The Impact of PrEP

Though more than two million people in the US are HIV positive — with more cases diagnosed each year — the human immunodeficiency virus no longer grabs headlines. A pill that helps prevent HIV isn’t grabbing headlines either.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) wants to spread the word about this pill, an oral preexposure prophylaxis known as PrEP, but figuring out the best way to reach the target populations is a challenge.

Through a five-year CDC contract, UW professor Steve Goodreau and colleagues at Emory University are analyzing populations that would benefit from the medication and are predicting the pill’s potential impact based on a range of variables. They are now looking at the costs and benefits of approving...