Australia could be one step closer to reaching zero new transmissions of HIV by 2020 - something all Australian Health Ministers agreed to in 2014 - as a pill used as a form pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV has been approved by regulators today.

What is Truvada?

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a way of preventing new transmissions of HIV.

It doesn’t “cure” HIV if you’re already living with it, but if you’re at risk of transmitting HIV (if your partner is living with HIV, for example) it can be an effective prevention method.

It’s administered by a daily pill known as Truvada.

PrEP has been praised for its almost 100% efficacy in reducing HIV transmissions - far more reliable than condom use - and it's been approved and used in the US since 2012.

But before today, PrEP access in Australia was limited to those participating in local trials, those who accessed a “black market” by buying the pills off those participating in local trials, or to those who bought and shipped Truvada from overseas.

In November last year, when it was still unclear if Truvada would be approved by the TGA, Chris Demiglo from community organisation PrEPaccess now spoke with Hack about the potential impact of the drug.

"It's a groundbreaking medication," Chris said, "It's an absolute game-changer."

Chris said the “condom message” has been failing to prevent new HIV transmissions, making Truvada even more important for Australians - especially for men who have sex with men.

“While the condom message is important, it’s not working, and it’s not the only prevention method out there.”

HIV Prevention in Australia: what are the options? Australian Health Ministers shave agreed to reach zero new transmissions of HIV by 2020. So what are the HIV prevention methods available to Australians today?

In a release, the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) praised the TGA’s approval of Truvada.

“In registering Truvada, the TGA has confirmed that this is a safe and effective way of preventing HIV transmission through sex. Truvada is a pill taken once a day by people who don't have HIV, but who are at high risk," Darryl O'Donnell, Executive Director of AFAO said.

ACON, NSW’s leading HIV prevention and HIV support organisation also welcomed the news today.

“One person is diagnosed with HIV every day in NSW alone. ACON believes that PrEP subsidisation is an efficiency measure as the total cost of treatment over a lifetime is far greater than prevention measures such as PrEP,” ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill said.

Listing on the PBS

Today’s announcement from the TGA means that prescriptions of Truvada will be readily available. But it doesn’t mean that the drug will be cheap.

AFAO have already called on the government to list TRUVADA on the PBS, making the treatment cheaper and more accessible to all Australians.

“We have a national, bipartisan commitment to virtually eliminate HIV transmission in Australia by 2020. That's only four years away, and although we have a long way to go, affordable, PBS-listed PrEP would make all the difference," Darryl O’Donnell said.

ACON echoed AFAO’S sentiment.

“PrEP has the ability to change the course of HIV in a truly historic way but its potential will only be fully realised if all barriers to access are removed, namely cost. Without being added to the PBS, full-price Truvada remains out of reach for a significant majority of those at risk of acquiring HIV,” Nicholas Parkhill said.

A spokesperson for the TGA said the approval was based on clinical trials of Truvada in Australia.