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Groundbreaking results from the PURPOSE 1 trial conducted among cisgender Ugandan and South African women have changed the injectable PrEP global landscape. This webinar explored the implications of these findings for US Black populations.
This webinar was co-hosted by PrEP in Black America, Black Public Health, Federal AIDS Policy Partnership (FAPP), AVAC, and APHA.
With a growing number of PrEP products in development and approved for use in various countries, and an increase in PrEP initiations worldwide, the future of PrEP has never been more exciting. Check out our newly redesigned PrEPWatch website to help navigate the latest research, policy developments, implementation strategies, and advocacy efforts worldwide.
With a growing number of PrEP products in development and approved for use in various countries, and an increase in PrEP initiations worldwide, the future of PrEP has never been more exciting. Check out our newly redesigned PrEPWatch website to help navigate the latest research, policy developments, implementation strategies, and advocacy efforts worldwide. The updated site features an array of expanded PrEP resources and improved navigation. We hope PrEPWatch and its resources will be helpful in your advocacy.
The resources on PrEPWatch come from projects and partners from around the world; if you have information to share or resource needs, please email [email protected]. And we are grateful for support to AVAC from the Gates Foundation via BioPIC and from PEPFAR via USAID and the Maximizing Options to Advance Informed Choice for HIV Prevention (MOSAIC) project that makes PrEPWatch possible.
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RxEACH is a national coalition effort working to expand and sustain access to HIV prevention and linkage to care services in community pharmacies. Community pharmacies are poised to unlock access to HIV prevention services, particularly in areas where it is most needed, and can play a crucial role in achieving equitable PrEP access.
With over half of the 70,000 pharmacies in the U.S. in medically underserved areas and 90% of the U.S. population living within 5 miles of a pharmacy, community pharmacies can serve as vital entry points for essential HIV prevention and linkage to care services – and ensure people can access services in their communities. Broader pharmacy access for prevention services, can empower choice for individuals to choose to receive PrEP and other prevention services in a location that best suits their needs. This webinar discussed the opportunity to expand equitable access to HIV prevention services, including PrEP, and what is needed to grow and sustain community-based HIV prevention service programs in pharmacies.
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An analysis presented at IAS2024, HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Policies Worldwide, by the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Policy & Politics has found 69% of 194 countries reviewed have approved at least one PrEP product. But only 52% of the countries reviewed follow WHO guidance on PrEP eligibility with regulatory approvals and national policies that support PrEP eligibility for all populations or people at risk.
Lenacapavir for PrEP has taken center stage at the 25th International AIDS Conference, #AIDS2024, which opened Monday with many highlighting its potential for long-acting PrEP for HIV prevention. Some advocates took to the halls in protest calling on LEN’s maker to price the product low. Leaders across HIV voiced the need for urgency in galvanizing support for the introduction of lenacapavir. “It is gobsmackingly exciting to see zero in a clinical trial” AVAC’s Mitchell Warren told Forbes. The potential to bend the curve of the epidemic depends on speeding access to prevention options like LEN, that show high efficacy.
At the same time, it’s imperative to remember that neither lenacapavir, nor any other single product, now or in the future, will ever be a ‘miracle drug’, and LEN must not be equated with a vaccine, as seen in some conference media reports.
Ongoing investment in the pipeline for HIV prevention must be founded on the principle of choice, offering a range of products to meet diverse needs among people facing the risk of HIV. We hope that vaccines will one day be among those choices, as will long and short-acting products, and topical and systemic products. Clear communication that allows product users to understand how products are different supports widespread adoption of HIV prevention and moves the world toward finally ending the epidemic.
See AVAC’s statement calling for early planning to accelerate LEN’s regulatory review and for ambitious introduction plans, and the joint civil society call to action with specific priorities about what needs to happen next. Our primer, the Lens on LEN, also offers advocates a guide in explaining the findings from the Purpose 1 trial and next steps for advocacy.
As Albert Liu from UCSF’s Center for AIDS Research told delegates in the symposium on breakthrough and insights in long-acting technologies, “It’s never just the ‘product.’ New options can’t solve everything.” Atul Gawande of USAID reiterated a similar message at the satellite focused on women’s prevention, “The critical message to understand is that there isn’t going to be a magic bullet for prevention. What we have to understand is that there are also considerations that affect the likelihood that women will have what they want and what they’re likely to use.”
The conference theme, “Put People First,” is the main message we all must hear. Lillian Mworeko of the International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS East Africa (ICWEA) captured the essence of the meeting: “I am not just a recipient of care. I need a seat at the table to meaningfully engage and tell people what I need and how I need it.”
Monday’s opening session underscored the vital role of community engagement and the necessity for inclusive policies that address disparities affecting marginalized populations. Jay Mulucha of Fem Alliance, Uganda, the first trans man to speak at the International AIDS Conference, delivered a compelling message to the 12,000+ delegates attending both in person and online: “As a trans man living in Uganda, I am asking you to stop leaving us behind. Nothing about us, without us.”
UNAIDS released a report, The Urgency of Now, AIDS at a Crossroads calling out funding disparities and the need to dismantle the discrimination and stigma that are pushing the most marginalized people away from health care. The report warned of the peril in delayed funding decisions; investment needs to happen urgently for long-acting treatment and prevention options to reach all low- and middle-income countries and meet 2025 targets.
Making the most of investment in HIV prevention fundamentally depends on political will, but the field needs the right data, too. Monday’s satellite session, Money, money, money: Building towards a sustainable end state for HIV prevention, called for better data that goes beyond PrEP initiation numbers. “[PrEP initiations] alone do not tell us how much product is needed or how long people stay on PrEP. We are not collecting the right data,” said Katherine Kripke of Avenir Health. AVAC’s Mitchell Warren described the vicious cycle of small pilot projects generating limited data on PrEP use, resulting in unpredictable demand and cautious investment. “We have lots of small examples, and then we don’t scale it up because governments don’t know what it will cost. And still the world has 1.3 million new infections. We have to break the cycle.”
At the session organized by CASPR (Coalition to Accelerate & Support Prevention Research) and MATRIX (Microbicide R&D to Advance HIV Prevention Technologies through Responsive Innovation and Excellence), New ways for the next wave: Innovative R&D for the future of women’s prevention, MATRIX laid out their innovative approach that involves very early engagement of all stakeholders in the research, development and delivery of new products for HIV prevention. The session emphasized the equitable inclusion of women in all phases and in every aspect of R&D—as researchers, potential users, and advocates.
Sharon Hillier of Magee-Women’s Research Institute noted, “What we’ve learned in our research is that women care about efficacy, but it’s just one element of what they consider when they decide on prevention. They’re quite interested in safety, ease of use, discretion, price, availability, and accessibility.”
Stay tuned for more highlights from AIDS 2024 and visit our curated conference webpage, which includes new resources and summaries of the preconference sessions.
In a major twist that could potentially result in as much as $1B for equitable PrEP access in the US, the government has just made the decision to appeal last year’s jury verdict in the US v. Gilead case. The Choice Agenda and PrEP4All discussed the origin of US v. Gilead, the reasons for the government appeal, and what the case means for PrEP users in the United States.
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In a major twist that could potentially result in as much as $1B for equitable PrEP access in the US, the government has just made the decision to appeal last year’s jury verdict in the US v. Gilead case. Following pressure from PrEP4All and HIV/AIDS advocates, the US government originally brought the case in 2019, alleging that Gilead had infringed on PrEP patents held by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and owed royalties to the government. While a jury verdict in May of last year went against the government, the judge in the case overturned a key part of that verdict just this March, setting the stage for a government appeal.
The stakes for communities in need of PrEP access could not be higher. Gilead’s patent infringement and price gouging have sabotaged equitable PrEP access in America. Royalties paid to the government could and should form the basis for a National PrEP Program that would help erase those disparities. Join The Choice Agenda and PrEP4All to discuss the origin of US v. Gilead, the reasons for the government appeal, and what the case means for PrEP users in the United States.
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A global cadre of HIV prevention advocates is calling for an accelerated timeline for access to the HIV prevention drug lenacapavir. Gilead, the developer of the drug, announced topline results from a large study among cisgender African women on 20 June, followed shortly thereafter with a statement about access.
Last week’s interim result of the PURPOSE 1 HIV prevention study of injectable lenacapavir is captivating headlines. Check out AVAC’s statement here and one from the PURPOSE 1 Global Community Accountability Board and the African Women’s Prevention Community Accountability Board here. But there are LOTS of other things also happening in HIV prevention, and we’re delighted to share this roundup.
Responding to Project 2025’s Threats to Science, Rights and Resources
Project 2025 is part of an ongoing multi-pronged backlash to the sexual and reproductive health, gender and LGBTQ+ movements. Building on the experience of the HIV movement in fighting these same far-right forces, join this Choice Agenda webinar discussing potential responses through the lens of HIV affected communities and programs. Register here
You Get What You Measure: Why Monitoring for PrEP Choice Helps Tell Our Story
The data collected on a program determines its path and priorities. This Choice Agenda webinar will cover the current state of PrEP monitoring and evaluation, and efforts to improve and simplify data-gathering to better reflect how people use PrEP and to support choice amongst the growing array of PrEP methods. And the discussion will also focus on how data can be used to enhance the stories we tell about PrEP program implementation. Register here
From The Lab To The Jab Webinar and Issue Briefs
Earlier this month, AVAC hosted a webinar highlighting our series of issue briefs, From The Lab To The Jab, covering research and development, mRNA technology, vaccine production, issues relevant to equitable global access to vaccines. The webinar featured panelists from the International Vaccine Institute, International Treatment Preparedness Coalition, and æqua, a think tank focused on equity and economic justice for health. Panelists discussed international initiatives for vaccine development, the current state of vaccine research and access, and how they can be improved. Read more
The GPP Body of Evidence: GPP Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks, REAL and REAL2
GPP is an essential part of clinical trials research, and an ethical imperative to creating equitable and effective clinical trials. GPP is created by and for communities, so it looks different and takes multiple forms in different cultural contexts. This kind of responsiveness is inherent to GPP, but it also makes it difficult to measure and evaluate. In this webinar, participants will learn from the Realist Review of Community Engagement and the REAL2 review of participatory research. Each examined frameworks for evaluating community engagement efforts. We’ll also learn about the Global Health Network’s new course on evaluation, and other efforts in the field to evaluate the impact of GPP. View the recording
It’s Not Just about the Trial: GPP from discovery to delivery in TB research
GPP enhances every stage of the research lifecycle. In this webinar, our partners at TB Alliance, SMART4TB, and THINK shared experiences, lessons learned, and innovative approaches in integrating GPP at the organizational, network and situational level, from drug development through delivery. View the recording
Advocates’ Guide to Doxycycline to Prevent Bacterial STIs (DoxyPEP)
Doxycycline, an oral antibiotic, can be used as a post-exposure prophylaxis, commonly referred to as DoxyPEP, when used to prevent the acquisition of some bacterial STIs after sex. Doxycycline is inexpensive, easily tolerated, and widely available. However, questions remain regarding who will benefit most from DoxyPEP and how to implement this strategy broadly to ensure equitable access and minimize antimicrobial resistance. This guide seeks to explore and address these critical questions. Read the guide
Episode 3: The Promising Science
Our Mitchell Warren speaks to ViiV’s Kimberly Smith in this episode of the Foreign Policy podcast series ‘can we end epidemics?’ about the future of HIV science and the challenges we need to overcome on our journey to finding a cure. Listen
We hope these conversations and resources are helpful in your advocacy. Stay tuned for our upcoming advocates’ primer on lenacapavir and our roadmap to the AIDS 2024 conference in Munich.
