Roundup: The latest resources powering HIV & STI advocacy

Efforts are ramping up to roll out injectable LEN for PrEP amid new questions about pricing, volumes and supply timelines. LEN delivery is underway in Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and initial supply has entered Mozambique, South Africa and Uganda. AVAC, Access Bridge and the Coalition to Accelerate Access to Long-Acting PrEP are tracking the progress and facilitating a coordinated introduction. 

At the same time, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) issued an open letter to Gilead Sciences, criticizing its refusal to sell LEN directly for use in MSF’s programs. The issue comes amid limited public information, as concerns mount that constraining LEN access to limited procurement channels and timelines risks slowing its uptake and excluding populations outside of government-led programs.  

AVAC developed this summary of key information related to LEN to help drive transparency from all stakeholders and, hopefully, to accelerate the speed, scale and equity in its introduction. 

Close watchers expect a further update today — April 14 at 9:00AM EDT — when leaders from the US Department of State, Gilead Sciences and the Global Fund participate in a discussion on “the LEN partnership and the evolution of US foreign assistance” at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Register here to watch the live webcast.  

AVAC and partners launched three new national advocacy agendas on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) for Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe, to elevate STIs as national health priorities and accelerate actions on R&D and delivery of STI vaccines, diagnostics, prevention and care. “Each agenda reflects country-specific priorities, but, collectively, they elevate community voices, strengthen policy engagement and build regional momentum to ensure STI prevention, diagnosis and care receive the sustained attention they deserve,” said Alison Footman, PhD, senior program manager of STIs at AVAC. Join us for a webinar May 12 to learn more.

Pregnant and lactating people (PLP) have historically been excluded from biomedical research, leaving critical gaps in evidence and access to prevention tools. Building on global efforts, AVAC, the Pregnancy and HIV/AIDS: Seeking Equitable Study (PHASES) Project and a diverse group of stakeholders developed a clear action plan to help close this gap. Advancing Ethical Biomedical HIV Prevention Research for Pregnant and Lactating People, an article published in the journal AIDS, describes this effort and the essential role of communities in driving progress.

Expanding PrEP access means meeting people where they are. The latest Choice Agenda webinar explored how community health workers and pharmacists are taking injectable PrEP beyond clinics and into homes, streets and communities. The Choice Agenda offers monthly webinars and a moderated listserv for advocacy on the latest in HIV prevention research – join the conversation here.