17 months average wait to switch from a failing HIV treatment regimen in African countries

There’s no evidence of an improvement in the capacity of HIV treatment programmes in sub-Saharan Africa to promptly identify treatment failure and to switch patients to second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART), according to a review of 36 observational studies. On average, CD4 counts have already fallen below 200 when treatment failure is recognised and patients wait a further 17 months before changing treatment. Outcomes did not improve between 2009 to 2020.

Pregnant and breastfeeding cis women are paying the price for exclusion from PrEP research

Pregnant and breastfeeding cisgender women are underrepresented in trials of new pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drugs and formulations. Dr Dvora Joseph Davey of University of Cape Town and colleagues say they want to see this evidence gap overcome by the intentional inclusion of this group in study planning, conduct and results dissemination in order to “enhance the scientific and ethical quality of HIV prevention studies”.

How a national intervention in Botswana improved same-day ART initiation for people newly diagnosed with HIV

Fifty-nine per cent of adults started antiretroviral therapy (ART) on the same day as HIV diagnosis, and 78% within seven days following a national intervention to improve rapid ART initiation in Botswana, researchers from the Botswana-University of Maryland School of Medicine reported in the journal AIDS.

PrEP and kidney function: who really needs screening and can event-based dosing reduce side effects?

Two studies confirm kidney side effects are rare when taking PrEP. One of the studies, led by the World Health Organization, also indicates that people under the age of 30 taking PrEP may need less frequent kidney screening. A separate group of researchers say that people who experience kidney side effects might benefit from switching from taking daily pills to event-based dosing instead of stopping the medicine altogether.

Fatty liver disease raises the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with HIV

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or liver fibrosis raised the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with HIV who have either normal body weight or are under 60, Italian and Canadian researchers report in the journal HIV Medicine.

Journalists’ working conditions foster stigmatising coverage of HIV criminalisation

For many years, HIV activists and researchers have criticised the stigmatising way that HIV criminalisation cases are covered in the mainstream press. However, an ethnographic study recently published in the Canadian Review of Sociology argues that the working conditions in which journalists now operate makes it extremely challenging for them to improve their reporting on HIV criminalisation.

No breakthrough HIV infections seen in women using injectable PrEP

A detailed analysis of HIV infections seen in HPTN 084, the study comparing the effectiveness of injectable versus oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in cisgender women, has been published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. In this study, injectable PrEP was 92% more effective than oral PrEP, which may increase the pressure to make it swiftly available for women in all parts of the world.

Renal dysfunction common in some people newly diagnosed with HIV in Zimbabwe

People newly diagnosed with HIV in Zimbabwe who had evidence of impaired kidney function were at greater risk of death during the study period, report Dr Douglas Drak and colleagues in AIDS. Some of the findings are unclear however and leave room for speculation as to whether other factors, unaccounted for in the study, may contribute to this increased mortality. 

Sex workers in Uganda say yes to HIV self-testing, no to PrEP

A study published in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes looked at whether providing sex workers in Kampala, Uganda with a monthly supply of HIV self-testing kits in addition to the standard of care of quarterly in-clinic HIV tests would increase adherence to PrEP or influence sexual risk behaviours. Nearly all of the participants (99%) used at least one self-test kit, but very few participants took PrEP.

Health partners race to secure life-saving HIV medicines and services for people affected by the war in Ukraine | UNAIDS

The war in Ukraine has resulted in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis with rapidly growing numbers of deaths and casualties, the destruction of entire cities and towns and unconscionable attacks on health facilities and other civilian targets. This is putting Ukrainians living with HIV in grave danger.

Public health catastrophe looms in Ukraine, experts warn | The New York Times

Even before the war, the country struggled with epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis. The conflict threatens to undo decades of progress.

What is the use of anti-HIV injections when those who need it most can't use it? | Bhekisisa

ViiV Healthcare's behaviour echoes a pattern from 20 years ago with antiretrovirals for treatment – drug companies would not issue licences, claiming the drugs were too difficult to make, that generics were unreliable, or they were not willing to lower their prices.

ViiV Healthcare announces label update for its long-acting HIV treatment, Cabenuva (cabotegravir, rilpivirine), to be initiated with or without an oral lead-in period | ViiV press release

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of updated label streamlines the initiation process for the first and only complete long-acting HIV treatment by allowing people to start directly with injections.

Media headlines often suggest that HIV vaccines and cures are imminent. Not so fast! | TheBody

Aside from the New York patient hullabaloo, other recent news reports make three early and tentative studies sound like a solid bet. Research expert Richard Jefferys helps us understand the fuller picture.