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The Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN)
reports it will provide free post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to gay men who may
have been exposed to HIV through consensual sex. The project also will offer
gay men counseling during PEP and after HIV testing. OHTN, funded primarily by
Ontario’s government, is contributing $51,000 toward the project.
OHTN’s project partners include
Ottawa Public Health, the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, and the Ottawa Hospital. By
siting the project at the local level in the Centretown Community Health
Centre’s Gay Zone and the city-run Sexual Health Centre, the partners aim to
increase accessibility and raise awareness of PEP among gay men.
Prior to the PEP program, gay men
who had consensual sex had to go to the local hospital and pay out of pocket
for PEP, which costs between $1,000–$1,500. Victims of sexual assault already
receive subsidized PEP, and insurance covers healthcare workers exposed to HIV
through work. University of Ottawa project leader Dr. Patrick O’Byrne stated
that the risk of acquiring HIV through accidental needle stick or sexual
assault is remote compared to the risk of acquiring HIV from consensual gay
sex. PEP should begin the sooner the better, according to Byrne, and must start
within 72 hours of exposure to be effective.
O’Bryne estimated that two to four
men will take advantage of the program each month. The project partners will
evaluate the success of the project based on the number of people who access
treatment through the community-based locations.
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!
