In August 2016, the High Court ruled that NHS England has the power to commission PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a prevention strategy that involves HIV negative individuals taking the anti-retroviral drug Truvada to protect themselves against HIV infection during sex. NHS England appealed this decision, arguing that it is for local authorities to arrange services to prevent HIV infection, while its own responsibility lies in treating those already or assumed to be HIV positive. Last week, the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s initial ruling.

Media reaction to the ruling has been divisive to say the least, at times pitting HIV activists against the general public, who were told that provision of the drug by the NHS would limit its ability to provide hearing implants for the deaf or help children with cystic fibrosis. This emotive discourse has arguably led to a negative effect upon how gay men’s sexual health and lifestyle is perceived, both within and outside of the LGBTQ+ community.

Out@UCL and the MRC Clinical Trials Unit (MRC CTU) at UCL will be hosting a World AIDS Day event, ‘Perspectives and Perceptions of PrEP’, an evening of discussion which seeks to confront the myths and misinformation surrounding PrEP.

We are delighted to be joined by four panellists who will offer their own unique perspectives of PrEP, having had either a personal or professional relationship with the drug, and aim to challenge any misperceptions the public may have:

Professor Sheena McCormack, Chief Investigator of MRC CTU's PROUD trial
Paul Steinberg, Lead Commissioner of London HIV Prevention Programme (LHPP)
Monty Moncrieff, Chief Executive of London Friend
A participant in the PROUD trial.

Audience members will have the opportunity to further explore the issues surrounding PrEP in a Q&A session chaired by Professor Graham Hart, Dean of the UCL Faculty of Population Health Sciences. This will be followed by a drinks reception at 6:30pm in Roberts 422.

'Perspectives & Perceptions of PrEP' - a UCL World AIDS Day event