2016-02-11
Australian Greens sexuality spokesperson Senator Robert Simms is calling on the government to expedite removing the barriers preventing people from accessing HIV prevention medication, PrEP, following news that a decision on the drug won't be made until May.
Senator Simms questioned the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA) in the Community Affairs estimates hearing last night on the availability of PrEP in Australia and whether trials in NSW, QLD and Vic would be expanded to all states.
"In November of last year, the senate passed my motion calling on the government to look at regulatory barriers for access to PrEP, rapid HIV tests and home self-tests, and last night we heard the TGA's deadline to make PrEP available in Australia was pushed back from March to May.
"In the meantime the Government needs to step in and do all it can to speed up this process and to ensure that this new deadline is not missed. People have the right to have control over their own health, yet even when legally importing PrEP to Australia, the drugs are held up in customs.
"The Australian Greens are pushing for federal funding to help expand state trials to up to 10,000 people across the country, plus the expedition of the Therapeutic Goods Administration's review process and removal of other barriers to rapid HIV tests and home self-tests."
Media contact: Amy Moran 0417 173 508