A group of certain internet drugs is now being viewed as the reason as to why HIV infections among gay men in London have recently declined dramatically. As compared to the 2015 data, about a 40 percent decline has already been recorded from just four sexual health clinics located in the capital. As some health experts consider this happening, the decline may be mostly due to thousands of people buying medicines called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) online, which is believed to have the ability of cutting the chances of catching the virus.
London's Secret To A Massive HIV Decline
According to reports revealed by the Evening Standard, HIV activists in the UK have allegedly set up the website "I Want PrEP Now" so that buying of these online drugs could be made accessible since they are manufactured from online pharmacies in India and Swaziland. It was found that the said website is also working hand in hand with NHS clinics in checking whether the medicines are genuine and safe. One of the activists, Will Nutland from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, has reportedly set up another website that gives people information on how to give themselves PrEP.
Furthermore, as per New Scientist, the use of PrEp has been on the rise in other countries and not just in UK. Some cities in the country were also noted to have a huge drop in terms of new HIV diagnoses. Just this 2015, San Francisco for instance, have seen a 17 percent decline when it comes to infection rates. On the other hand, a significant number of health experts have also revealed that this is not just merely because of using PrEP. The decline has also been associated to a mix of better prevention, diagnosis and treatment methods, without highlighting the use of PrEP. Greg Owen, who happens to run the website for PrEP claims that more than 2000 people buy it through his non-profit site. Doctors mainly recommend that people use his site rather than finding a manufacturer to buy from directly because Owen has been noted to have been working closely with NHS. Ultimately, Nutland adds that the NHS had better pull its finger out and make sure there's a contingency plan for what to do when its 10,000 places fill up since PrEP really works.
