The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has expanded its recommendations for HIV prevention, giving three medications its strongest endorsement, according to a policy statement published Aug. 22 in JAMA.

Previously, the task force only recommended Truvada and its generics for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV. Now, the expert panel is also backing the pill Descovy and the injectable medication Apretude as additional options.



The recommendation means private insurers will be required to cover the drugs without co-pays or deductibles and comes as the White House aims to preserve coverage of preventive services under the ACA, according to The New York Times. Last year, a federal judge ruled the mandate unconstitutional, arguing that requiring private insurers to cover PREP, in particular, violated employers' religious rights.