PrEP Demonstration Project (PRELUDE Study)

Overview

Significant increases in HIV diagnoses among gay and other homosexually active men, in Australia and internationally, have been observed since the late 1990s. The levels of high HIV risk sexual practices among gay men have also increased, particularly unprotected anal intercourse (UAI). Nationally, over three quarters of the new HIV infections diagnosed annually are among men who have sex with men (MSM). The proportion of heterosexual men and women among those diagnosed with HIV annually has also increased in recent years. Despite successes in some situations, HIV transmission has not been adequately reduced by the prevention methods available to those at risk, such as education, condoms, and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The effectiveness of daily oral antiretroviral medications (ARVs) as preexposure prophylaxis of HIV (PrEP) has now been established by clinical trials in both heterosexual adults and homosexual men. Whether PrEP confers high rates of protection in real life situations and is a feasible strategy to implement still requires further investigation. Through its "HIV prevention strategy 2015: New era," NSW Health committed to consider how to most appropriately and efficiently implement PrEP in line with evidence. This commitment translated in the support to this PrEP demonstration project. This demonstration project is designed to evaluate the off-label provision of daily combination of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine (TDF/FTC, known as TRUVADA) as PrEP to a sample of sero-negative individuals at high risk for HIV infection in clinical settings in New South Wales. The project will inform policy development regarding primary HIV prevention with PrEP. This is an open-label, single-arm treatment evaluation study. All consenting and eligible HIV negative participants will receive TRUVADA prescribed for daily administration orally. At each followup visit, the following procedures will be conducted: clinical evaluations/ procedures, laboratory evaluations/ procedures, testing for HIV, STIs, hepatic and renal function, assessment for adherence to the prescribed medication, side effects, eligibility for next TRUVADA prescription, and willingness to continue on PrEP. As a study requirement, participants will be offered a self-administered assessment of behaviour, lifestyle and attitudes which will be conducted ideally within two and no more than seven days of the clinic visit in the participant's private space. Analyses will include: the feasibility of PrEP delivery, adherence to the study medication, safety and tolerability, the effects of PrEP use on behavior, and statistical analyses of the risk of HIV seroconversion.