An experimental “morning after” drug treatment that can prevent the onset of HIV is being offered to the general public at Beth Israel Medical Center.
The emergency treatment, until recently available only to health-care professionals accidentally exposed to HIV, has to be started within 72 hours of exposure to the deadly virus to be effective.
Called post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, it uses a mix of the same powerful, toxic drugs given to people with AIDS.
Studies have shown that the potent drug combination can reduce the chance of HIV infection by more than 80 percent.
Beth Israel is currently the only area hospital that makes PEP available to the general public.
While enthusiastic about the treatment, hospital officials warn that it’s not a substitute for safe sex.
“PEP is not some sort of morning-after alternative; it’s no substitute for latex condoms and good sense,” said Dr. Gabriel Torres, one of the HIV-drug program’s directors.
“But the reality is sometimes, people do engage in high-risk behaviors or are accidentally exposed to HIV when a condom breaks. We need to find a way to help them reduce their risk of developing this terrible disease.”
Anyone who fears they’ve been exposed to HIV can call Beth Israel’s 24-hour HIV clinic hot line to talk to a screening counselor, who weeds out people with unlikely risk behavior, such as kissing.
Those reporting high-risk exposure to HIV – such as unsafe sex or IV drug use – within the previous 72 hours are immediately scheduled for an in-person evaluation and HIV test.
If the test results are positive, it’s too late for the treatment to work.
If the results are negative, patients are put on powerful anti-HIV drugs to ward off infection.
The standard PEP regime uses the anti-viral drugs AZT and 3TC for 30 days, often combined with a powerful new class of anti-HIV drugs such as Sustiva.
Side effects can be severe, including nausea, headaches and hallucinations.
Health insurance sometimes covers the treatment, which includes about $2,500 in drugs, as well as lab tests, doctors’ visits and psychological counseling.
Beth Israel currently is looking into funding that would provide the treatment free of charge.
Anthony, a 42-year-old Internet entrepreneur, enrolled in a PEP trial program at Beth Israel several months ago, after he found out his sex partner was HIV-positive.
“I was shaking so much from fright that I thought I was going to get into an accident driving into the city,” said Anthony, who lives in New Jersey.
He was immediately put on the anti-viral drugs, and is still HIV-negative.
But he says the 30 days he spent undergoing the treatment were no picnic.
“It’s a good incentive to practice safe sex,” Anthony said.
“I suffered such bad nausea and dizziness, I couldn’t even go to work. I kept thinking, thank God I’m on these pills only for a month, rather than the rest of my life.”
The clinic’s hot-line number is (212) 420-5657.