An injection to prevent HIV is to be offered to patients on the NHS in England and Wales for the first time, bringing the policy in line with Scotland.
The long-acting shot, given six times a year or every other month, is an alternative to taking daily pills to protect against the virus.
Experts hope the cabotegravir (CAB-LA) injections will help meet the ambition of ending new HIV cases by 2030 in the UK.
Meanwhile, early results for a different injection called lenacapavir suggest it may even be possible to move people on to an annual HIV prevention jab.
‘This represents hope’
Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said: “The approval of this game-changing injection perfectly embodies what this government is determined to deliver – cutting-edge treatments that save lives and leave no one behind.
“For vulnerable people who are unable to take other methods of HIV prevention, this represents hope.”
HIV prevention therapy, known as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), is taken by HIV-negative people to reduce the risk of getting HIV.
Pills have been available for years and are still extremely effective at stopping HIV infections, but are not always easy for some to take.
