HIV Infection Risk Lowered by Pill

Researchers announced today that an antirtroviral medication called Truvada, when taken daily, has been shown to reduce the incidence of HIV infection by 73 percent; the NY Times stated that the pill is effective when taken at least 90 percent of the time. Funding for the research was provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as the National Institutes for Health. The study was published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Truvada is already available and is being used to treat HIV infection; however, NPR.com pointed out, the medication can cost as much as $36 a day, though there are less expensive generics available overseas. One report stated that Truvada is distributed overseas for a cost of 40 cents a pill.

Not a cure, but a significant step forward in the fight against HIV/AIDS.