HIV/sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) has responded to an announcement from the UK Government that £11.2million will be made available for local authorities to deliver PrEP via sexual health clinics with Brighton & Hove set to receive £229,839.
This crucial update will eclipse the PrEP ‘impact trial’, which has seen around 20,000 at-risk people access PrEP on the NHS. The update was delayed due to Covid-19 but THT expect – and are pushing for – roll-out to begin from October 1.
Richard Angell, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at THT, said: “With three working days before the start of October – the delayed but finally promised launch of uncapped PrEP access in England – the Health Department has finally allocated funds to local government to start the roll out. There should now be nothing standing in the way of this important HIV transmission prevention drug finally becoming a reality in England. This follows years of painstaking battling and further delays due to Covid-19.
“We now need to see PrEP made rapidly available right across the country – the wait has been too long. We know hard working local officials and many clinics put the wheels in motion for a start of October launch to make the most of this game-changer for HIV prevention – this allocation of funds should mean people are ready to go. More work is needed to ensure all groups affected by HIV know about PrEP and how to access it, but this is undoubtedly an important step forward as we work towards ending HIV transmissions in England by 2030.”
If you are wanting to start PrEP in Brighton & Hove, click here for more info.
For more info on THT, click here.
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