New Pill Offers Hope Of Preventing HIV Among Young People On Long Island, Queens

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork)-- A new drug therapy program on Long Island is underway in hopes of decreasing the spread of HIV among young people.

The prescription drug therapy is called Prep, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported. It's a powerful prophylactic drug that will now be given to young people who admit they've been practicing unsafe sex in hopes the drug will prevent HIV.

Northwell Health received a $2 million grant to help curb the spread among high risk individuals on Long Island and in Queens. Right now, there are over 23,000 who have been diagnosed with HIV in both Queens and Long Island.

Prep is a combination therapy of two HIV drugs which doctors said can prevent someone from becoming infected with the virus.

The funding was announced after Gov. Cuomo issues a three-poiunt plan to end the AIDS epidemic in New York by the year 2020.