IHA voting poll results on suppressive antiviral therapy

Less than a third of people diagnosed with genital herpes are currently taking suppressive antiviral therapy or have taken it previously and 95% of people who have not tried it would be interested in doing so. These are the results of the latest voting poll on the IHA website. Does this suggest that people with genital herpes are not being offered the full range of treatments?

The full results of the poll, that ran for three months from January to March 2005 and to which there were 382 respondents, are as follows:

If you have been diagnosed with genital herpes, have you been told about suppressive antiviral therapy (antiviral treatment taken on a continuous basis to reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms)?

• 38% said no, they had not been told about the therapy
  
• 33% said that they were aware of suppressive therapy but had not taken it
  
• 29% were currently taking or had previously taken suppressive therapy

If you have not tried suppressive therapy, would you be interested in doing so?

• 64% said yes, they would be interested
  
• just 6% said they would not be interested
  
• 30% stated that they might be interested, but would need more information

Charles Ebel, President of the IHA comments: "These poll results are consistent with several earlier surveys that suggest an information gap when it comes to suppressive therapy. Here again, a majority of patients cite an interest in this type of treatment regimen, but only a relatively small segment appears to be offered this by their medical care providers. This suggests that some people with genital herpes are not being given all the facts."

Suppressive antiviral therapy can be highly effective in terms of reducing the frequency, severity and duration of outbreaks of genital herpes."

For further information about suppressive antiviral therapy, click on the 'Treatment' section of the IHA website.