GEMS – May 2016

GEMS informs policies and defines programmatic considerations related to use of ARV-based HIV prevention products and risk of resistance.

• Information from PrEP trials and demo projects gathered.
• Model assumptions analysis ongoing.
• Policy and implementation steering committee convened.
• Country-specific PrEP guidance reviewed.
• Determination of sample collection methods underway.

Information from PrEP trials and demo projects gathered. The GEMS team is working with OPTIONS and other partners to compile information about the current status of resistance evaluation in seroconverters from ongoing and completed PrEP trials and demonstration projects.

Model assumptions analysis ongoing. The team is reviewing model assumptions relating to drug resistance and PrEP and will update the model based on new available data.

Policy and implementation steering committee convened. The GEMS steering committee met to discuss in-country activities related to PrEP roll out and resistance testing. The steering committee includes MPii colleagues and PrEP implementers from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya.

Country-specific PrEP guidance reviewed. The team is researching country guidance documents related to PrEP use and HIV testing and working with WHO to review current recommendations for HIV testing frequency while using PrEP. The GEMS team also participated in the WHO’s PrEP Implementation Tool event during CROI 2016.

Determination of sample collection methods underway. The lab team is working with industry partners to acquire the latest technologies for blood sample collection and shipping. They have started experiments to evaluate which method will be logistically feasible for collection and optimal for resistance testing.