reverse the HIV epidemic among men who engaged in sexual intercourse with men.

The report noted that the health chiefs in England want to offer the pill to at-risk men and that it could be available in the country's clinics within the year.