A groundbreaking HIV treatment has been approved for use on the NHS following campaigning by National AIDS Trust and a coalition of HIV organisations, clinicians and activists.
Lenacapavir, a long-acting antiretroviral treatment for people living with drug-resistant HIV, has now been commissioned by the NHS, a move campaigners say will help save lives and bring the UK closer to ending AIDS-related deaths.
The National AIDS Trust welcomed the decision, which follows advocacy efforts involving the British HIV Association (BHIVA), the UK Community Advisory Board (UK-CAB), ACT UP London and individual HIV specialists.
Daniel Fluskey, Director of Policy at the National AIDS Trust, described the announcement as a major milestone for people living with HIV who have exhausted other treatment options.
“This is a huge decision for people who need life-saving treatment and takes us a step closer to ensuring that no one dies from AIDS-related illnesses here in the UK,” he said.
“Over years too many people have lost loved ones, family, and friends because of a lack of access to medicine and the harm caused by stigma, prejudice and discrimination, so when a new life-saving treatment is available it must get to the people who need it.”
Lenacapavir is expected to benefit around 100 people each year in the UK who are resistant to traditional antiretroviral therapies, offering a new treatment option for those with limited alternatives.
The National AIDS Trust said the decision highlights the progress that has been made in HIV care over recent decades, transforming HIV from a life-limiting diagnosis into a manageable long-term condition for most people who receive effective treatment.
“We’ve come so far with HIV treatment that people can now expect to live long and healthy lives with HIV,” Fluskey said.
“And alongside improvements in HIV prevention we have all the tools needed to achieve the UK Government’s goal of ending new HIV transmissions and AIDS-related deaths by 2030, as long as those tools can be easily accessed by everyone who needs them.”
The charity also thanked supporters who backed its campaign calling on the NHS to make the treatment available, with hundreds signing a petition urging health leaders to approve access.
Campaigners said the decision demonstrates the impact of collective action in improving healthcare access for people living with HIV.
The approval of lenacapavir comes as the UK continues efforts to meet its target of ending new HIV transmissions and AIDS-related deaths by 2030, with advocates arguing that equitable access to treatment and prevention remains essential to achieving that goal.
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