England and Wales have officially approved the use of an injectable HIV prevention drug, which was previously approved in Scotland. It is a long-acting injection that is given six times a year or once every two months. It is an alternative to daily pills that protect against the virus, reports the BBC.
Experts hope that cabotegravir (CAB-LA) injections will help the UK meet its strategic goal of stopping new HIV infections by 2030.
“The approval of this revolutionary injection perfectly embodies what our government is committed to – innovative treatments that save lives and leave no one behind. For vulnerable people who cannot access other methods of HIV prevention, this offers hope,”, said Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is for people who are not yet infected with HIV. The tablets have been available for many years and have been shown to be highly effective in preventing infection, but not everyone is comfortable taking them. Sometimes patients find it difficult or inconvenient to get the medication, and sometimes they feel embarrassed.
Factors such as homelessness or domestic violence also make it difficult to take PrEP daily. Instead, the injection, which lasts for several months, allows a person to maintain privacy and avoid publicity.
Cabotegravir, developed by ViiV Healthcare, will be recommended for adults and adolescents of normal weight who are at high risk of sexually transmitted HIV and are eligible for PrEP but cannot take the pill.
It is expected that about 1,000 people will receive the injection. At the same time, most patients will remain on the tablet form or start taking it. The injections will be available at sexual health clinics of the British National Health Service in the coming months.
