All articles tagged with #hiv prevention
MISTR held its second annual National PrEP Day party at The Abbey in West Hollywood on October 10, 2026. The event featured performances by Charli XCX and attendance from numerous celebrities, including Chappell Roan, Christina Aguilera, and Demi Lovato, to promote HIV prevention awareness.
A twice-yearly HIV prevention injection, lenacapavir, showed zero infections in a 2024 trial of over 2,000 women in South Africa and Uganda. While the World Health Organization recommends it as pre-exposure prophylaxis, access remains uneven. The US price is $28,000 annually, while generics are expected to cost $40. However, 26 middle-income countries, including Brazil and Mexico, are excluded from generic licensing deals, and international HIV funding dropped 18% in 2025.
Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly PrEP drug from Gilead that nearly prevents HIV infection, is priced at about $14,000 per dose in the US, while a reduced generic license aims for roughly $40 per dose in 120 low- and middle-income countries. Upper-middle-income Latin American countries like Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Peru don’t qualify, prompting protests and stalled negotiations over access. Officials and UNAIDS urge faster, broader access, as Gilead says it’s continuing regional talks and exploring other long-acting PrEP options to widen supply amid ongoing manufacturing constraints.
Experts at AIDS 2026 say lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable PrEP, could dramatically cut new HIV infections if scaled up, but funding cuts to USAID are hampering access, threatening outreach, affordability, and the ability to reach high-need populations worldwide.
South Africa announced a R1.3 billion ($72 million) rollout to deploy Lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV prevention injection given twice a year, across 360 clinics in 24 high-burden districts, aiming to reach about 1 million people by 2027 with support from the Global Fund and CIFF; the program seeks affordable generics via a voluntary license by 2027 and a broader push to manufacture 60% of Africa's medical products locally by 2040.
The Trump administration plans to rescind about $600 million in CDC public health grants to four Democratic-led states (California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota) and related NGOs, saying the funds don’t align with agency priorities. The cuts affect health departments, data-system upgrades, and HIV/STD programs, with California holding much of the unspent money; critics warn the move could undermine local public health during outbreaks, while the administration maintains it is realigning funding with its priorities.
A woman with multiple bisexual boyfriends is concerned about STI risks from unprotected oral sex with men who also have anonymous partners. Experts advise regular testing, including throat and rectal swabs, and consider interventions like doxy PEP and PrEP to reduce risks of bacterial STIs and HIV. The article emphasizes that all sexual activity carries some risk, but proper testing and prevention strategies can help manage it.
South Africa, Eswatini, and Zambia have begun using a groundbreaking HIV prevention injection, lenacapavir, which reduces transmission risk by over 99.9% and is administered twice a year, marking a significant advancement in HIV prevention efforts in Africa, though access and cost remain challenges.
Advocates warn that proposed budget cuts to HIV programs in the US could reverse decades of progress in combating HIV/AIDS, emphasizing the importance of continued funding and policy support to prevent a rise in new infections and protect those living with HIV.
The article discusses how recent cuts in international aid from the US, UK, and Europe have severely impacted HIV/AIDS care in sub-Saharan Africa, leading to increased infections and deaths, especially among key populations like LGBTQ+ individuals and young women. Despite some signs of recovery and increased domestic funding, the overall situation remains dire, emphasizing the need for political courage and sustainable local responses to combat the epidemic effectively.
The UK government has announced a £170 million plan to end new HIV transmissions by 2030, including opt-out testing in emergency departments, home testing kits via NHS app, and targeted re-engagement of those out of care, aiming to reduce stigma and improve early diagnosis.
Gilead Sciences' new HIV prevention shot, Yeztugo, shows high efficacy but faces challenges in adoption due to its high $28,000 price tag, with CVS Caremark declining to include it in its formulary despite other insurers moving forward, raising concerns about affordability and disease eradication efforts in the U.S.
Campaigners in Northern Ireland are advocating for the introduction of cabotegravir injections, a long-acting HIV prevention drug, to help meet the goal of ending new HIV cases by 2030, with the drug already being adopted in England, Wales, and Scotland as an alternative to daily PrEP pills.
A new long-acting HIV prevention injection, cabotegravir, is set to be approved in England and Wales, offering an alternative to daily pills for those at risk who cannot take oral Prep, with rollout expected soon to help reach the goal of ending HIV transmissions by 2030.
South Africa's health minister announced the introduction of lenacapavir, the world's first twice-yearly HIV prevention injection, with an initial limited supply of nearly half a million doses starting in April 2026, amid concerns over funding cuts and licensing issues affecting local manufacturing and access.