Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether covid-19 lockdown restrictions have affected the ability of people to participate in PrEP impact trials.
In total 22,525 people were enrolled on the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Impact Trial to June 2020.
Recruitment to the trial slowed during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the Government’s advice for people to socially distance and stay at home. Arrangements were put in place during this period to enable those enrolled on the trial to access longer drug prescriptions and to order sexually transmitted infection tests online to reduce the need for face to face appointments.
The Trial is monitored by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). In addition, the PrEP Programme Oversight Board, which includes representatives from the Department, NHS England and NHS Improvement, Public Health England, the NIHR, the trial team and the community, has continued to meet virtually during the pandemic to provide support to the ongoing operation of the trial.