Why not eliminate HTLV-1 while eliminating HIV-1?

Abstract

In our HTLV-1 PrEP open letter to Gilead and ViiV, we and our patients (>900 signatures to date) provide eight reasons as to why HTLV-1 incidence must be incorporated into their HIV-1 PEP and PrEP trials, and HTLV-1 specific PEP and PrEP trials must be conducted with their licensed drugs.14 Similar to HIV-1, preventing HTLV-1 transmission reduces stigma, saves lives, is cost-effective, and couldlead to its elimination. Think of all the mother-to-child HTLV-1 transmissions and the lives that could have been saved over the past two decades of HIV-1 PEP and PrEP research and their clinical implementation.