We know from previous studies that PrEP can effectively reduce the risk of HIV infection. Several countries have implemented PrEP programmes to provide the drug to individuals at high risk of HIV.  To plan a PrEP programme in England, NHS England and Local Authorities needed to know how many people need PrEP, how many will want to take it and for how long. In order to find this out, we are conducted this research. This study did not involve a placebo, so everyone who was enrolled in the trial had access to PrEP.

 

The PrEP Impact trial set out three important questions:

 

1. How many people attending sexual health clinics need PrEP?

 

2. How many of these start PrEP?

 

3. How long do they need PrEP for?

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We aimed to recruit 26,000 people to the trial over three years. HIV negative people attending sexual health clinics in England had their risk of acquiring HIV checked by the clinic staff. If the clinic staff considered an individual met the eligibility criteria for the trial and a are considered to be at high risk, they were offered PrEP . We measured how many attendees at sexual health clinics met eligibility criteria for PrEP, how many of these took up the offer of PrEP and how long they used PrEP for.

 

There were not any additional tests other than those already recommended routinely for the safe delivery of PrEP, including tests for STIs, hepatitis, HIV and monitoring of kidney function. Information about attendances and test results was collected through the existing information system that sexual health clinics use to report to Public Health England.