SA gets R520m to buy twice-a-year anti-HIV jab, but there’s a snag

SA gets R520m to buy twice-a-year anti-HIV jab, but there’s a snag

The money is not nearly enough to put two to four million people per year in South Africa on the lenacapavir jab, and even if it were, the country’s health system won’t be able to roll out the medicine that fast, scientists and policymakers say.

WHO endorses twice-yearly injection for HIV prevention

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has endorsed the use of the long-acting injectable antiretroviral drug lenacapavir for HIV prevention. This twice-yearly injection is recommended as an additional option for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), offering a long-acting alternative to daily oral medications. It’s given once every six months, and according to experts, it offers sustained protection against […]