Abstracts

88 PrEP offers no immediate relief for clinics, it is hoped that it will reduce the number of HIV tests required and eventually reduce the number of those seeking treatment for HIV. The pros of taking PrEP outweigh the risk of developing resistance. In addition to the benefits of PrEP, it also is feasible and cost efficient in South Africa. The medication can be distributed easily at already existing facilities and can be adhered to as long as individuals understand their risk factors and how to best use their chosen form of PrEP. Many manufacturers source their materials through sellers with royalty-free agreements that are more cost efficient than other vendors (International Partnership for Microbicides, 2010). The International Partnership for Microbicides also is working to develop a three- month vaginal ring to replace their one-month ring, which would further reduce materials and costs required for protection. These are just two examples of the ways in which manufacturers and distributors are working to reduce costs to make PrEP even more cost efficient than its initial daily pill form. As it stands, with only the daily-pill PrEP available, PrEP is expected to pay substantial dividends in terms of HIV cases avoided and the associated health care costs. Over the next five years, PrEP would cost about $6 billion for 50% of all eligible women, a mere fraction of the total budget for the fight against HIV in that time span (Walkensky et al., 2012, p. 1505). PrEP will be effective in the fight against HIV, and it will be cost efficient initially and even more so in the long run. Conclusion All available evidence suggests that PrEP should be the clear first choice in South Africa’s battle to defeat HIV. The use of PrEP, in any of its forms, will begin to empower women especially, by giving them back some control over their bodies in a society that does everything to take that away while simultaneously working directly to end the HIV epidemic. Racism and a patriarchal society have marginalized black and colored South African women and created the perfect environment for an epidemic to thrive. To date, the epidemic has been brought under control, but the strategy must change to bring it to an end. The best way to fight an incurable disease that destroys the immune system is to prevent individuals from acquiring the disease. PrEP is a cost-efficient and effective method to both end the epidemic and make progress toward eliminating the sociocultural factors that allowed it to flourish.