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What is the HIV Prevention “Jab”
• The term refers to long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) — that is, medicines given by injection, rather than oral pills, to prevent HIV infection in people who are HIV-negative but at risk.
• It is not a vaccine: the jab prevents HIV from establishing an infection or replicating if exposure occurs; it does not stimulate long-term immune memory in the way vaccines do.
How It Works
• The drug is given via injection, usually every few months (e.g., every six months), depending on the specific medicine.
• One of the recently approved drugs is lenacapavir, which has shown very high efficacy.
• Another is cabotegravir (CAB-LA), which is given every two months and has been recommended for use in England and Wales for people unable to take daily oral PrEP.
Recent Developments
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged the rollout of injectable long-acting HIV prevention options, naming lenacapavir as a priority choice among tools to help reduce new HIV infections globally.
• Studies in South Africa and Uganda showed that lenacapavir injections protected young women very effectively; in some study groups, there were no new infections among those getting the injectable treatment over a given time period, whereas infection still occurred (though at low rates) among those using daily oral PrEP.
• Efforts are underway to make lenacapavir affordable in low- and middle-income countries. Starting in 2027 it is expected to be available in 120 countries via generic production, priced around US$40 per person per year in those settings.
• In England and Wales, NICE has recommended cabotegravir (every two months) for people at risk of HIV who cannot take oral PrEP. It should become available via the NHS soon.
Benefits
• Longer-interval dosing means less frequent visits, which can improve adherence (people are more likely to stay protected if they don’t have to take daily pills).
• It provides options for people who can’t use oral PrEP due to medical issues, side-effects, difficulty swallowing, unstable housing, or other barriers.
• Potential for very high efficacy — in trials, injections like lenacapavir have shown nearly complete prevention of HIV among those treated.
• Cost reductions and generic production could allow wider access globally, especially in lower-income countries where daily pills or frequent clinic visits are harder to sustain.
Challenges and Considerations
• Supply limitations: Initial roll-outs will have constraints on how many doses are available and how many people can be reached. For example, in South Africa, the initial donation will cover ~456,000 “initiations” over two years.
• Cost & infrastructure: Even with a $40 price for generic versions, there is still the need for health systems to manage storage, administration, follow-ups, and ensuring people come back for subsequent injections. Clinics must have capacity, trained staff, cold chain or other handling, and mechanisms to reach at-risk populations.
• Access equity: Ensuring that those most at risk, including marginalized populations, get access. Barriers might include stigma, geographic distance, awareness, and health-system inequalities.
• Safety and monitoring: People need to test HIV-negative before starting, because if someone has HIV already, using PrEP alone can lead to resistance issues. Side effects, injection site reactions, and longer-term safety need ongoing monitoring.
• Adherence to injection schedule: Even though injections are less frequent, missing them can mean loss of protection, so support and reminders are important.
Implications for the Global HIV Response
• These new injectable options could be transformative for HIV prevention, and an important complement to existing tools (oral PrEP, condoms, testing, treatment, etc.).
• If implemented well, they could bring countries closer to their HIV transmission reduction targets (some aim to end new transmissions by 2030). England, for instance, aims to become the first country to reach that goal in part using injectable PrEP.
• The lower-cost generics will be essential in global equity: ensuring people in lower-income countries don’t have to wait decades for access.
What to Watch Going Forward
• How quickly health systems can scale up access, especially in high HIV-burden regions.
• Whether longer-acting options (for example, once-a-year injections) move from clinical trials into practice. There are early studies showing safety of longer-interval dosing of lenacapavir (including once-yearly) but more evidence is needed.
• Monitoring resistance patterns, safety over the long term, and how effective the implementation is outside of clinical trials.
• Community engagement: ensuring people know about the option, are comfortable with injections, understand risks/benefits, and that services are accessible.
• Sustainable financing: Making sure that costs, supply chains, generic licensing, and donor/ governmental support continue and are predictable.
Conclusion
The HIV prevention “jab” — long-acting injectable PrEP — represents a major advance in HIV prevention. It offers powerful protection, greater convenience, and new choices for people at risk. But its success will depend on effective rollout, equitable access, strong health infrastructure, and community engagement. If those things are in place, it could significantly reduce new HIV infections globally and bring many countries closer to ending the HIV epidemic.
Attached is a News article regarding the HIV prevention jab
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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