House of Lords debate on the elimination of HIV infection in the UK

Local government has collaborated with health and community partners to make the best use of resources, and ensure people receive the necessary advice and treatment when needed.

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Key messages

It is estimated that 103,700 people in the UK have HIV. Around 17 per cent of these people, 18,100 in total, do not know they have it and are at risk of passing the virus on to others. They are also unable to benefit from effective treatments.

The lifetime costs for someone diagnosed with HIV is on average £350,000 per person. Each year councils are investing millions (£600 million) in preventative services. We are doing so, not only because it is cost-effective and saves money in the long term, but because it significantly improves people's general health and wellbeing.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a new HIV prevention approach where at risk HIV-negative individuals use anti-HIV medications to reduce their risk of becoming infected. Access to PrEP treatment could prevent the spread of HIV and potentially save lives.

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