A Pill That Prevents HIV? FDA Favors Truvada

Federal drug regulators are affirming that a landmark study showing that a popular HIV-fighting pill already on the market can also help people avoid contracting the virus that causes AIDS in the first place.

The Food and Drug Administration will hold a meeting Thursday to discuss whether Truvada should be approved for people who are at risks of contracting HIV through sexual intercourse. The agency's
positive review suggests the daily pill will become the first drug approved to prevent HIV infection in high-risk patients.

FDA reviewers conclude that using Truvada pre-emptively could spare patients "infection with a serious and life-threatening illness that requires lifelong treatment."

Reviewers stressed that the drug only works when taken daily by patients, and that patients may often forget to take the medication.

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