Victoria trials HIV prevention drug

People at risk of HIV have signed up to a new trial in Victoria, hoping positive outcomes will pressure the federal government to subsidise the drug as a preventative measure.

PrEP is listed on the PBS - Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme - but is currently only available for those infected with HIV.

State Health Minister Jill Hennessy says 1300 Victorians are already accessing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication with a further 2600 people expected to participate in the trial run in partnership with Alfred Health and the Victorian AIDS Council.

The Victorian government is expecting the study - costing $1.4 million over 20 months - to decrease new HIV infections across the state by up to 30 per cent.

With about 27,000 Australians living with HIV, more than 1000 new cases of HIV have been confirmed every year from 2012 to 2014 in Australia. Of those numbers in 2014, 75 per cent were gay men.

CEO of the AIDS Council, Simon Ruth, said condom use among gay men is only effective 70 per cent of the time.

"Australia can't end HIV without prEP" Mr Ruth told reporters.