A long-acting injection to prevent HIV is set to be approved for use in England and Wales, offering a major new alternative to daily pills currently used for protection against the virus.
The injection, known as cabotegravir (CAB-LA), is administered once every two months and provides a new form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (Prep) for people at risk of HIV who cannot take oral medication. The treatment is already available on the NHS in Scotland.
In draft guidance published on Friday, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) recommended CAB-LA for adults and young people unable to use daily Prep.
Health secretary Wes Streeting hailed the decision as “gamechanging,” saying: “For vulnerable people who are unable to take other methods of HIV prevention, this represents hope. England will be the first country to end HIV transmissions by 2030, and this breakthrough treatment is another powerful tool to reach that goal.”
More than 111,000 people accessed Prep in England in 2024, a 7% rise from the previous year, according to the UK Health Security Agency.
Helen Knight, Nice’s director of medicines evaluation, said HIV “remains a serious public health challenge,” but the new injection would offer a vital option for about 1,000 people who cannot take oral Prep.
The rollout is expected to begin roughly three months after Nice publishes its final guidance later this year.
