Statement by USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah on Findings from Two Major Studies Demonstrating Effectiveness of PrEP in Preventing HIV

For Immediate Release

Thursday, July 14, 2011
USAID Press Office
202-712-4320

WASHINGTON, DC - "Today, I congratulate the Partners PrEP and CDC TDF2 teams on their study findings demonstrating that PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) - and HIV medication when taken orally, once a day - is highly effective in preventing HIV in heterosexual men and women. Today's news is encouraging and provides clear evidence that PrEP can substantially reduce the risk of HIV infection. The next step is to determine how these scientific findings can be put to use in real world settings.

The HIV epidemic continues to ravage many communities around the world. Through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and in accordance with President Obama's Global Health Initiative, the U.S. Agency for International Development is committed to strengthening the response to HIV and will continue to support critical research programs that examine novel approaches to protecting men and women from infection."

For more information, please visit:
http://www.fhi360.org/en/AboutFHI/Media/Releases/res_PrEP.htm