Disabled gay man, who can’t use condoms, wants government to provide him with antiHIV drugs

A disabled gay man has appealed to the U.K government, through NHS, to be prescribed the anti-HIV PrEP drug – because he can’t put a condom on. Josh Hepple has severe cerebral palsy, causing him to have involuntary jerky movements and has significantly reduced manual dexterity

Due to this, he finds it a struggle to open a condom packet – let alone put one on. Josh claims he regularly engages in sexual activity with men he meets through the Grindr app – and says access to the drug would allow him to be in control of his own body before and during a sexual encounter.


He said: `Prescribing PrEP on the NHS would make my life considerably safer and less risky. It would be incredibly empowering for me to know that I was already protected.


While there is little taboo around gay sex in the UK and it is far from a crime, it is clear that a country which has the best possible health care (with as many options as possible) is the best way to prevent transmission. I very much hope the NHS allows PrEP as soon as possible."


Pills for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is taken by HIV negative people before having unprotected sex to reduce the chance of getting the virus, and has been proven highly effective – but it is currently not available through the NHS and must be bought privately on the internet.