Approval of a vaccine to prevent HIV is a ‘game changer’ in England and Wales | AIDS and HIV
A “game-changing” injection is set to be approved for use to prevent HIV in England and Wales.
The long-acting vaccine, which is administered every two months, will provide an alternative to the daily pills used to protect against the virus.
This type of HIV prophylaxis, known as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), is usually taken by people without HIV to reduce the risk of infection.
In draft guidance published on Friday, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended cabotegravir (CAB-LA) for adults and young people at risk of HIV who cannot take oral pre-exposure prophylaxis.
The shot is already available on the NHS in Scotland.
Health Minister Wes Streeting said the approval of the shots was a “game changer”.
“For vulnerable people who cannot take other methods of HIV prevention, this represents hope,” he said.
“We are making real progress in the fight against HIV, with the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis increasing by 8% this year, and our ambition goes even further. England will be the first country to end HIV transmission by 2030, and this advanced treatment is another powerful tool in our arsenal to reach this crucial goal.”
The rollout is expected to begin about three months after NICE publishes its final guidance later this year.
More than 111,000 people accessed pre-exposure prophylaxis services at sexual health clinics in England in 2024, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), an increase of 7% on the previous year.
Helen Knight, director of drug evaluation at NICE, said HIV “remains a serious public health challenge, but we now have powerful tools to prevent new infections.”
“About 1,000 people in England cannot access oral prophylaxis every day due to medical contraindications or other barriers, which is why this shot provides an effective option for this community,” she said.
Up to 1,000 people are expected to benefit from the new treatment in England each year, according to NICE.