Man Taking Daily PrEP Contracts HIV

My pal Ben Ryan reports:

Researchers have for the first time documented a case of an individual contracting HIV, a multi-drug resistant strain, while apparently adhering well to the daily regimen of Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine) as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The scientists concluded that it is indeed possible for individuals who are adherent to PrEP to contract HIV when they are exposed to a virus that is resistant to both drugs included in Truvada. While this case is concerning, experts in the PrEP field suggest that such failures of PrEP will likely remain rare.

Distressing news -- obviously no more so than for the guy who thought he was being safe -- but it does sounds like it's a very rare occurrence. (And I suppose there's always the chance that the guy is lying about his Truvada use, although his doctors say it seems very likely he used it daily.) I'm a huge proponent of PReP and don't understand anyone who has any problem with it whatsoever. My only comment about it is this: Friends who are on it tell me that you don't really realize just how anxious you are worrying about HIV during sex until you're taking PReP and begin to fully relax ... how liberating it is. (Sounds good, I'm awfully uptight.) But whenever I think about going on it, I always imagine how I'd be MORE STRESSED using PReP instead of condoms -- don't kid yourself: my friends who are on it are not doubling up -- because I'd be convinced that I'd be that one-in-a-million case who still gets HIV. This story only bolsters that fear. And if your comeback is that condoms aren't 100 percent safe, I'd say this: They got me through the height of the AIDS epidemic AND I've never had an STD -- something none of my friends on PReP can say.

Read Ben's full report HERE.