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New Look at Old Study: PrEP for Trans Women

Nell Gaither
Mon, 07 Dec 2015 14:40:32 GMT

I saw a tiny tiny blurb making the rounds of the Interwebs the other day -- and again today -- about PrEP being effective for trans women in a "new" study, which turns out to be a new analysis of an old study. When I finally got to look at the article, it was three sentences. No links; no sources. That's all HuffyPoGay warrants it. Folks are just sharing those three sentences with little more info. So here are some actual sources (not sure which ones were quickly glanced over for the the dismissive wave of the sparkly media-land wand I saw): -- from _Lancet HIV,_ 2015 Dec;2(12):e512-9. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in transgender women: a subgroup analysis of the iPrEx trial. Available [here](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26614965). >PrEP seems to be effective in preventing HIV acquisition in transgender women when taken, but there seem to be barriers to adherence, particularly among those at the most risk. Studies of PrEP use in transgender women populations should be designed and tailored specifically for this population, rather than adapted from or subsumed in to studies of MSM. -- from Simon Collins in _HIV i-Base,_ 1 December 2015. PrEP efficacy for transgender women: new analysis from iPrEX study. Available [here](http://i-base.info/htb/29275). Much more information than the abstract above. Notes the huge influence of social barriers and the priority of hormone use over other meds in the trans community. -- from Liz Highleyman, _NAM AIDSMAP_. Truvada PrEP appears to work for transgender women, but only if used consistently. Available [here](http://www.aidsmap.com/Truvada-PrEP-appears-to-work-for-transgender-women-but-only-if-used-consistently/page/3013344/). >When transgender women take PrEP as prescribed, it appears to work, but to retain and encourage PrEP use, research should be conducted and interventions should be delivered in gender-affirming environments," said co-author JoAnne Keatley, director of the UCSF Center of Excellence for Transgender Health. "One example would be to integrate PrEP delivery with gender-affirming services, including provision of gender-affirming hormone therapies. Social marketing campaigns and PrEP delivery programs should not lump transgender women in with MSM, but should be explicitly designed to support transgender women. Live full, live well, nell