A new breakthrough in HIV prevention, lenacapavir, has been approved in the US despite funding cuts that are expected to undermine efforts to stop the spread of the disease. The highly promising drug provides six months of protection against HIV infection and was dubbed a “miracle product” by UNAIDS officials last year.
The US budget cuts have resulted in downsized federal health budgets, affecting key public health agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This has raised concerns that vulnerable groups, including those from low-income backgrounds, gay and bisexual men, and sex workers, may not benefit from the new PrEP drug.
The US had previously been a major funder of global HIV initiatives until President Donald Trump’s second term. However, with the approval of lenacapavir, experts are now questioning whether the promise of this breakthrough can be undone by the defunding of US public health agencies.
UNAIDS officials have warned that the cuts will lead to more HIV cases and undermine efforts to end the epidemic in the US by 2030. The organization has also reported a drop in the number of people going to clinics, especially in countries affected by the disease.
The US government continues to support pregnant women and new mothers via PEPFAR, but access to PrEP for gay and bisexual men, sex workers, and drug users has been stopped. Experts are urging caution and warning that the cuts will have a significant impact on efforts to combat HIV.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/miracle-hiv-drug-lenacapavir-approved-amid-drastic-us-health-budget-cuts/a-73023089