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England’s PrEP policy in disarray after NHS U-turn
Roger Pebody, 2016-03-22 19:00:00
Activists, individuals at risk of HIV, and clinicians have reacted with anger to an official U-turn on provision of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). NHS England officials have refused to allow a draft policy on PrEP to go forward for further consideration.
“By denying full availability of PrEP we are failing those who are at risk of HIV,” commented Ian Green of Terrence Higgins Trust. “PrEP has already been approved in the US, Kenya, South Africa, Israel, Canada and France. And yet, our own government refuses to take responsibility for PrEP.”
Although the stated reason for blocking PrEP was that NHS England should not be paying for it, officials did not present a clear path for a way forward. “Today’s statement makes it no clearer who is responsible – is it the Department of Health, local authorities, the NHS or Public Health England?” said Ian Green. “We need answers, we need access, and we demand both.”
Questions were even asked in parliament today. Catherine West MP said that NHS England’s scrapping of plans to fund PrEP “totally fails those at risk of contracting HIV”. She also asked whether anything could be done to put an end to NHS England’s erratic and inconsistent decision making.
Source:1
