Study: AIDS pill helps gay men avoid HIV infection

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

link

I really want to know how this works. The article says it's a major advance for gay/bisexual men, but would not apply to M-F couples and needle users. What exactly is this pill doing?

AFAIK it's because it hasn't been tested on them. Later they say that they've used HIV treatment to prevent infection before in pregnant women and people inadvertently exposed to infected bodily fluid like hospital employees pricked by an improperly disposed of sharp.

It's a bit like the HPV vaccine not being available for men despite the fact that it would work just fine in them.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by agzg

Hmmm perhaps due to the method of transmission?

I can see that with IV drug users, but not with M-F couples.

Originally Posted by Drolefille

AFAIK it's because it hasn't been tested on them. Later they say that they've used HIV treatment to prevent infection before in pregnant women and people inadvertently exposed to infected bodily fluid like hospital employees pricked by an improperly disposed of sharp.

It's a bit like the HPV vaccine not being available for men despite the fact that it would work just fine in them.

That makes sense, but I still want to know what kind of pill would be useful for one orientation but not another. It's not as if the virus can detect whether or not someone is a homosexual, you know?

I'd be interested in seeing the remaining studies when they're completed.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I can see that with IV drug users, but not with M-F couples.



That makes sense, but I still want to know what kind of pill would be useful for one orientation but not another. It's not as if the virus can detect whether or not someone is a homosexual, you know?

I'd be interested in seeing the remaining studies when they're completed.

But the transmission is slightly different as it's usually due to anal sex. It's much harder for men and women to get the virus via PiV sex.

So that's why it didn't necessarily say straight couples, but M-F couples. It's not the orientation that matters but the transmission vector.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

But the transmission is slightly different as it's usually due to anal sex. It's much harder for men and women to get the virus via PiV sex.

So that's why it didn't necessarily say straight couples, but M-F couples. It's not the orientation that matters but the transmission vector.

Got it. Thanks for the extra info.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Got it. Thanks for the extra info.

I feel compelled to clarify that "much harder" doesn't really mean incredibly difficult, just that there are less likely to be entries into the bloodstream at any given time.


And honestly between the cost - no insurance company will pay for this as a long term preventative - and the overall lack of reliability, I don't see this getting used except as a 'morning after' pill should people find out their partner is positive following sex.

It's good that the pill is so much cheaper outside of the US, but it's probably needed far more for treatment there. And particularly women in those countries are the most vulnerable, so more testing needs to be done to give them access.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

This is the most important part of the study:

Daily doses of Truvada cut the risk of infection by 44 percent when given with condoms, counseling and other prevention services.

In other words, don't follow the white rabbit down the hole and think there's now a pill that says it's okay to carelessly go raw dawg and drop loads in 'em. That goes for all anal couples (gay and hetero). Mmmmkay!? Thanks.

I appreciate the visual this early in the afternoon lol

Originally Posted by Drolefille

I feel compelled to clarify that "much harder" doesn't really mean incredibly difficult, just that there are less likely to be entries into the bloodstream at any given time.

Understood. I inadvertently used M-F to mean "straight" in my mind. I get that there's a higher risk because of the way intercourse takes place.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Understood. I inadvertently used M-F to mean "straight" in my mind. I get that there's a higher risk because of the way intercourse takes place.

Follow the mucus membranes.

Women are at much higher risk than men during vaginal intercourse (oversimplification alert!), and anal intercourse has higher incidence of infection than both.

[IrishLake]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

But the transmission is slightly different as it's usually due to anal sex. It's much harder for men and women to get the virus via PiV sex.

So that's why it didn't necessarily say straight couples, but M-F couples. It's not the orientation that matters but the transmission vector.

Yes. This.