Pill Taken to Prevent and Reduce HIV Now FDA-Approved

HIV-positive Ma Jam sleeps at the HIV/AIDS hospice founded by a member of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party in the suburbs of Yangon May 26, 2012.(Photo : Reuters)

By Zanub Saeed

It was announced that the first pill available to reduce the risk of the HIV virus, which has plagued the world for decades, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, said the Associated Press.

The pill, by Gilead Sciences, called Truvada, can be used as a preventive measure for those who have a high risk of HIV already, including those who have sexual intercourse with HIV-infected partners, said the Associated Press on Monday.

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Truvada has been available by Gilead Sciences, Inc. since 2004, but it is now that it has received the coveted FDA approval.

The Truvada pill can also be used to prevent people from contracting HIV when used as a precautionary method, said the Associated Press. A stody conducted by Gilead Sciences found that daily doses of the medication could dramatically reduce the risk of infection in healthy gay and bisexual men by as much a 42 percent, when the parties are using other safety measures like condoms and counseling, noted the Associated Press.

Note that there is unfortunately still no cure for HIV, though advancements in the medical and science world have come to at least have methods to reduce the risk of getting the life-threatening disease.