Prep For "straight" Guys?

[Guest]

Love the Pro’s

[bbpoznow]

last time I joined one of these discussions  I got band for a month , could happen again 

 

[bluedragon]

The OP, from 2015, lays out exactly why Prep is the solution to the problem of staying safe from HIV infection for guys who want to bareback (with whomever). Look at him tying himself in knots as he questions potential partners and then agonises over their language choices and whether he could be confident they were telling the full truth. He relies on stereotypes about his potential partners too as he does this. Not surprising he cockblocked himself so many times by asking too many awkward questions and then challenging the responses if he wasn't convinced.

A prep user takes responsibility for their health into their own hands. There is no longer any need to rely on partners telling the truth about themselves, or to try and work out whether they are a high-risk or low-risk group for HIV transmission (transwomen are a high-risk group). A man who has casual sex with cisgender women is in a lower-risk group, but I could understand why such a person might prefer to, and might feel safer being on Prep. In the UK, due to the relatively lower risk these men wouldn't be given free prep but it is reasonably simple to purchase from abroad (see iwantprepnow.co.uk, but be sure to consult a doctor at a sexual health clinic first just so that a routine test of kidney function can be made).

[BootmanLA]

On 4/26/2022 at 7:16 AM, bbpoznow said:

last time I joined one of these discussions  I got band for a month , could happen again 

*banned. And I'm certain it wasn't because you joined the discussion; it's presumably because what you posted when you chimed in was an infraction of the rules.

[fuckyouraw777]

On 4/26/2022 at 8:01 AM, BiCurious100 said:

Just to add, that in the UK, PrEP is ONLY given out free of charge for men who (only) have sex with men.  I recently started the process of going on PrEP myself and the first question that I was asked was my sexual history - when I said that I currently have only had sex with females (including bb sex with prostitutes), he said that PrEP wasn't available to me!!!  When I then said that I was exploring my bi-side and looking to start having sex with men, he then agreed that I could get free PrEP...  I now have an appointment to do the usual tests etc, before getting my first lot of PrEP.

 

I can't comment on the availability of (free) PrEP in other countries.

Exactly how they're meant to prove that one "only" has sex with men (or just women) is a little odd: what do they do? Put cameras up in all the brothels?

In my opinion the rules should be simple:

• Are you sexually active or believe you may be in the next year; and
• Do you want to minimise the risk of contracting HIV?

If you answer "yes" to both, then on you go.

I wonder - out loud - whether paying for PREP + the regular tests would amount to less over the average lifetime of a person than if someone contracted HIV and took the relevant antivirals and then died at whatever age they would assuming they kept their medication regime up? I would hazard a "yes".

Edited April 28, 2022 by fuckyouraw777
[add "just women"]

[fskn]

1 hour ago, fuckyouraw777 said:

Exactly how they're meant to prove that one "only" has sex with men (or just women) is a little odd: what do they do? Put cameras up in all the brothels?

In my opinion the rules should be simple:

• Are you sexually active or believe you may be in the next year; and
• Do you want to minimise the risk of contracting HIV?

If you answer "yes" to both, then on you go.

I wonder - out loud - whether paying for PREP + the regular tests would amount to less over the average lifetime of a person than if someone contracted HIV and took the relevant antivirals and then died at whatever age they would assuming they kept their medication regime up? I would hazard a "yes".

Well said!

I think it would be important to check an official, written source to fully understand PrEP coverage in the UK.

It is possible — just as happens here in the US — that some health practitioners are reluctant to prescribe PrEP even though it is indicated and would be covered.

A practitioner might be following outdated, unofficial, or made-up rules; might not have experience prescribing PrEP; might not have experience serving groups of patients likely to request PrEP; might not be familiar with research findings about PrEP; might be uncomfortable taking a sexual history; and might have a [non-scientific] bias against PrEP, against PrEP users, or against sex itself. (This last one, anti-sex bias, is particularly likely in the UK. I grew up in Canada when it was still legally and culturally British, and I could tell you horror stories about the society's views on sexuality.)

In the US, the CDC PrEP guidelines, updated in 2021, provide clear guidance about who should receive PrEP and which PrEP products are appropriate for which patient groups (the US leads the world in having 3 approved HIV PrEP products, Truvada/generic, Descovy, and Apretude, the new 2-month injectable for prevention). The CDC says to inform "[a]ll sexually active adults and adolescents" about PrEP and "[p]rescribe if requested", even if a patient is not in a high-risk category designated in the assessment flowchart.

Similarly, the US preventive care mandate is unequivocal: virtually all health insurance plans must cover PrEP at no out-of-pocket cost — no deductible, no flat-dollar copayment, no percentage coinsurance. This applies to the prescription, the office visits, and the tests.

Despite the clear guidelines, plenty of Americans still report trouble getting their regular medical practitioners to prescribe PrEP, and/or trouble getting their insurers to cover the full cost. Even though the details will vary in other countries, similar gaps between current policy and actual practice are likely.

Only if we go straight to the source and challenge our providers and insurers — or find better providers (as well as better insurers, in the US case), will we get the care we need and deserve. Our long-term health is worth the effort.

One last point is that at least one very-low-cost generic version of Truvada, made in India by Aurobindo, is approved and available in the US. The retail price is just over $1 per pill, which amounts to less than $35 per month for patient groups (like cisgender women) who cannot use intermittent dosing. For those who can, the cost drops to under $5 for one day of sexual activity in seven days (add $1 for each consecutive day of sexual activity).

In high-income countries other than the US, unapproved generics have been available through unofficial channels (foreign mail order) for years, but it's likely that low-cost generics are now receiving approval. Combining an approved low-cost generic with free or low-cost testing in community clinics means that PrEP is available even when official coverage options fall through (or aren't pursued).

[BiCurious100]

11 hours ago, fuckyouraw777 said:

Exactly how they're meant to prove that one "only" has sex with men (or just women) is a little odd: what do they do? Put cameras up in all the brothels?

In my opinion the rules should be simple:

• Are you sexually active or believe you may be in the next year; and
• Do you want to minimise the risk of contracting HIV?

If you answer "yes" to both, then on you go.

I wonder - out loud - whether paying for PREP + the regular tests would amount to less over the average lifetime of a person than if someone contracted HIV and took the relevant antivirals and then died at whatever age they would assuming they kept their medication regime up? I would hazard a "yes".

Yes, I fully agree with you - I was very  surprised when they said to me that free PrEP was only available to men who have sex with other men.  They were going to refuse me PrEP, when I advised that I fucked females and they only then agreed that I could have free PrEP, when I said that I was bi.

 

As you say, in reality, there is no way that they can prove or disprove who you have sex with, so I guess that it's a case of them 'ticking the boxes' by asking (they have to work within NHS 'guidelines' and you have to 'qualify' for 'free' PrEP).  The questions that I was asked, in this telephone call, were all 'scripted', in order to ensure that the required criteria was met...

 

As a UK tax-payer, I pay into the NHS, as part of mandantory taxes that I pay; therefore, the 'free PrEP' isn't actually free!  Hetrosexuals, that are also tax-payers in the UK, also pay the same taxes towards the NHS, so I personally believe that they should also qualify for PrEP on the NHS anyway.  I'm shocked, but not surprised, that they are allowed to discriminate in this way.

 

My post was mainly to advise people, who are UK based, that if they want to get PrEP on the NHS, then they need to ensure that they specify that they have sex with men.

 

[BootmanLA]

4 hours ago, BiCurious100 said:

As a UK tax-payer, I pay into the NHS, as part of mandantory taxes that I pay; therefore, the 'free PrEP' isn't actually free!  Hetrosexuals, that are also tax-payers in the UK, also pay the same taxes towards the NHS, so I personally believe that they should also qualify for PrEP on the NHS anyway.  I'm shocked, but not surprised, that they are allowed to discriminate in this way.

That's an understandable perspective, but it's an expensive drug; and when the cost is high, that's a constraint on supply, because the government can't buy an infinite amount of it. So whenever supplies are constrained, it makes sense, from a public health perspective, to prioritize giving it to the people who are most at risk - which is men having sex with men, at least in western countries.

It's kind of like how the Covid vaccines were rolled out first to the oldest and most vulnerable populations (because supply was limited), and it was opened up to more and eventually to all once the supply was sufficient. It may be that once enough people are on PrEP and costs of HIV treatment level off (because fewer people are getting infected) PrEP can be expanded to more populations. That, or the funding could be increased.

[BiCurious100]

20 hours ago, BootmanLA said:

That's an understandable perspective, but it's an expensive drug; and when the cost is high, that's a constraint on supply, because the government can't buy an infinite amount of it. So whenever supplies are constrained, it makes sense, from a public health perspective, to prioritize giving it to the people who are most at risk - which is men having sex with men, at least in western countries.

It's kind of like how the Covid vaccines were rolled out first to the oldest and most vulnerable populations (because supply was limited), and it was opened up to more and eventually to all once the supply was sufficient. It may be that once enough people are on PrEP and costs of HIV treatment level off (because fewer people are getting infected) PrEP can be expanded to more populations. That, or the funding could be increased.

Yep and there might even be a HIV vaccine, within a few years (trials have already started); so the cost of these drugs should go down.  In the meantime, I'm glad that I can get PrEP...

 

[Guest]

On 9/19/2015 at 11:36 PM, disorder said:

Still curious as to what everyones thoughts are. Since this post I've had 3 partners bareback, all F, but have been strongly considering a few TS's for BB play. TS's can be a bit shady in the NE US and often run scams so I am cautious and it usually doesn't pan out. Either they are way to sketchy, want $, dont wanna BB, are ok with BB but are openly poz., or clearly lieing about HIV status. I've also considered maybe being on the recipent end of a glory hole. I have a few F FWB's that I take to the local booths who do it bb and am getting curious.

Just go to your doctor and tell him you are bisexual, and have unsafe sex as bottom and top with shemales, drag queens/female impersonators, and post-op TS women and that you want to take prep.  I have read that more TS/TG women and men are poz, than most gay men are and the HIV/STD rate among gay and bisexual men is very high.

You can also go to a local HIV/STD testing center as many of these places will give bisexual and gay men prep for free, or at a greatly reduced price.

Edited April 30, 2022 by TotalTop

[MikeyM]

On 4/25/2022 at 7:27 PM, fskn said:

For others who might be worried about having HIV and STI tests, treatment, and PrEP in their medical records, please seek out community clinics. You are welcome at GLBT clinics even if you identify as straight.

Clinics offer free or low-cost testing without billing insurance, and they have "navigators" who can help you find suitable low- or no-cost options for PrEP, again, without relying on insurance.

Quick question: Do you recommend any community clinics like what you've described in the SF Bay Area, particularly in the South Bay? Thanks!