What is Generic PrEP Medication?
Published: 04, Apr 2023
Pre-exposure prophylaxis, sometimes known as PrEP, is a treatment option for those who are worried about their risk of developing HIV. If used properly, the drug PrEP can significantly lower your chance of developing HIV. But did you know that generic versions of PrEP are already accessible? This article will define generic PrEP, describe how it functions, and discuss the advantages of using it to prevent HIV.
What is medication for generic PrEP?
A type of PrEP drug known as generic PrEP is made by a different company than the brand-name variety. Although Gilead Sciences produces the brand-name PrEP under the name Truvada, there are now a number of generic equivalents on the market. These generics, which are marketed under several brand names, have the same active components as Truvada, namely tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine.
How Does a Generic Prescription for PrEP Work?
PrEP works by preventing the body’s ability to reproduce HIV. The HIV virus has the ability to enter your body and begin replicating if you are exposed to it. Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine, two medications found in the PrEP medicine, can prevent the virus from multiplying and spreading within your body. The virus cannot spread an infection if it cannot replicate.
It’s critical to understand that PrEP is not an HIV cure. Using PrEP won’t get rid of HIV if you already have it. Only new HIV infections can be prevented using PrEP.
What Advantages Do Generic PrEP Drugs Offer?
The use of generic PrEP for HIV prevention has a number of advantages:
Generic PrEP is more affordable for people without insurance or with high copays because it is often less expensive than the brand-name version.
PrEP is becoming more generally accessible to those who may not have previously had access to it as more generic forms of the drug become available.
Research has revealed that Truvada and generic PrEP drugs with the same active components are equally effective at preventing HIV infection.
Since generic PrEP is an HIV prevention solution that may be taken once daily in pill form, it is a convenient choice.
Conclusion
PrEP can be a useful tool to lower your risk of developing HIV if you are at risk. And now that generic PrEP medications are readily available, more people may now afford it and access it. Whether PrEP is good for you and which option is best for your requirements should be discussed with your healthcare practitioner. Note that PrEP can be used in conjunction with safe sex behaviours like using condoms to significantly lower your risk of catching HIV. PrEP is not a replacement for these measures, however.
