New legislation regarding PrEP is signed by Governor of California
The Governor of California has signed a law requiring education about HIV-preventing drugs.
Pre-exposure Prophylaxis drug Truvada can reduce the chances of being infected with HIV by up to 99% if taken daily, and has been endorsed by the World Health Organisation and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for regular use by at-risk men who have sex with men.
AB 2640, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles LGBT Center and APLA Health, ensures high-risk HIV-negative individuals receive information about methods that reduce the risk of contracting HIV, including PrEP and PEP, during HIV post-test counseling.
APLA Health Chief Executive Officer Craig E. Thompson said: “We are extremely pleased that Governor Brown has signed this bill into law.
“This is one of several proposals the governor has supported to increase information about and the availability of PrEP and PEP, and we thank him for his continued leadership on this issue.
“AB 2640 is a crucial step toward raising awareness about effective HIV prevention tools, reducing new infections, and ending the epidemic in California.”
Los Angeles LGBT Center Medical Director Dr. Robert Bolan said: “With the stroke of his pen, Governor Brown has played a significant and groundbreaking role in helping to fight HIV in the state that ranks second in the nation in cumulative AIDS cases.
“Those most at risk of HIV infection deserve to know about all the options to stay negative, including PrEP and PEP. By signing AB 2640, Governor Brown is helping to promote options that have the potential to change the course of the epidemic in California and significantly reduce the HIV infection rate here.”