El papel de las intervenciones biomédicas en la prevención del VIH: la profilaxis preexposición (PrEP) / The role of biomedical interventions in HIV prevention: pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

La transmisión del VIH sigue siendo un importante problema de salud pública en todo el mundo. Estrategias tradicionales de prevención como la educación sexual, el cribado y el inicio precoz de tratamiento antirretroviral, a pesar de ser efectivas, resultan insuficientes para el control de las nuevas infecciones. En este contexto, se ha propuesto la profilaxis preexposición (PrEP) como estrategia preventiva. Actualmente, se ha demostrado ampliamente que la administración de fármacos antirretrovirales en personas expuestas y no infectadas por VIH puede reducir el riesgo de transmisión sin asociarse a inconvenientes significativos. A pesar de haber demostrado su eficacia para la prevención de nuevas infecciones, la PrEP sigue siendo un tema controvertido, especialmente su coste-efectividad, y no se ha conseguido acceso unánime a los grupos de mayor riesgo de infección. Por ello, y basándonos en la evidencia actual, planteamos que el debate no debería ser si la PrEP es coste-eficaz, sino las posibles repercusiones de implementarla

HIV infection remains an important public health problem worldwide. The traditional preventive measures, such as sexual education, screening, and early antiretroviral treatment initiation, despite having shown their effectiveness, are not enough to control new infections. In this context, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has been investigated as a preventive measure. Currently, it has been extensively documented that the administration of antiretroviral treatment in an HIV exposed, but not infected population, could reduce the risk of transmission without significant drawbacks. Despite its high efficacy for HIV prevention, the use of PrEP remains a controversial measure, particularly its cost-effectiveness. For this reason, the access to PrEP is not available for all the HIV risk groups. Therefore, and based on the evidence found, the current approach must be the repercussions of not to implement PrEP, more than its cost or its effectiveness

[The role of biomedical interventions in HIV prevention: Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)]. / El papel de las intervenciones biomédicas en la prevención del VIH: la profilaxis preexposición (PrEP).

HIV infection remains an important public health problem worldwide. The traditional preventive measures, such as sexual education, screening, and early antiretroviral treatment initiation, despite having shown their effectiveness, are not enough to control new infections. In this context, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has been investigated as a preventive measure. Currently, it has been extensively documented that the administration of antiretroviral treatment in an HIV exposed, but not infected population, could reduce the risk of transmission without significant drawbacks. Despite its high efficacy for HIV prevention, the use of PrEP remains a controversial measure, particularly its cost-effectiveness. For this reason, the access to PrEP is not available for all the HIV risk groups. Therefore, and based on the evidence found, the current approach must be the repercussions of not to implement PrEP, more than its cost or its effectiveness.