One implant per year is promising against HIV

summary

People who are not infected with HIV can take a daily pill to avoid contracting the virus, a proven strategy called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). But many people who start PrEP do not stick to it and take the pills only intermittently, which hampers its effectiveness. This week at the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. announced a potential solution: a slow release implant of an experimental antiretroviral (ARV) drug designed to last in the body. The combination promises to provide an effective anti-HIV shield for one year or more, far longer than any antiretrovirals currently available on the market. This is one of many innovative ARV strategies offering potentially simpler options for treating or preventing HIV and, if widely used, could change the course of the AIDS epidemic.