ePrEP Feasibility
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Scottish ePrEP Clinic Feasibility Study
IRAS ID
342338
Contact name
Claudia Estcourt
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Glasgow Caledonian University
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, ISRCTN registration is in progress
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a form of HIV prevention in which people who do not have HIV take a pill containing anti-HIV drugs before, during and after periods of sexual activity. When taken as recommended, PrEP is highly effective at preventing people from getting HIV. If we are to reach HIV transmission elimination, the point at which no one is newly getting HIV, we need to ensure people who would benefit from PrEP can access it, in ways that offer good value to the NHS. Currently, people get PrEP through in-person appointments at NHS sexual health services, which can be challenging. Digital (online) healthcare could help us to provide PrEP at scale in a way that people find appealing.
We have developed an online PrEP service (the ePrEP Clinic), which will give people the option to do their routine PrEP reviews at home rather than going to a sexual health clinic. People will take their own samples to test for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), post them to a laboratory for testing, and do an "asynchronous online consultation" (online medical questionnaire). The asynchronous consultation asks for any changes in the person’s health that may affect their suitability to continue PrEP. A study doctor will review the participant's test results and consultation information and decide: 1) if they need to discuss anything further with the participant, 2) if the participant needs any STI treatment/other care, and 3) if more PrEP is appropriate (which is sent to the service user by post or collected from the sexual health service).
In this study, we want to understand if providing PrEP through the ePrEP Clinic pathway is feasible. We will offer 200 eligible service users the option to use the ePrEP Clinic for one of their PrEP appointments.
REC name
Wales REC 6
REC reference
24/WA/0320
Date of REC Opinion
21 Oct 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion