The HIV-prevention drug Truvada will be offered to gays who do not have regular partners. The medicine makes it possible to have unprotected sex with almost no risk of HIV.
Health Minister Bent Høie and his ministry is behind the decision after receiving the so-called prep-treatment recommended by the Public Health and Health Directorate, reports P4.
The drug protects against HIV so they basically can drop a condom without being infected by the virus.
– There are many gays men who have a lot of unprotected sex with many partners and this will be an important preventive measure, says Høie to news channel P4.
Norway is the only country in Europe next to France that will offer this part of the population. In African countries, it has been chosen to give medicine to girls since they are most vulnerable.
A yearly supply of medication costs 66,000 kroner. The patent expires in 2017 and it is not known what PrEP will cost ahead. Most probably the medication will be far cheaper than today prices.
Altogether 221 people got HIV infection in Norway last year. More than half – 111 people – were immigrants who were infected before they arrived in Norway.
Only about one-third of those infected were gays.
Research has shown that PrEP has a protection of 86 percent. For every 20 HIV-infected patients around 17 could averted with PrEP.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
