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A new HIV protection jab has been approved for use in Northern Ireland, offering an alternative to the daily HIV prevention pills known as PrEP. The long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) jab will be administered every two months, providing a more convenient option for those looking to protect themselves from HIV. This decision comes after the injection was approved for use in England and Wales, aligning Northern Ireland with Scotland in offering this form of prevention.
Campaigners have been advocating for the availability of the cabotegravir injection in Northern Ireland, and their efforts have paid off with the Department of Health confirming its rollout. The Rainbow Project, a prominent LGBT charity, has hailed this move as a “game-changer,” highlighting the potential for increased accessibility to HIV prevention through this new option. Chief executive Scott Cuthbertson emphasized that this could make HIV prevention much more widely accessible, marking a positive step forward in the fight against HIV.
HIV prevention therapy aims to reduce the risk of acquiring the virus in HIV-negative individuals by taking preventative medication. While PrEP has been available in Northern Ireland since 2018, some barriers such as accessibility, practicality, and privacy concerns have hindered its uptake. The cabotegravir jab, administered every other month, offers a discreet and potentially more convenient option for those who struggle with oral medication. By expanding the options for HIV prevention, there is hope that new HIV cases can be eradicated by 2030 in the UK.
Final guidance on the administration of the cabotegravir injection has been issued to the Department of Health in Northern Ireland by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The department is in the process of endorsing this guidance to ensure eligible patients can access this treatment. While the exact timeline for when the injections will become available is still unknown, the approval of this new form of prevention marks a significant step towards achieving the goal of ending new HIV cases by 2030. Scott Cuthbertson reiterated the importance of providing accessible options for HIV prevention, emphasizing the ongoing work required to reach this ambitious target
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