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UK Court Okays National Health Care System Covering PrEP

An estimated 14,000 people would be eligible for PrEP in England.

The Court of Appeal in the UK has ruled that NHS England legally has the power to fund PrEP for those at high risk for HIV.

Back in August the NHS England announced that it would not provide funding for PrEP "because it was wrong to classify PrEP as preventative, given that it acts in the body to treat infection."

Now the Court has ruled that the drug actually falls within the remit of the NHS.

According to the BBC, "NHS England said the judgment confirmed that it had the ability, but not the obligation, to fund Prep. An NHS spokesman said it would now formally consider whether to fund the drug."

An estimated 14,000 people would be eligible for PrEP in England.

NHS England posted the following update on their website:

In the light of the Court ruling we will therefore now quickly take three actions. First, we will formally consider whether to fund PreP. Second, we will discuss with local authorities how NHS-funded PreP medication could be administered by the sexual health teams they commission. Third, we will immediately ask the drug manufacturer to reconsider its currently proposed excessively high pricing, and will also explore options for using generics. We expect to be able to update on these developments shortly.

"We now hope this decision will provide much-needed clarity around the roles of councils and the NHS on prevention services," said Izzi Seccombe, chairman of the Local Government Association's community wellbeing board.

"It is time for NHS England to stop delaying and finally determine whether to commission this treatment, which could greatly reduce the risk of HIV infection."

h/t: GayStarNews

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