News from aidsmap
Injectable PrEP and COVID show we’re all in this together
Just before Christmas, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it had approved an injectable formulation of the HIV drug cabotegravir for use as PrEP. While welcoming this, we need to ensure that programmes “Follow the science, centre the community, and lead with equity” – because when it comes to pandemics we are, the world over, truly each other’s keepers.
How a community-based ART programme improves HIV treatment: lessons from Uganda and South Africa
Researchers have identified four intervention mechanisms that may have contributed to increased viral suppression rates with community-based delivery of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa. The community programme was flexible to patients’ needs, integrated multiple components into a single interaction with a healthcare provider, allowed for longer interactions with the provider, and reduced travel time to clinical services.
HIV criminalisation and breastfeeding: a growing concern in sub-Saharan Africa
Over the last decade, criminal cases brought against women for alleged HIV exposure or transmission through breast milk have been on the increase. This is particularly concerning in sub-Saharan Africa, where nine such cases have been reported since 2013. HIV criminalisation and breastfeeding was reported on at the recent Beyond Blame: Challenging Criminalisation for HIV Justice Worldwide meeting.
Outcomes of Black and Latina women living with HIV greatly influenced by communication with healthcare providers
A mixed methods study looked at how health literacy and communication with healthcare providers impacted the health outcomes of women living with HIV, with a focus on Black and Latina women in the United States. Communication issues with providers, amplified by low health literacy, resulted in diminished trust, lower quality of patient and provider interactions, and poor health outcomes.
Lessons for Africa: Kenya’s PrEP integration in public clinics can inform scale-up in other countries
PrEP services can be successfully integrated into public HIV care clinics across Africa, a trial in 25 high-volume public clinics in Kenya found. There were 4898 PrEP initiations, with reasonable continuation and high adherence observed. This was achieved with existing personnel and infrastructure in the health facilities.
Persistent and worsening obesity seen in young people on lifelong antiretroviral treatment
A recent US study, following people who acquired HIV in childhood over time, has found evidence of persistent and worsening central obesity in young adults with lifelong HIV and extensive exposure to antiretroviral therapy.
History of drug resistance or virological failure warrants caution when switching to dolutegravir plus lamivudine
Two recent observational studies support previous clinical trial findings that switching antiretroviral treatments to the dual-therapy dolutegravir plus lamivudine (also known as Dovato) is effective. While virological failure rates in both cohorts were low, a history of failure and certain drug resistant mutations may warrant caution before deciding to switch to this regimen.
Greater weight gain in pregnancy linked to TAF-and-integrase inhibitor combinations
Women with HIV were more likely to experience excessive weight gain during pregnancy if they took an antiretroviral combination containing both tenofovir alafenamide and an integrase inhibitor, a study in the United States has found.
US approves injectable cabotegravir for PrEP
On 20 December, the US Food and Drug Administration approved Apretude, an extended-release formulation of cabotegravir, as the first long-acting injectable option for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). In two large studies, cabotegravir injections every other month reduced the risk of HIV acquisition more than daily PrEP pills.
Trials of long-acting islatravir for HIV treatment and prevention placed on hold
On 13 December, the US Food and Drug Administration placed a clinical hold on islatravir, a long-acting experimental antiretroviral from Merck that is being developed for HIV treatment and prevention. The move came after HIV-positive participants in treatment trials and HIV-negative volunteers in PrEP studies experienced declining CD4 cell or total lymphocyte counts.
Headlines linking people with HIV to COVID variants are at best incomplete, at worst stigmatising
In response to COVID variant research that came out last year, a sample of news headlines include “Why uncontrolled HIV may be behind the emergence of Omicron” and “South Africa could become COVID ‘mutation factory’ because of large HIV-infected population, scientists say”. To be clear, people with HIV are not COVID mutation factories, but there is a plausible evolutionary path for variants that involves a small number of people with compromised immune systems. To clarify what we know, aidsmap.com spoke with Dr Alex Sigal, an HIV virologist studying SARS-CoV-2 mutations.
Queer men and trans women in Kenya prefer services run by community members over state-run and private clinics
A qualitative study by Dr Adam Bourne and colleagues published in Global Public Health highlights the stigma and discrimination experienced by men who have sex with men and trans women when accessing sexual health services in Nairobi, Kenya. Most participants preferred community run services and did not want to be referred to another clinic or public hospital. Trans interviewees emphasised the need for trans-run clinics.
Reproductive rights and the bigger picture for Roma women
Roma women across Europe face discrimination and abuse, including when accessing sexual and reproductive health care. The experiences described by Roma women are often far from the respectful, dignified care that is their right. We spoke to Carmen Gheorghe, founder of E-Romnja, a feminist Roma organisation based in Romania, which works to nurture and support Roma women to own their power, share their stories and catalyse change.
Videos
We have recently published a new section on aidsmap that houses our broadcasts and digital media.
On our videos pages, you can find all our aidsmapLIVE, aidsmapCHAT and aidsmapWOMEN episodes, as well as HIV information and news videos.
COVID-19 and coronavirus in people living with HIV
We've updated our page on COVID-19 and coronavirus in people living with HIV to ensure it includes the most up-to-date information from recent studies. It includes information on which people with HIV are at higher risk of COVID-19, why people with HIV may have worse COVID-19 outcomes and advice for people living with HIV.
Editors' picks from other sources
Act now to tackle HIV drug resistance, WHO urges | Avert
The World Health Organization is asking countries to stop using NNRTIs to address rising levels of drug-resistant HIV.
Media Monitor: HIV short film, 'Right To Try' | TAG
On the surface, this short documentary film is likely to seem benign and hopeful to many viewers. However, there are multiple aspects of the film that are deeply problematic (and in at least one case, dishonest).
Fair pricing coalition welcomes approval of two-month HIV prevention shot; denounces ViiV Healthcare’s exorbitant, unsustainable pricing | Fair Pricing Coalition
Cabotegravir in Cabenuva is priced at US$2970 per equivalent dose. What possible justification could there be for inflating the price further to US$3700 per dose, especially since much of the research on Apretude for PrEP was taxpayer funded and there is no cold chain shipping requirement for Apretude as there is for Cabenuva?
The Desmond Tutu HIV Centre and Health Foundation sadly mourn the passing of our Patron, the Emeritus Archbishop Tutu | Desmond Tutu Health Foundation
The executive, board and team at the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre and Health Foundation are deeply saddened by the loss of their patron and supporter, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, in Cape Town. The Archbishop and Mam Leah Tutu became patrons of the Centre and Foundation in August 2004.
Particulate problem prompts hold on 10 Gilead studies of HIV hopeful lenacapavir | FiercePharma
A second major HIV prospect has been put on hold, this time from Gilead Sciences. But unlike the recent halt on Merck's drug islatravir, which was related to a drop in trial patients' immune cell counts, Gilead's trial stop stems from a quality issue that could be swiftly resolved, one analyst says.
Sexual health & HIV policy EUROBulletin
The December edition of the EUROBulletin is available to read online.
Our feature in this edition is an interview with Carmen Gheorghe, founder of E-Romnja, a feminist Roma organisation based in Romania.
This edition also includes new annual data on HIV in Europe, the latest research presented to the European AIDS Conference, new infographic snapshots of national data on sexual and reproductive health and rights, and an atlas of fertility treatment policies.