Canberrans at risk of HIV will have access to a preventative drug after two ACT clinics this week opened enrolments for a trial of PrEP.
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The ACT trial, open to 315 people over the next 15 months, will assess the impact of pre-exposure prophylaxis among those at the highest risk of becoming infected with HIV.
The AIDS Action Council of the ACT executive director Philippa Moss welcomed the trial as a "fantastic opportunity for us to bring down the rates of HIV".
The same trial in New South Wales has been linked to a dramatic decline in HIV infections with the number of notifications in the first half of this year the lowest on record since 1985.
Ms Moss said: "It's the greatest method to reduce HIV transmissions that have been achieved medically and it's great that we finally have the opportunity to trial this in Canberra alongside all of our other state and territory colleagues across Australia."
Clinical studies have shown PrEP, taken daily, can prevent at-risk HIV-negative people from becoming infected.
It contains two antiretroviral medications that include the same drugs used to suppress the virus in people already living with HIV.
The ACT trial will be conducted through the Canberra Sexual Health Centre at the Canberra Hospital and the Interchange General Practice in Civic.
It will form part of the Expanded Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Implementation in Communities in NSW Trial funded by NSW Health and run by the Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales.
"We have been waiting for a while but we're really excited that it's finally hit the ground," Ms Moss said.
PrEP was approved for use in Australia in June last year but most people can access the drug only through research trials due to cost.
According to the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisation's website, the drug costs about $10,000 for a year's supply.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee last year deferred its decision on whether to list the drug on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, citing its high cost and a need for further cost-benefit analysis.
Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris said the ACT government's support of the PrEP trial formed part of its commitment to improving the health outcomes of all Canberrans.
"We thank a number of our community organisations who the Government has worked with to get the trial up and running," she said.
The ACT Chief Health Officer's 2016 report showed there were 24 notifications of HIV in 2013, compared with 17 in 2012.
Canberrans interested in the trial and its criteria can visit epic-nswtrial.org.au.
