HIV drug uptake is ‘better than expected’

NEARLY 1,900 people have been prescribed a drug shown to drastically reduce the risk of HIV transmission since it was made available on the NHS in Scotland a year ago.

Health Protection Scotland said uptake of HIV Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PREP) had exceeded expectations.

Scotland was the first of the UK nations to make the “game-changing” drug routinely available on the NHS in July 2017 for those at the very highest risk of acquiring HIV.

It is also know by the brand name Truvada and costs about £450 a month.

Almost 1,900 people were prescribed PREP during the course of the first year, exceeding initial expectations, with the vast majority (99 per cent) being gay and bisexual men. Professor David Goldberg, consultant epidemiologist, Health Protection Scotland (HPS) and chair of Scotland’s National HIV PREP Co-ordinating Group, said: “Sexual health service teams throughout the country should be congratulated for successfully implementing an exciting new measure, which has the potential to be a game-changer in Scotland’s drive to eliminate HIV infection from its population.

“The programme has already entered its second year and the focus is now also on reaching other groups who could benefit from PREP; these include some women and transgender people.”

PREP is available within every health board with most patients accessing it through sexual health services. A PRIMARY school is taking bedtime stories online backed by actor Elaine C Smith and author Val Mcdermid.

Hermitage Park Primary in Leith, Edinburgh, is thought to be the first school in Scotland to come up with the scheme, which sees parents, teachers and authors read some of their favourite tales. The sessions are recorded and watched online. It was set up after a survey at the school found more than 60 per cent of pupils do not always have a bedtime story with a parent or carer. Smith read her book, The Glasgow Gruffalo, to youngsters.