New HIV Prevention Jab Hailed as Major NHS Breakthrough
A long-acting injection to prevent HIV has been approved for use by the National Health Service (NHS) in England and Wales, which officials have hailed as a “game-changing” step towards ending new HIV transmissions by 2030.
The treatment, cabotegravir (CAB-LA), is administered every two months and provides an alternative to the daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) tablets currently used by HIV-negative people to reduce infection risk.
It is the first injectable form of PrEP to receive approval from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), following its successful rollout in Scotland.
On Friday, 17 October, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting told an international publication: “For vulnerable people who are unable to take other methods of HIV prevention, this represents hope.”
He added that England aims to become the first country to eliminate new HIV transmissions within the decade.
NICE expects the jab to become available in health clinics within months. Around 1 000 people in England who cannot take oral PrEP are expected to benefit each year.
According to the United Kingdom Health Security Agency, more than 111 000 people accessed PrEP in England last year – a 7% increase from 2023 – highlighting growing demand for effective and accessible HIV prevention methods.
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