PrEP Intake Is Safe For Adolescents

It is known that adolescents are at high risk of becoming HIV-positive, especially gay and bisexual teenagers, but there were not enough data about the safety of PrEP usage for those age group. To find the efficiency of PrEP in HIV prophylaxis by the young generation, researchers and scientists from the Cook County Health and Hospitals System's Stroger Hospital, Chicago started a research to find more information about it, as Reuters Health edition reported. 78 young gay and bisexual men were selected to take part in the 48 week research. All the participants were tested HIV-negative, in the average age of 16 years from six different american cities. All of the young men have risky sexual behaviour and were at high risk of HIV-transmission. The scientists found that only three adverse events were possibly related to PrEP intake regimen. Reuters Health edition reported that the rate of HIV infection in the study was 6.4 cases per 100 people per year, which is about twice as high as the rate seen among men ages 18 to 22 years enrolled in a similar trial, the researchers write in JAMA Pediatrics. 

“I do hope clinicians increase their comfort with being able to provide PrEP to adolescents. It was well tolerated. We didn’t see many complaints about side effects. We did not see many adverse events. I shudder to think what the HIV infection rate would be if we didn’t offer PrEP. Clinicians should not be afraid to see adolescents more frequently, maintain a connection with the adolescents and keep them engaged. " - said main author of the research Sybil Hosek, a clinical psychologist and HIV researcher at Cook County Health and Hospitals System's Stroger Hospital in Chicago.