A publicly-funded subsidy for a once-a-day drug that all but eradicates transmission of HIV has been given the green light, paving the way for Australia to become of the first countries in the world to stop the virus.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis, known as PReP, is up to 99 per cent effective in stopping the spread of HIV, a virus that if untreated leads to the deadly AIDS.

Unless you’re in a clinical trial, getting your hands on PReP can be HARD. It costs around $10,000 a year.

That could soon be about to change, after the independent advisory board on medications recommended PReP be placed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Putting the drug on the PBS could slash its cost to just $40 a month.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt is expected to sign off on the arrangement.

“There are three new HIV diagnoses each day in Australia and we expect the Commonwealth will now move quickly to list PrEP on the PBS,” ACON President Dr Justin Koonin said.

“Prevention of HIV is much cheaper than a lifetime of treatment and it makes good sense to have this medicine available to all who need it.”

Other health organisations and patient advocacy groups also welcomed the move.

“It will help counter stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV. By keeping those at risk of HIV safe, PrEP gives both partners control and confidence,”

Cipriano Martinez, the President of the National Association of People with HIV Australia, said.

But Darryl O’Donnell from the Australian Federation of AIDS Councils said subsidising PReP should go hand in hand with other prevention measures.

He said communication strategies are needed to “drive home the prevention message, upskill the HIV workforce, and use big data to better understand those at risk of and living with HIV”.

“Only a revived HIV response will make the most of PrEP’s potential.”

Darryl has also called for the HIV response to target the hardest to reach and most at-risk groups.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, migrant communities and some heterosexual populations have seen starkly higher rates of HIV transmission over the last five years. While a PBS listing of PrEP is critical, we must make sure everyone who needs PrEP is aware of it and can access it,” he said.

PReP was first approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration in Australia in 2016. The TGA is the body that says a drug is or isn’t safe to use in Australia. The TGA-equivalent in the US had given the drug the go-head in 2012.

Researchers reckon Australia is in a really good position to become the first country in the world to eradicate transmission of HIV completely, due in large part to our health services, educated population and geographic isolation.