Two new studies show that HIV pill Truvada can prevent virus transmission in heterosexual men and women.

Researchers said an earlier study that found the opposite was flawed.

Details from Aids Map:

Two large studies of pre-exposure prophylaxis – use of antiretroviral drugs by uninfected people to prevent HIV infection – have shown that taking tenofovir or tenofovir plus emtricitabine (Truvada) can cut the risk of HIV infection through sexual transmission by between 62% and 73% in male-female couples. Results from both the Partner study and the TDF2 study were released today.

“This study demonstrates that antiretrovirals are a highly potent and fundamental cornerstone for HIV prevention and should become an integral part of global efforts for HIV prevention,” said Dr Connie Celum, Professor of Global Health and Medicine at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Truvada is manufactured by biotech company Gilead Sciences in Foster City, California and conducted the tests only on heterosexual subjects. Presumably the drug would perform the same in everyone.

