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The youth trial of Truvada, a drug
which received US Food and Drug Administration approval as an HIV preventative
drug, will involve 14 communities from Tampa, Fla. to San Francisco. These new
trials are in response to the realization that earlier trials of Truvada’s
effectiveness and safety did not include enough younger men who have sex with
men (MSM), a fact made even more noteworthy since a recent CDC report showed that
infections have increased 22 percent among 13-24-year-old MSM and young black
males are particularly affected.
University of South Florida (USF)
researchers are joining the national study to learn how well the daily pill may
protect this high-risk population. This month, USF will begin recruiting 25
participants at its new Ybor Youth Clinic, which serves at-risk youth. Dr.
Diane Straub, chief of USF’s Division of Adolescent Medicine, will be the
principal local investigator for the trial. The study, called Project PrEPare
(which stands for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), will examine the use of Truvada in
a broad HIV-prevention strategy. Participants will also receive free condoms,
safe-sex counseling, and monthly HIV testing. Researchers will monitor participants’
blood work for evidence of side effects and will administer two bone-density
scans throughout the year of the study. Participants will be paid for their
time. If any participants become HIV-infected or develop health issues related
to Truvada, they may be monitored for an additional year.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
