Today, on World AIDS Day we are proud to present our "Rapid Assessment on Access to PrEP in EU/EEA Countries".
According to the latest ECDC/WHO HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report data “In 2021, sexual transmission between men was the most common mode in the EU/EEA and West”. Despite the fact that the burden of new HIV infections in the region continues to disproportionately affect gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and other key populations, most EU Member States have failed to scale up their prevention efforts, including the provision of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). There are major discrepancies between Member States, as only a few high-income countries are close to reaching their national HIV targets.
The slogan of this year’s World AIDS Day is #Equalize. Inequalities continue to be a reason, that we are not on track to end AIDS by 2030. On this day, we call on all European Union Member States to implement universal, free and low-threshold access to PrEP for all who are at risk of HIV, regardless of their legal and insurance status.
As part of our activities in our core thematic areas of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), affordability, and addressing legal and policy barriers to HIV services, AIDS Action Europe conducted a rapid assessment on the availability, accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of PrEP in the EU/EEA countries. Based on the information provided, we have prepared this report on the main findings to support advocacy efforts, at the national and regional level towards universal access to PrEP.
From August to October 2022, AAE invited its member organisations and partners based in one of the EU Member States to submit their responses on various aspects of availability, accessibility, affordability, and acceptability (AAAA) of PrEP in their national context.
