New Twice-A-Year HIV Prevention Drug
Definition: HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS and is transmitted during sex. This virus damaged the human immune system, enabling the system to be immunocompromised, making it easier to become sick with other diseases and/or viruses.
However, Progression is now stalled.
Although this preventive drug made monumental changes in the field of HIV, progression toward the future might be stalled for a while.
The current presidential administration, the Trump Administration, has moved toward ending funding for HIV research, which will slow down the progression of the vaccine’s creation.
Ending this funding will affect the field’s research for a while due to the sudden halt of all ongoing experiments and research. Additionally, all of these professionals working on these projects and experiments will have to shift their career focus from HIV vaccine research toward something else.
Turn the spotlight on the public.
This twice-a-year HIV preventive drug is NOT available for public use, and it is unclear when it will be.
Due to recent funding cuts in this field, the progression toward the distribution of this drug will be slightly more challenging. Not only will this drug need to undergo more testing to make sure it’s fully capable for the public, but the cost of this drug needs to be considered.
It’s unclear how much this drug will cost, how much the co-pay will be, and how it will be handled by insurance companies.
There are still many questions that need to be answered, but as of right now, this is all we have.
New Year, New Developments
As of June 2025, the FDA has recently approved a new twice-a-year HIV prevention injectable drug called Yeztugo. This monumental breakthrough has been in the works for years, dating back to the early 1980s when the research began. Researchers and Scientists have been working tirelessly for a moment like this.
This drug, Yeztugo, has been approved after clinical trials showed a 99.9% success rate of negative HIV tests from participants. These trials showed an almost eliminated spread of HIV after the medication was given every 6 months.
Researchers on these trials have stated that this preventive drug works better than the widely known daily pill for HIV prevention called Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, also known as PrEP.
Did you know?
You can have HIV and not Feel Sick
Work Cited
- YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12wPKCLrf0o. Accessed 24 June 2025.
“HIV Education Is Prevention – Learn More on HIVCare.Org.” HIV Care, 3 Feb. 2022, https://www.hivcare.org/hiv-basics/#what-is-hiv.
Moniuszko, Sara. “HIV Prevention Drug Lenacapavir Approved by FDA as Twice-Yearly Injection.” CBS News, 18 June 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hiv-prevention-drug-lenacapavir-yeztugo-approved-fda/.
“See Boxed Warning.” APRETUDE (Cabotegravir), https://apretude.com/hiv-risk/understanding-hiv-risk/?cc=ps_LJ9W9IK6QLMPYWQ2109302&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=prevention+of+hiv+aids&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=16458998827&gbraid=0AAAAAoLQ48ZzwacZZG-AsbeaQo8xVaxTz&gclid=CjwKCAjwmenCBhA4EiwAtVjzmmuYMye8r928WXntvbsuaDt1MDGsmN2Bkttdn8qKgHv4k8RCoF7JBBoCtx8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds. Accessed 24 June 2025.
“---.” APRETUDE (Cabotegravir), https://apretude.com/hiv-risk/understanding-hiv-risk/?cc=ps_LJ9W9IK6QLMPYWQ2109302&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=prevention+of+hiv+aids&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=16458998827&gbraid=0AAAAAoLQ48ZzwacZZG-AsbeaQo8xVaxTz&gclid=CjwKCAjwmenCBhA4EiwAtVjzmmuYMye8r928WXntvbsuaDt1MDGsmN2Bkttdn8qKgHv4k8RCoF7JBBoCtx8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds. Accessed 24 June 2025.
