Key points:
- A new HIV drug, cabotegravir, is being made available on the NHS in England and Wales
- Quarterly vaccination could replace the daily pill as an HIV prevention method
- Taking medication every few months could help many people get more effective treatments
HIV has devastated countless lives around the world. According to the National AIDS TrustIn 2023, 107,949 people received HIV treatment in the UK, an increase of over 27% over the last 10 years.
But a new vaccination could help curb the spread of the infection and enable those affected to live a much less stressful life.
Read on to find out more.
HIV infection can seriously affect your long-term health. Find out your sexual health condition with one of our home testing kits.
What does the shock do?
A vaccine has been developed that could help curb the spread of HIV even further in the UK.
Despite PrEP’s effectiveness, taking a pill every day can be difficult for some people. For people who are homeless or have experienced domestic violence or violence, taking a pill every day can be difficult. Accessing PrEP medication can also be difficult and can cause feelings of shame for some people. Judgment from friends and family can be a serious obstacle to taking this medication regularly and effectively. Daily intake can also be forgotten or missed.
ViiV Healthcare, a pharmaceutical manufacturer, has developed a new drug called Cabotegravir. This medication should be injected once every few months. It is provided by the NHS and was recently approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The development of this drug follows closely on the heels of another HIV prevention drug: Lenacapavir.
Cabotegravir vaccination is being considered for adults and adolescents who are at high risk of acquiring HIV through sexual activity but for whom taking PrEP pills daily would be problematic.
Getting vaccinated every few months can help many people maintain their treatment over the longer term without fear of missing a dose.
What is HIV?
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is an STI that attacks your immune system, particularly white blood cells called CD4 cells. These cells help your body fight off infections.
HIV is transmitted through certain body fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk. Transmission most often occurs through unprotected sexual intercourse, but sharing needles and breastfeeding are also known transmission routes.
The longer you have HIV, the more your body loses its ability to fight off outside infections. If left untreated for a long period of time, it can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), a condition in which the immune system is severely weakened.
However, thanks to advances in treatment, most people living with HIV in the UK today do not develop AIDS and can live long, healthy lives.
Modern HIV treatment includes antiretroviral therapy (ART), which reduces the viral load in the body to undetectable levels. This not only protects the health of the person living with HIV, but also prevents transmission to others. In fact, someone with an undetectable viral load cannot pass HIV through sex – a concept known as “U=U” (undetectable = untransmissible).
Current status Data According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), there are around 113,500 people living with HIV in the UK, of whom around 5,200 are undiagnosed.
In 2024, new HIV diagnoses fell by 4%, from 3,169 in 2023 to 3,043 in 2024. Encouragingly, the UK continues to meet the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets: 95% of people with HIV are diagnosed, 99% of those diagnosed are on treatment and 98% of those on treatment have a suppressed viral load.
Despite this progress, challenges remain. Late diagnoses are still common, particularly among heterosexual men and women in sub-Saharan Africa, who are also less likely to use preventive measures such as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis).
In 2024, PrEP use increased by nearly 8%, and over 111,000 people accessed it. The UK government remains committed to ending new HIV transmissions by 2030. However, achieving this goal requires further investment, education and equitable access to testing and treatment services.
How can I find out if I have HIV?
If you are sexually active, it always helps to get tested regularly. Even if you use condoms during sex, there is no guarantee that you will be protected from all sexually transmitted diseases.
The best way to protect your sexual health is with a comprehensive testing program that tests for a variety of infections. You can do this with Daily Sparkz Full STI screenthat tests for:
Final thoughts
Daily Sparkz fully welcomes any breakthrough that helps people treat or manage a sexually transmitted disease. But in order for someone to treat an infection, they must first know whether they have it.
Click the button below to book a comprehensive, private STI screening at a sexual health clinic near you.
Don’t leave your sexual health to chance.
