New South Wales landmarks

(SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 1 December 2015) New South Wales will host a landmark clinical trial, led by researchers from the Kirby Institute at UNSW Australian Continent, designed to lower brand new HIV infections to half the present rate within couple of years and also to virtually get rid of HIV transmission by 2020.

The NSW Minister for Health, the Hon. Jillian Skinner, picked World AIDS Day to launch the EPIC-NSW test (Expanded PrEP Implementation in Communities), which has the potential to alter the face area of HIV transmission in NSW. The test may be the to begin its kind to combine rapid roll-out with population-level tracking.

The test might find HIV negative individuals at high risk of HIV disease offered a daily dosage of medication increasingly being utilized as an element of standard HIV treatment in Australian Continent. This plan is named PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis. Progressively more intercontinental medical studies have established PrEP to be effective at preventing HIV disease among risky men and women.

“This test presents a thrilling possibility to dramatically reduce HIV diagnoses in New South Wales, ” said Professor David Cooper, Director of the Kirby Institute and main Investigator regarding trial. “Rapid enrolment, large protection and accuracy targeting are crucial toward success of this trial and if performed correcly, it will probably cause the rapid reduced amount of HIV transmission in NSW, and the virtual removal of brand new HIV attacks by 2020.”

NSW will become the first condition in Australian Continent to make usage of these types of an instant and large-scale trial of the HIV prevention method. 3700 risky, mainly homosexual and bisexual men are going to be enrolled through state-wide community of public intimate wellness centers and chosen GP techniques, potentially preventing almost 150 brand-new HIV attacks in these guys over a one-year duration.

EPIC-NSW brings together leaders from analysis, neighborhood, industry and community wellness sectors and in case successful, will pave how when it comes to extensive usage of PrEP.

“New Southern Wales has actually a strong track record in the reaction to HIV, and also this test sets us as much as continue the success story, ” stated Professor Cooper. “New Southern Wales Health have actually committed essential sources and attracted collectively crucial lovers. I’m excited to be working together with ACON, great Life NSW and ASHM. It Really Is this partnership approach this is the principal energy of the trial.”

This statement comes amidst growing telephone calls from gay and bisexual communities to boost use of PrEP in Australian Continent.

“PrEP is a game-changing, biomedical technique for gay and bisexual men to guard themselves through the chance of HIV disease, ” stated Professor Andrew Grulich, head associated with HIV Epidemiology and Prevention program within Kirby Institute. “But PrEP doesn't protect against other STIs, it is therefore nonetheless important to use condoms and to have regular testing for STIs.”

This test is sponsored because of the Kirby Institute at UNSW Australia. An important percentage of treatment for the trial is provided by Gilead Sciences.

Stakeholder quotes:

“ACON is happy become active in the historical task. The EPIC-NSW study will play an important role in aiding us realise our aim of getting rid of HIV transmission by 2020. Whenever we combine the projected influence of the initiative with this increasing rates of HIV testing among gay males and stronger uptake of therapy among people with HIV, we possess the prospective to produce the biggest lowering of HIV transmission rates in NSW for over two decades. This Will Be a remarkably exciting development in terms of the HIV prevention landscape.” Nicolas Parkhill, CEO of ACON – NSW’s leading HIV avoidance agency

“Positive Life is stoked up about the enhanced accessibility PrEP that'll enable individuals at high-risk of HIV illness to stay unfavorable. This enhanced option of PrEP to the community should begin to produce us from anxiety and concern with sending or obtaining HIV and advance the aim of the digital eradication of HIV by 2020.” Craig Cooper, CEO, Good Life NSW

“Gilead Sciences is pleased is employed in cooperation using the Kirby Institute to aid continuous clinical analysis to improve the comprehension, therapy and avoidance of HIV.” Rob Hetherington, General Manager, Gilead Sciences ANZ