High prices and funding cuts stall HIV prevention revolution

The AIDS epidemic could stage a comeback amid unequal access to breakthrough prevention medicines and a sharp decline in global funding, according to a UN report released on Monday ahead of the opening of the 26th International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Why it matters1.2 million people acquired HIV and 570,000 died from AIDS-related illnesses in 202522 per cent of people living with HIV are still not receiving treatmentInternational HIV funding fell 18 per cent, the steepest decline in nearly 20 yearsSuch new medicines as lenacapavir are nearly 100 per cent effective at preventing HIV infection20 million people need access to antiretroviral-based prevention to make a meaningful impact on the epidemicGeneric versions of lenacapavir could cost as little as $40 per person per year, but they will remain unavailable in many countriesDefined by a paradoxThe conference, taking place in Rio from 27 to 31 July, is defined by a paradox.By the end of this decade, more than three million people could become infected with HIV, yet the tools to stop this crisis already exist, from groundbreaking prevention medicines to community-led interventions with a proven track record. What ...