I love Truvada. And it is for a couple of reasons. I love names that are well arrived at; it’s a form of tough branding. Nobody wants to be bothered with deep thinking when it comes to the recall of a name. When it was approved for use in July this year, the public reactions varied. In some spheres, it seemed to pass off as the much awaited cure to HIV/AIDS. Nay, it isn’t. Given the collapse of borders in today’s highly digitised world, it won’t be a shock knowing that Truvada can be found in some homes on the African soil.
Produced by United States based Gilead Sciences Incorporated, Truvada is a pill to aid the prevention of HIV especially among the at-risk group. The gay community was the ‘catalyst’ for this breakthrough and the focus of the research that led to the production of Truvada. The drug has been around for 8 years now and what recently happened was simply an assent by the very conservative US Food and Drug Administration. It’s been years of clinical trials. The pill is reported to have the capacity to lower the risk of HIV in MSMs (Men having Sex with Men) by as much as 73%. While it has the possibility of lowering the prevention statistics, it also stands a misinterpretation of being a stamp of approval on risky sexual behaviour. The figures by UNAIDS show that more than 34 million people now live with HIV/AIDS. Everyday more than 7,000 people contract HIV—nearly 300 every hour. In 2010, 1.8 million people died from AIDS. Globally, an estimated 3,300 young people between 15 and 24 become infected each day.
HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus is the pathogen that provides the gateway to the AIDS condition. The best means of prevention are still abstinence, proper and consistent use of the condom, faithfulness to one uninfected partner who’s also faithful, disuse of unsterilized sharp objects and use of only screened blood and in the case of pregnant women, registering with health facilities to prevent Mother to Child Transmission. Simple procedures they seem on the surface! Right? Sadly, people still default for various reasons.
According to UNAIDS in 2011, there are about 6.2 million people in Africa enjoying access to Anti-Retroviral drugs. It also subtly tells about the infection rate. Africa in 2011 has about 70% of the global HIV infections according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and the region only has 12% of the global population.
Truvada can prevent infection in healthy people once they take the drug at the prescribed dose and time before and after exposure. It also lowers the amount of HIV in the blood and increases the level of the CD4 count. Sex workers, MSMs, people with HIV-Positive partners and those who engage in other high risk behaviours are the interests of the Truvada pills producers. Truvada works by slowing down the progression of the disease and in uninfected people it simply blocks the activities of the enzymatic proteins needed by the virus to multiply itself. Gilead believes the drug is a contribution to the field of science to prevent new infections in addition to treating existing ones. And truly HIV positive persons have a right to life.
Truvada is a combination of 2 anti-HIV medication and it can be taken with or without food according to Gilead Sciences. Truvada is also used in HIV negative adults along with safer sex practices to reduce the risk of getting HIV in MSMs who are at high risk of getting infected with HIV through unprotected sex and heterosexual couples where one partner has HIV and the other does not, what is called Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, PrEP. The newly approved pill alone may not keep one from getting HIV or AIDS. And according to the company, ‘if you have HIV infection, you may still get other infections that happen in people with HIV like TB (tuberculosis) or fungus, while taking Truvada. If you have HIV or get HIV while taking Truvada, you may develop resistance which makes your infection harder to treat.’
The truth is that Truvada’s use expectedly has its negative consequences. It could cause a build-up of acid in the blood with symptoms ranging from trouble breathing, nausea, vomiting, irregular heartbeat or dizziness. Serious liver and new or worsening kidney problems are also possible amongst other known side effects. When in 1984, the first case of HIV infection was reported in the MSM community, scientists then had thought it would not take long before a well accepted cure is found. That is yet to happen. What has happened is Truvada. I am compelled to ask – Is it a coincidence that the drug is targeted at the population it started with?
One snag however for Truvada’s use in Africa would be the cost. At about $14,000 per year (when taken daily), Truvada would be away from the reach of the average African like anti-retrovirals were before international organisations and government subsidized prices. The vanguards of HIV/AIDS prevention and cure would for now still have to stay with the options of abstinence and safer sex to keep the figures down. I love Truvada because it is a huge light beamed in the dark and arguable seedy tunnel where the cure for HIV/AIDS would be found and globally certified, sounding a death knell on the biggest infection of the century.
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‘Sola Fagorusi is a youth development advocate, freelance writer, accomplished debater cum coach and blogger. The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife graduate volunteered with various non-profits at different times as an adolescent. His interest in social entrepreneurship straddles leadership, good governance cum anti-corruption and adolescent reproductive health and rights. The Leap Africa alumnus is also a trained peer educator and a DESPLAY alumnus/co-facilitator. He was technical consultant and lead judge at the Plateau Inter-Faith Peace Youth TV Debate Project and has anchored various television and radio programmes in Kaduna, Lagos and Port-Harcourt. He profoundly perceives writing and oratory as key tools for development. ‘Sola blogs at www.kadunaboy.com and is about completing studies for a Masters degree in development communication.
