The document is a **US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement** on the use of **Preexposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)** to prevent the acquisition of HIV.

### Purpose of the Protocol:
The protocol aims to provide guidance on preventing HIV acquisition through the systematic use of antiretroviral therapy as a form of Preexposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). It responds to the high importance of HIV prevention due to the significant health consequences of the disease, despite it being treatable but incurable. Effective strategies for HIV prevention are deemed an important public health and clinical priority, highlighted by the stat that an estimated 1.2 million persons in the US currently live with HIV, and more than 760,000 have died from complications related to HIV since the first cases were reported in 1981.

### Studied Group:
The protocol targets **adolescents and adults who do not currently have HIV but are at increased risk of acquiring the virus**. The recommendation is informed by a commissioned systematic review evaluating the benefits and harms of PrEP with antiretroviral therapy for HIV prevention and the diagnostic accuracy of risk assessment tools to identify persons at increased risk.

### Recommended Actions:
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) **recommends that clinicians prescribe PrEP using effective antiretroviral therapy to the identified at-risk population** to decrease their risk of acquiring HIV. This recommendation is underpinned by a high certainty of substantial net benefit from the use of effective antiretroviral therapy for reducing the risk of HIV acquisition among persons at increased risk. Moreover, it emphasizes the importance of **counseling on antiretroviral medication adherence, safer sex practices including condom use, regular testing for HIV**, and other necessary testing as part of the prevention strategy.

This comprehensive approach underscores the need for a multifaceted strategy in HIV prevention, centered on the provision of PrEP to at-risk populations, alongside essential education and support on medication adherence and safer practices to maximize the benefit and effectively curb the acquisition of HIV
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