September Post -- Curriculum Review

The most eye-opening lectures thus far for me have been those on antivirals, specifically those that can be used for prophylactic treatment. Growing up, and especially when getting sick in college, I recognized that if I was sick with an unidentified illness, such as random bouts of cold or flu-like symptoms, my best option was usually to go to CVS and get Tylenol (acetaminophen), Advil (ibuprofen), or something else that could treat the symptoms. As a result, learning about how antivirals work to target the virus itself was particularly interesting to me. For example, I was surprised to learn that oseltamivir can be used as prophylactic treatment for influenza, rather than simply treating the symptoms after someone becomes sick. This helped me better understand the distinction between medications that provide symptomatic relief and those that can directly interfere with viral replication or prevent infection from developing.

Further, the most enlightening part of the lectures on prophylactic antivirals was learning about PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). While I had heard of PrEP before, I was not aware of its importance, particularly for populations that experience a greater burden of HIV infection. Before this lecture, I primarily thought of antiviral medications as drugs that were used after someone had already contracted a virus in order to reduce its severity or duration. Learning about PrEP challenged this understanding by showing me that antiviral medications can also be used proactively to prevent infection before it occurs. PrEP works by maintaining antiviral activity in the body so that, if a person is exposed to HIV, the medication can interfere with the virus's ability to establish an infection. I found this especially interesting because it demonstrates how pharmacology can play a role in both treatment and prevention. It also made me think more about the importance of accessibility and education surrounding preventative medications. A medication can be highly effective, but its impact on public health ultimately depends on whether people know that it exists, understand how it works, and are able to access it when they need it.