In an effort to reduce new cases of HIV infection in Hawaii, the state Department of Health is encouraging people at high risk for the virus to use pre-exposure medication to help prevent infection.

Marketed under the trade name Truvada, the prescription HIV medication was found in clinical studies to be 92 percent effective in preventing HIV infection, compared with no treatment at all, according to the Department of Health.

The drug was approved for use in HIV prevention by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in July 2012.

In a news release issued on Friday, Peter Whiticar, chief of the department’s STD/AIDS Prevention Branch, called the drug "high-impact HIV prevention."

"Never before has there been a medication that can help prevent HIV infection," Whiticar said. "It’s important to not only care for our ohana who are living with HIV, but also to help prevent transmission to others."

According to the department, 456 new HIV cases were diagnosed in Hawaii between 2008 and 2012. An estimated 2,200 people in Hawaii live with HIV.

The department emphasized that Truvada should only be used in consultation with a medical care provider. The drug is most effective when used with condoms. Effectiveness declines substantially when the medication is not taken daily.

According to the department, most health insurance companies in Hawaii cover Truvada.

For more information about Truvada, visit: 808ne.ws/1GCZ9qN