Working at Cross-Purposes to Ending HIV

The editorial examines the critical state of HIV prevention efforts, highlighting the promising outcomes of the PURPOSE 1 and 2 trials evaluating long-acting injectable lenacapavir. Despite demonstrating near-total protection against HIV acquisition, particularly among high-risk populations, widespread access remains elusive due to pharmaceutical licensing restrictions and high drug costs. The piece draws parallels with cabotegravir, another effective but scarcely deployed injectable PrEP, and critiques current global health strategies for failing to prioritize accessibility. The authors call for urgent and coordinated action to overcome policy, pricing, and distribution barriers, warning that without change, millions remain vulnerable to infection despite the existence of transformative biomedical tools.

The editorial examines the critical state of HIV prevention efforts, highlighting the promising outcomes of the PURPOSE 1 and 2 trials evaluating long-acting injectable lenacapavir. Despite demonstrating near-total protection against HIV acquisition, particularly among high-risk populations, widespread access remains elusive due to pharmaceutical licensing restrictions and high drug costs. The piece draws parallels with cabotegravir, another effective but scarcely deployed injectable PrEP, and critiques current global health strategies for failing to prioritize accessibility. The authors call for urgent and coordinated action to overcome policy, pricing, and distribution barriers, warning that without change, millions remain vulnerable to infection despite the existence of transformative biomedical tools.