The United States has approved the only twice a year in the world to prevent HIV, the first step in a expected global rollout that could protect millions Will get access To the powerful new option.
While a vaccine is still needed to prevent HIV, some experts say that the shot Gilead Sciences – A medication called Lenacapavir – the next best could be. It almost New infections eliminated In two groundbreaking studies of people with high riskBetter than daily preventive pills that you can forget.
“This really has the opportunity to end the HIV transmission,” said Greg Millet, director of public policy at Amfar, the Foundation for AIDS research.
Condoms help with proper use before HIV infections, but what is referred to as preparation – regularly preventive medication such as the daily pills or another shot that is administered every two months – is more and more important. The six -month protection of Lenacapavir makes it the longest -lasting guy, an option, the people who are intended to visits to the doctor or stigma from daily pills.
But upheavals in US health – including cuts in public health Agencies and Medicaid – and Slashing of American Foreign help to combat HIV cloud the prospects.
Millet said “gaping holes in the system“In the USA and Global” it will make it difficult for us to ensure that we not only bring Lenacapavir into people’s bodies, but also make sure that they come back twice a year to maintain their protection.
Gilead’s medication is already being sold to treat HIV under the brand name Sunlenca. The prevention dose is sold under a different name, Yeztugo. There are two injections under the skin of the abdomen, so that a small “depot” of medication can be slowly absorbed into the body. People have to test negatively for HIV before they receive their two -year dose, warned Gilead. It only prevents the HIV transmission – it does not prevent other sexually transmitted diseases. Cold Packs recommends that some researchers who have contributed to testing the shot to counteract pain in the injection site.
The global efforts to terminate the HIV pandemic by 2030 have stalled. There are still more than 30,000 new infections in the United States and around 1.3 million worldwide.
Only about 400,000 Americans already use a form of preparation, a fraction of the estimated, which benefit. In a recently carried out study, it was found that states with high use of PREP recorded a decline in the HIV infections, while the rates continued to rise elsewhere.
About half of the new infections are in women who often need protection without using the knowledge or approval of a partner. A strict study in South Africa and Uganda compared more than 5,300 sexually active young women and young girls who gave Lenacapavir or daily pills twice a year. There were no HIV infections in those who received the shot, while about 2% caught in the HIV comparison group of infected sex partners.
A second study showed that the twice annual shot in gay men and gender -specific people in the United States and in several other HIS countries has a hard time doing.
Ian Haddock from Houston had tried PREP PREP and further, but took the chance to take part in the Lenacapavir study, and continues with the research follow-up with two annual recordings.
“Now I forget that I can prepare myself because I don’t have to take a pill bottle with me,” said Haddock, who heads the normal anomaly initiative, a non -profit organization that serves black LGBTQ+ forces.
“Men, women, gay, hetero – it really only extends the possibility of prevention,” he added. If you only remember a visit to the clinic every six months, it is “a powerful tool instead of having to talk about condoms constantly to constantly ensure that you take your pill every day.”
Gilead said that the US list price in front of the insurance is $ 28,218 per year, which it described as similar to some other preparation options. The company said that insurance cover was expected, but also had some financial support programs.
Most private insurers should cover the preparatory options without additional payment, although the Supreme Court is considering a case that could collect this requirement. The congress also considers enormous cuts in Medicaid. And while the health centers of the community are still an option, the Trump administration has largely reduced the HIV prevention work in the centers for the control and prevention of diseases that would normally qualify for the shot to the shot, said Carl Schmid of the non -profit HIV+hepatitis Policy Institute.
Schmid fears that the shot will not fulfill its potential because “we basically pull out the carpet from HIV prevention, test and outreach programs”.
Gilead also has applications for the twice annual shot in other countries. Last autumn, the company signed agreements with six generic manufacturers that produce inexpensive versions of the shot for 120 poor countries in Africa, Southeast Asia and in the Caribbean. Gilead plans to make enough shots to deliver 2 million people in these countries without profit until the generics are available, said the company’s high -ranking vice president, Dr. Jared Baeten.
Winnie Byanyima, managing director of Unaids, said in a statement that the price is still too high. If it is unaffordable, she said: “Nothing will change.”
And HIV experts fear that the agreements have made Gilead to reduce the costs in some countries, such as countries with medium-sorts like some in Latin America.
“Everyone in every country that is exposed to the risk of HIV needs access to preparation,” said Dr. Gordon Crofoot from Houston, who headed the study in men. “We have to receive easier access to preparations that is so effective.”
