Despite education and prevention messages worldwide regarding HIV transmission, vulnerable groups continue to acquire HIV infection. Many studies in different risk groups have shown that HIV medications taken before exposure (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis or PrEP) reduce the subsequent risk of HIV acquisition. The PROUD Study involving men who have sex with men demonstrated an 86% reduction in risk of HIV acquisition in England. Taken correctly, PrEP can effectively reduce HIV acquisition risk to zero. A combination nucleoside drug Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine) is currently approved for the indication of PrEP. The challenge now is to safely implement such initiatives in a variety of real world settings.

It is important to monitor the success of these new preventative strategies in ‘real world’ settings, and to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of such approaches. Not all risk groups are being offered these preventive treatments, and not all countries can afford to implement such an intervention. It will be important to review the pilot studies that have been done in different risk populations and different geographical and economic settings, to review ‘best practice’ and lessons learned. Sharing these lessons learned will support implementation of PrEP programs worldwide.

This Research Topic seeks articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Success of well-established PrEP programs enrolling men who have sex with men and transgender women with an emphasis on long-term prospective follow-up;
• Expanding services to other at-risk populations e.g. commercial sex workers and injecting drug users;
• Combined testing and PrEP programs in settings outside of acute or ambulatory hospitals/community settings;
• The role of the nurse specialist and allied health care workers in delivering PrEP services;
• Models of care in low-middle income countries;
• Understanding complications and adverse events associated with PrEP;
• Understanding barriers to PrEP among sub-populations.

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Frontiers in Public Health

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