On Aug. 11, 2020, Gilead Sciences announced that the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) had approved a pre-exposure prophylaxis indication for Truvada (emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg,FTC/TDF).

Truvada is the first medicine approved for HIV prevention in China. Previously, Truvada was approved in combination with other antiretroviral medicines as a treatment for HIV-1 infection in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older.

According to data published by the China National Health Commission (NHC) in November 2019, 131,000 new HIV infections were reported between January and October 2019 in China. Among the newly reported cases, sexual transmission was the main mode of transmission. In addition to safer sex practices and using condoms correctly, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends offering PrEP to all groups at substantial risk of HIV infection as part of a comprehensive HIV prevention plan.