The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its webpage titled “Effectiveness of Prevention Strategies to Reduce the Risk of Acquiring or Transmitting HIV.” The webpage features tables that summarize the latest evidence for key HIV prevention strategies such as anti-retroviral therapy (ART), pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and condoms. These updated tables reflect the most recently published scientific literature and provide the effectiveness of each strategy when used optimally.
Evidence shows there are now more options than ever before to effectively reduce a person’s risk for acquiring or transmitting HIV. For example, when PrEP is taken daily, it is about 99% effective in preventing HIV acquisition during sex. Although the prevention effectiveness for condom use varies by population, consistent and correct condom use is also highly effective at preventing HIV. For persons taking ART as prescribed and achieving and maintaining viral suppression, there is effectively no risk of transmitting HIV through sex.
