London, Yiannis Haniotakis
A new injectable vaccine for the virus HIV it will be offered for the first time by the National Health System (NHS) in England and Wales, which is already the case in Scotland. The long-acting injection, given every two months, is an alternative to taking daily pills to protect against the virus.
Experts hope that the campotegravir injections will help meet the target of ending new HIV cases in the UK by 2030. Meanwhile, early results for a different injection, lencapavir, suggest that a switch to an annual HIV vaccine may be possible in the future.
UK Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “The approval of this game-changing injection perfectly embodies what the Government is determined to deliver: cutting-edge treatments that save lives and leave no one behind. For vulnerable people unable to follow other methods of HIV prevention, this represents hope.”
HIV preventive treatment, known as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), is taken by people who are HIV-negative to reduce the risk of infection. While the pills are highly effective, some people find it difficult to take them daily because of practical difficulties, fear of stigma (eg if parents or roommates find them), or difficult living conditions such as homelessness and domestic violence. An injection that lasts for months offers convenience and discretion.
Campotegravir injection will be given to adults and adolescents who are at high risk of exposure to HIV but for whom taking pills is difficult. It is estimated that it will initially be offered to around 1,000 people. The treatment costs around £7,000 per patient per year, but the NHS has secured a confidential discount from the manufacturer.
According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the injectable contraceptive will be available from NHS sexual health clinics “in the coming months”. Charities are hailing the move as a “transformational treatment” and a “vital tool to tackle inequalities”, but stress the need for its delivery outside sexual health clinics to be rapidly implemented and explored.
Source :Skai
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