Brazil Provides Free Antiretroviral Drug to Combat HIV Crisis

Brazilian officials are taking the H.I.V. epidemic head on, stocking pharmacy shelves with free antiretroviral drugs proven to prevent infections and the spread of the deadly disease.

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A small blue pill, known as PrEP or pre-exposure prophylaxis, works as a preventative drug and a month’s supply can cost up to $2,000 dollars.

However, through a deal with U.S. drug manufacturer Gilead Science, the Brazilian Health Ministry has successfully introduced the antiretroviral drug into 35 public health clinics in 22 cities at around 75 cents a dose.

“Our hope is that with PrEP and other measures we can reduce the rate of new infections, but it’s a big challenge,” said Adele Benzaken, the director of Brazil’s AIDS department at Health Ministry, adding she hopes to bring the purchasing price down even further.

For years, Brazil has stood out in its preventive methods to control the outbreak of HIV contamination. The nation buys and distributes more condoms than any other country and first began distributing antiretroviral drugs in 2013.

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Statistics show the disease has almost tripled over the last decade, with an average of 6.9 cases per 100,000 specifically among men between the ages 15-19, U.N. Aids reports. The rate has almost doubled among men aged 20 to 24 with 33.1 cases per 100,000 Brazilians.

The majority of infections appeared between heterosexual partners, transgenders, and couples where one of the two had already contracted HIV from a previous interaction.  Last year, nearly 48,000 new cases of HIV were reported with 14,000 deaths from HIV.

Experts say that unlike condoms, PrEP eliminates the need for a partner’s approval and allows the user to take complete control of their health without any concerns. The recommended daily dose provides a high level of protection around T-cells in the body and works as an antiretroviral similar to an antimalarial tablet, preventing any infection from replicating.

“With the addition of PrEP, Brazil is using all of the strategies that we recommend,” said U.N.AIDS director in Brazil, Georgiana Braga-Orillard. “This is a large-scale operation, and Brazil could become an example to all of Latin America that we need to see an integrated approach.”

Records show that 60 percent of adults received antiretroviral medication in 2016, while another 37 percent of children have been treated. Authorities hope the ease of access will encourage Brazilians to incorporate the drug into their daily routine.