PrEP Usage Doesn’t Cause Risky Sexual Behavior

Some people have thought that usage of a Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis better known as PrEP may cause risky sexual behavior by those who intake PrEP, but the last research published in «AIDS Patient Care and STDs» journal disproved that opinion.

That doubts appeared because PrEP could be prescribed only by HIV-specialist, which limited the number of its potential users; «risk compensation», which doesn’t mean usage of the condom while having sex, cause one have already used PrEP.

The majority of HIV-specialists wanted their gay patients in monogamous relationships to use PrEP, while the smaller number of infection diseases doctors wished the patients who don’t know their HIV-status or have (had) STI before, to be prescribed to PrEP.
It was proved that usage of PrEP doesn’t cause risky sexual behavior after many studies and researches. Moreover — risky behavior remained the same or went down.

Another research was held to disapprove possibility of «risk compensation». That study also showed that sexual behavior of those who were prescribed to PrEP remained the same, in particular by those who had no experience of PrEP intake before of had just used PrEP from time to time.

The clinicians also acknowledged that individuals both within and outside of the healthcare community unjustly stigmatized PrEP. For example, excess risk-taking relating to starting cholesterol-lowering statins, which results from eating a poorer diet, is not similarly stigmatized.

«As public awareness about PrEP increases and more at-risk individuals actively seek out PrEP from their healthcare providers, there is an urgent need to prepare providers to respond appropriately,» the authors wrote. «This includes not only enhancing providers’ comfort and competence prescribing PrEP or referring patients elsewhere for PrEP care but also educating providers about reacting to patient inquiries in a sensitive and professional way.»