Clinical Guidelines Updated for Preexposure Prophylaxis for HIV

THURSDAY, Dec. 9, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Updates relating to use of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the risk for HIV are presented in clinical practice guidelines published Dec. 8 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Researchers from the CDC updated clinical practice guidelines for PrEP to reduce the risk for HIV based on trial results and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals.

According to the guidelines, all sexually active adult and adolescent patients should be given information about PrEP. PrEP with daily emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is recommended for sexually active adults and adolescents with sexual behavior placing them at high risk for HIV exposure and acquisition and for injection drug users. Daily oral emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide are recommended for adult and adolescent men who report sexual behaviors putting them at high risk for HIV exposure and acquisition, and for transgender women who have sex with men and report sexual behaviors placing them at high risk for HIV. Conditioned on a PrEP indication approved by the FDA, PrEP with intramuscular cabotegravir injections every two months is recommended for adults and adolescents reporting sexual behaviors putting them at high risk for HIV. HIV infection should be assessed at least every three months for those taking oral PrEP and every four months for those receiving cabotegravir injections.

When PrEP is prescribed, clinicians should provide access to support for medication adherence and continuation in follow-up care and proven effective risk-reduction services to enable use of PrEP in conjunction with other effective prevention methods to reduce the risk for sexually transmitted infections.

Clinical Practice Guideline