However,\u00a0 <\/em>the report goes on to say:<\/p>\n HIV prevalence was significantly higher among PrEP users compared to individuals who were not on PrEP. The investigators stress this does not show PrEP failure but is likely due to factors such as poor medication adherence and lack of engagement with healthcare providers.<\/em><\/p>\n It is imperative to recognize that our findings reflect challenges to maintain proper usage of PrEP rather than biological failure of PrEP to protect against HIV,\u201d write the authors. \u201cHIV infections that have occurred among PrEP users are the result of suboptimal levels of drug concentrations because of challenges in adhering to PrEP medical regimens.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Black MSM account for the largest proportion of new HIV infections in the US. If current epidemiological trends continue, 60% of black MSM will be HIV positive by the age of 40. Tackling the HIV epidemic among black MSM is therefore an urgent public health priority.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe impact of HIV in the lives of Black gay<\/a> men<\/a> is as much a story of moral failure as policy failure,\u201d Charles Stephens of the Counter Narrative<\/a> told Towleroad<\/em>.\u00a0 \u201cAny discussion around how HIV impacts the lives of Black gay<\/a> men<\/a>, must center racial justice. In the public health conversation, we are far too often blamed for the health outcomes we experience, rather than the failures of health care institutions. This has everything to do with race. Any programmatic, clinical or policy agenda to address HIV among Black gay<\/a> men<\/a>\u00a0 must center our human dignity, be informed by our culture, address systemic barriers rather than individual behaviors, and resist deficit based messaging and pathological narratives about our community.\u201d<\/p>\n Stephens added that he would caution against blaming Black gay<\/a> men<\/a> for \u201clack of adherence\u201d and not sufficiently engaging healthcare providers, as to why the study found higher HIV prevalence among PrEP users compared to those not on PrEP . \u201cWe must ask harder questions of healthcare providers, including what efforts have been taken to eliminate institutional barriers to care for Black gay<\/a> men<\/a>. And are the service providers offering PrEP culturally literate on working with Black gay<\/a> men<\/a>?\u201d<\/p>\n The post HIV Rates Rise Among Black Gay Men On PrEP<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad Gay News<\/a>.<\/p>\n