More evidence that PrEP works as well for women

In 11 studies of PrEP, non-daily but high adherence by women – taking four to six pills a week – was almost as effective at preventing HIV infection as taking them every day. The study strengthens the evidence from recent modelling studies that perfect adherence to oral PrEP is not required for effectiveness in women.

Young adults with HIV have high prevalence of heart disease risk factors

Young people living with perinatally acquired HIV have a high prevalence of metabolic complications such as diabetes and raised cholesterol and require closer monitoring for long-term cardiovascular risk, a study of young adults in the United States has found.

Dissent on doxyPEP: recent guidelines becoming more cautious

Two recent statements about taking the antibiotic doxycycline up to 72 hours after sex to prevent bacterial sexually transmitted infections, a prevention intervention known as doxyPEP, are notably more cautious about recommending its use than the first guidelines from California.

Relationship skills can reduce the risk of HIV in young male couples

An online HIV prevention and relationship education programme developed in the United States is proving effective in reducing the risk of HIV in young male couples in the US, a group disproportionately affected by HIV.

Switching from TAF to TDF leads to weight loss

Switching from tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) to the older formulation of tenofovir disoproxil (TDF) resulted in modest weight loss in people with HIV in the Swiss HIV Cohort, researchers report in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Danish study finds that STI rates in gay men increase before they start PrEP, not after

A Danish study which was able to chart the annual incidence of the three bacterial STIs, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis, in people attending sexual health clinics both before and after they started PrEP has found that they had more than twice as many (115% more) STI diagnoses while on PrEP than they had some time before starting it.

Cryptococcal meningitis persists in Botswana, despite high antiretroviral coverage

A study of cryptococcal meningitis incidence in people with HIV in Botswana shows that incidence has halved since 2015 and that the decline is correlated to increased antiretroviral coverage. But the study found that men were more likely to be diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis than women and that illness related to advanced HIV remains a substantial problem despite achieving near-universal treatment coverage.

Adolescent mothers with HIV in South Africa have poorer HIV outcomes than non-mothers, study finds

Adolescent girls who are mothers and living with HIV, experience more interruptions in their antiretroviral treatment, have poorer adherence, poorer clinical attendance and lower viral suppression rates compared to those who are not mothers, a recent study published in the Journal of the International AIDS Society found.

Colombia issues compulsory licence to get key generic HIV medicine, dolutegravir | Health Policy Watch

The government of Colombia has issued its first-ever compulsory licence to enable access to generic versions of the key HIV medicine dolutegravir, without permission from the patent owner, ViiV Healthcare.

How ‘vampire facials’ at an unlicensed spa left three women with HIV | The Washington Post (requires free registration)

The cases illustrate the dangers of unlicensed establishments that meld medicine with beauty and how a persistent viral foe continues to surprise even after infecting tens of millions worldwide.

FDA approves Biktarvy label update with data for pregnant adults with HIV | Gilead press release

Additional data in pregnant adults who are virologically suppressed reinforce safety and tolerability profile of Biktarvy in a broad range of people with HIV. Perinatal guidelines in the United States recognise Biktarvy as an alternative regimen for use during pregnancy and for those trying to conceive.

Lawsuit in London to allege Grindr shared users’ HIV status with ad firms | The Guardian

High court action will claim US owner allowed access to app users’ private information in breach of UK law.

How did Germany run low on potentially life-saving HIV medication? | Euronews

There was a warning of a shortage of pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, as early as October before authorities said they were intervening in January.

Argentina's cuts to HIV aid threaten to reignite a crisis | TheBody

Soon after far-right politician Javier Milei became president of Argentina, he enacted an emergency law to boost the economy, which pushed aside HIV efforts.