Project
PrEP Power
Shaping the Future of HIV Prevention for Key Populations
Overview
Advances in long-acting PrEP represent unprecedented opportunities to bend the curve of the HIV epidemic, if unprecedented investment and coordination focus on reaching key populations (KPs). Key populations, including gay men and other men who have sex with men, trans and gender non-binary individuals, sex workers, and people who use drugs, are consistently marginalized from health services. While they account for 55% of people acquiring HIV globally, and 80% outside of sub-Saharan Africa, UNAIDS data show only 40% of men who have sex with men, 39% of transgender individuals, 39% of people who inject drugs, and 50% of sex workers who were at risk of HIV were accessing effective prevention. Reaching these communities is central to making a meaningful impact in the reduction of HIV incidence globally.
About this Project
PrEP Power, a project led by Global Black Gay Men Connect (GBGMC), supported by the Global Key Population Advisory Group (KPAG), and with technical support from AVAC, is spearheading efforts to ensure KPs have equitable and effective access to the full range of HIV prevention options, including long-acting PrEP.
PrEP Power will coordinate market assessments, demand forecasting, human centered design research, community education, and demand generation to address barriers to long-acting PrEP access by KPs.
Gathering the right data and committing resources to fully understand how to deliver new prevention options, such as injectable cabotegravir (CAB), the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR), and lenacapavir (LEN), and perhaps the monthly oral pill MK-8527 in the future if successful in the current trials, could increase effective HIV prevention coverage among KP communities.
Impact
AVAC’s support of this project will help uncover some of the major factors that support or obstruct PrEP access for KPs, help create accurate demand forecasts to support efficient production of long-acting PrEP, and ultimately, increase access to and uptake of long-acting PrEP.
More Information
To ask questions or for additional information, reach out to Cat Verde Hashim at catherine@avac.org.