Thailand a hotspot for Chinese seeking anti-HIV drug

BeiJing: Thailand has been a hot destination for Chinese tourists for years. Yet many now are heading to the South-East Asian country for a new reason to buy cheap drugs to prevent HIV.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis, commonly known as PrEP, is a type of medicine that, if taken daily, can reduce the risk of HIV infection via sexual intercourse by more than 90%, according to health studies.

Several countries recommend the drugs as a weapon to prevent the spread of HIV among people in high-risk groups, such as gay men.

However, the China Food and Drug Administration approved PrEP in 2015 for the treatment of HIV/AIDS not prevention which means doctors are not allowed to prescribe it to patients unless they test positive for the virus.

Xiao Dong, who runs Tongzhi, an NGO based in Beijing that is committed to combating AIDS, said he began travelling to Thailand early last year, for vacations and to stock up on anti-HIV medicine.

As an openly gay man, he said health and safety are his top priorities: “I use both condoms and PrEP to guard against HIV,” he said.

Advocates say prevention is worthwhile, given that the prevalence of HIV among Chinese gay men averages around 5% and 10%, according to the National Center for AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Disease Control.

Given increasing awareness, more gay men in China have followed suit. Xiao said he knows nearly 100 men from Beijing who have also travelled to Thailand to purchase PrEP.

“It’s a positive sign that our community has become more responsible for our own health, and each other’s. They are willing to pay out of pocket,” he said.

The drugs can sell from 300 yuan (RM189) to 800 yuan (RM505) in Thailand, while in China it can sell for nearly 2000 yuan (RM1,262). — China Daily/ Asia News Network