KIMT News Three – From sexually transmitted disease to unplanned pregnancies, and possibly cancer-causing viruses, new ways exist to fight the unknown in risky physical relationships.
Joey Konkel of Minneapolis said over two years ago he started PrEP, which stands for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, and is prescribed to Truvada. It’s when you take a medicine that was designed to treat a disease, in this case Truvada for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and you use it for protection.
“I wanted to be more protected and I wanted to take control of my health,” said Konkel. “It’s an extra safety net to have to have to protect you. I mean condoms are not 100 effective, it’s a fact.”
Konkel said it helps for those who may be single or sexually active and not necessarily monogamous.
Research shows more than a million people are living in the United States with HIV, and 1 out of 8 people not knowing they’re infected.
“You instantly have a fear in your mind, you instantly feel bad,” said Konkel. “And you’re scared that you think, ‘I could after that one time have HIV. I could have contracted HIV and it could change my life forever’.”
Konkel said for him, that’s not an issue. “With Truvada, the fear is completely gone.”
Konkel said with Truvada, he’s completely in control of his negative HIV status, especially with the regular check ups that come along with being prescribed to the medication.
“I have to go to the doctor every three months and get a full STD scan and HIV test,” said Konkel.
Konkel said from talking with other people, he’s found there are more than a few doctors hesitant about prescribing PrEP.
Internal Medicine Physician Burt Humburg in Mason City said there’s somewhere between 44,000-45,000 new cases of HIV every year. He said Truvada has been around for about 20 years to help prevent HIV, and only has been used in recent years to prevent the virus. Humburg said he thinks PrEP could take a dent out of new cases of HIV.
Humburg said any general health provider who is qualified to write a prescription can prescribe PrEP.
Most private healthcare insurance programs will cover PrEP. If taken correctly and consistently, PrEP is 92%-99% effective in reducing your risk for HIV.
Humburg said Truvada is just another tool in the toolbox to keep everyone safe. It blocks the pathways that HIV uses to set up infection.
“Let’s say the man is HIV positive and the woman is HIV negative and they want to have children,” said Humburg. “Put the woman on PrEP, she starts taking Truvada, then they have the kid the usual way and everyone remains healthy.”
Truvada isn’t the only medicine out there created to help people remain healthy. The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine became available within the last 10 years.
Cerro Gordo County Public Health Disease Prevention Specialist Betty Krones said HPV is a common virus.
Research shows nearly 80 million people or one in four people in the United States are currently infected. There’s about 14 million people including teenagers who become infected with HPV each year.
But for many, it’s controversial and the controversy surrounds how the disease spreads.
“Just because it’s a cancer acquired through sex shouldn’t be barrier to parents vaccinating their children for this disease,” said Krones.
There are around 30 different types of HPV that are sexually transmitted. Doctors said it can cause cancers of the cervix and vagina in women, cancers of the penis in men, as well as cancers of the anus and back of the throat. Krones believes the vaccine can help stop the spread.
The recommendation by health professionals is to treat a person with the HPV vaccine while they’re young, even if that’s difficult to do.
“It’s not that were giving them permission to sexually active, it’s saying ‘hey, I think sometime in your life you will meet that right person and you will be sexual active and I want to protect you, I don’t want you to get cancer because of that’,” said Krones.
Krones said another medical advancements that has helped many people, including young adults, is the morning-after pill.
“The morning-after pill is not designed to be someone’s full-fledged birth control,” said Krones. “It’s about when used properly, it’s about 89% effective.”
Krones said other forms of contraceptives like regular birth control, the implant, or the shot are much more effective when used as directed.
“It’s designed when your birth control fails,” said Krones. “Maybe you forgot to take a pill, maybe the condom broke. There’s different scenarios, that’s when the morning-after pill becomes another tool in the toolbox.”
Mason City Clinic infectious disease physician Sandra Crosara said while having these advancements really brings added protection in risky sexual behavior, the only way to really prevent it all, including STI’s like Chlamydia or Gonorrhea is being celibate. Crosara said because that may not be a choice for many, she suggested barrier methods.
“Barrier methods, that’s the best way to prevent all of this things, even prevent some viral infections too, including HIV and Hepatitis B transmission,” said Crosara. “Barrier methods are the consensual methods, that are best.”
Krones as long as you’re being proactive, you’re one step ahead. “You’re the person that’s trying to take control of their health.”
“Taking that pill (Truvada), pretty much guarantees as long as you adhere to the daily regiment, that you’re going to be protected and that you’re going to stay HIV negative,” said Konkel. “That’s what we’re trying to do, is decrease the HIV outbreaks.”