Willingness to prescribe Truvada (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine) as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to adolescents and young adults was high in a recent survey of physicians who work with those populations.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Truvada for use among adolescents.

Publishing their findings in the Journal of Adolescent Health, researchers conducted an online survey of physicians working with adolescents (13- to 17-year-olds) and young adults (18- to 26-year-olds). The study authors found the survey participants through the Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine.

Seventeen percent of those approached with the survey responded, resulting in a group of 162 physicians.

A total of 93.2 percent of the physicians had heard of PrEP and 35.2 percent had prescribed it. Ninety-five percent agreed that PrEP prevents HIV; 77.8 percent said they would prescribe it to young adults; and 64.8 percent said they would prescribe it to adolescents.

Those who believed they had enough knowledge to safely prescribe PrEP were 2.1 times more likely to be willing to prescribe it to young adults and 5.2 times more likely to prescribe it to adolescents. Those who believed that adolescents would be adherent to PrEP were 3 times more likely to prescribe it to that age group.

To read the study abstract, click here.