By Bunmi Yekini
The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) and the British HIV Association (BHIVA) have released their long-awaited guidelines on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for public consultation. The 90-page draft, posted online on 27 September 2024, features over 80 recommendations and 50 good practice points, reflecting recent research on PrEP dosing options.
One of the key updates includes a double dose of PrEP for rapid protection within two hours, which benefits cisgender women, as well as trans and non-binary people, who previously had to take PrEP daily for a week before achieving protection. New recommendations also simplify dosing for those discontinuing PrEP.
The guidelines emphasize equitable access to PrEP, particularly for groups with lower uptake, including young people, ethnically minoritised communities, trans and non-binary individuals, heterosexuals, and people who inject drugs. A new chapter focuses on addressing health inequities in these populations.
The consultation period ends on 26 November 2024, offering the public an opportunity to provide feedback on these significant updates.