PrEPster applauds England PrEP decision
PrEPster welcomes the announcement by the Department of Health and Social Care of funding to enable a roll out of PrEP across England. The announcement comes as HIV prevention activists have raised increasing concerns about PrEP availability, as the PrEP IMPACT Trial moves to its close. PrEPster salutes and applauds the thousands of activists and individuals who have pushed for this decision.
Will Nutland, co-founder of PrEPster said: “After over 5 years of fighting, including two court cases, individuals having to rely on buying PrEP online, or on a Trial that has often been full, we applaud that a decision has finally been made about funding PrEP in England. It is right that cash-strapped local authorities that are struggling to maintain levels of services in many areas, including public health, should be finally receiving additional funding to provide their component of a PrEP service.”
Phil Samba, Strategic Lead for Queer Men of Colour said: “It is vital that the new PrEP service does not reinforce current health inequalities. Investment must be increased to ensure that those who most need PrEP know about it, can access it, and – where appropriate – are supported in using it.”
Marc Thompson, co-founder of PrEPster said: “In addition, we support calls for robust and proper investment in our creaking sexual health services, including proper investment in clinical services, peer services, and health promotion programmes. Those services are facing the fallout of austerity and we should have a sexual health service that can provide PrEP – and all other sexual health services – to everyone who needs them.