CDC Media Statement: CDC Supports New WHO Early Release HIV Treatment and PrEP Guidelines

 

Media Statement

 

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

 

Contact: CDC Media Relations

(404) 639-3286        

 

CDC Supports New WHO Early Release HIV Treatment and PrEP Guidelines

 

CDC welcomes today’s announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) of new Early Release HIV Treatment and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) guidelines that will significantly increase the number of people eligible for life-saving anti-retroviral treatment (ART) and expand access to a powerful tool for preventing HIV among those at greatest risk.

 

These recommendations are a major step forward in the global fight against HIV. They have the potential to dramatically reduce transmission of HIV worldwide, increase the widespread use of PrEP among those who need it most, and help those living with HIV live longer, healthier lives.

 

The new WHO guidelines call for treatment for all individuals living with HIV – regardless of CD4 count. This is a dramatic shift from existing WHO guidelines that recommend ART for those with compromised immune systems (CD4 counts less than 500) and other vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant women, and people with TB. The new guidelines also recommend daily oral PrEP as an additional prevention choice for those at substantial risk for contracting HIV as part of a combination prevention approach.

 

Thanks to recent scientific breakthroughs, we now know unequivocally that early and effective treatment not only reduces HIV transmission but also significantly improves health outcomes for those living with HIV. The research on PrEP is also strong. PrEP has been shown in many studies and “real world” situations to reduce the risk of HIV infection by more than 90% among those who regularly take their medications.

 

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

 

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