I assumed you meant black market because you specified “from India”. There are several generic PrEP options available in the US from multiple countries (including India) that go through strict US regulations and are completely reasonable options. No one should order straight from India for personal use outside of a pharmacy or medical practice if it can be prevented.

This is a nice study on use of PrEP and overall effective coverage. As you can see, very few people developed HIV during this study, and most people were covered throughout their sexual activity, with more coverage among those taking daily PrEP.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jia2.25795

PrEP of either type can and should be considered for those who qualify, and one may be better than the other for individual reasons.

On demand works, but daily is better for people who want the most protection. I wouldn’t buy pills from India unless out of other options (many local groups will fund these medications without having to resort to black market pills). India doesn’t have the same regulatory standards we do and it can have deadly consequences.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/03/world/asia/india-gambia-cough-syrup.amp.html

Edit: I’d also note that on demand isn’t the best option for people who use injection drugs because we don’t have enough data to show it can be effective.

Valacyclovir isn’t good for PrEP, but it is very good at preventing outbreaks and further transmission

Usually you switch meds, because there are multiple options now

Whoaaaa there, the donor has almost no mortality risk. The risk is entirely on the recipient.

Yes exactly. It’s not readily commercially available to my knowledge

All medications have benefits and possible risks. That’s why they are recommended for some people and not everyone

There is no commercial test as far as I’m aware. You’d have to talk to your doctor to see if you’re a candidate for PrEP

Yup!

Reagan may not have been trying to help, but a lot of other people have been pouring their lives and energy into making this happen.

Of note:

This “stem cell treatment” is a bone marrow transplant. The procedure itself comes with a 10% mortality rate, which is why this was only done because this man had HIV AND a serious blood cancer that would have killed him. His donor had a rare mutation that makes him resistant to HIV, which is why this has functionally been a cure. Most people will not qualify for this treatment unless they are very unlucky, and even then you have to find a matching donor who is resistant to HIV. But the good news is that this treatment cured his HIV and cancer!

A handful of people have been cured this way.

BUT THERE IS BETTER NEWS:

The HIV treatments currently available are expected to give people living with HIV COMPLETELY NORMAL LIFESPANS.

Additionally, with these medications, most people can become undetectable, meaning their HIV is controlled to a point where they have too little of the virus to spread it to others!

EVEN BETTER:

We now have PrEP, which is a medication that can prevent infection in the first place. If you’re a gay, bi, or other man who has sex with men, or you have a partner who has HIV, or you use injectable non-prescribed drugs, you meet criteria for PrEP and can take a pill a day to prevent HIV.