To follow theme of our recently published Healthy Generations: MCH in the New Era of HIV, we will be posting articles, pictures, organizations, and advocacy efforts addressing HIV issues today. Come back, check-out the blog, and keep updated on the posts!

The New York Times has published an article addressing current research in HIV prevention, especially in the GLBT community. Truvada, a daily antiretroviral medication, has been shown to be effective in reducing HIV transmission in men who have sex with men up to 90%. Where no developed vaccination exists, a drug that can prevent transmission between infected and non-infected individuals excites the HIV research community.

Ethical considerations have framed the debate of the drug: Is it fair to give medication to people who are HIV negative when so many positive tested individuals do not have access to care? If a participant knows they are on Truvada, are they more likely to engage in risky behaviors; Truvada’s effectiveness, as well as research results, depend on adherence of the individual. Despite controversy, clinical trials are underway in the U.S. and have been studied on heterosexual and sexually active young adults in Africa. This new discovery may help prevent up to 50,000 new HIV infections annually in the United States.

To view the original article and the drug’s ethical debates in research and distribution, see: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/health/11hiv.html?pagewanted=1