Thousands more people in NSW and Victoria will get access to a drug that protects people from getting HIV, ahead of its approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

Truvada, a pill likened to an HIV contraceptive, is available in the US and France, and is used to treat HIV in Australia. The TGA is currently deciding whether it should also be used as a preventative drug, and is expected to complete its review in 2017.

NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner. Credit:Peter Rae

Victorian and NSW health ministers will use World Aids Day events on Tuesday to reveal new measures to allow more people to access the drug, which uses a measure known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PReP) for prevention.

NSW, Victoria and Queensland have been testing the drug on almost 500 people at high risk of HIV infection since last year. None have contracted the virus, according to the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations.