HIV campaigners in England are welcoming a new breakthrough treatment called lenacapavir, which will be available soon for hundreds of people with multidrug-resistant HIV. The treatment can prevent HIV without daily medication and is considered life-saving for those who have run out of other options, but it is expensive and currently inaccessible to many in low-income countries who helped make the drug possible through clinical trials. Lenacapavir costs $28,000 to $40,000 per person per year in rich countries, and although some low-income countries will get it for a discounted price, others must pay full price despite their financial constraints. Médecins Sans Frontières is campaigning for the price of lenacapavir to be lowered and for more global supply to meet demand, with the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Hundreds of people across England living with multidrug-resistant HIV will soon have access to lenacapavir, a breakthrough HIV treatment.
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Hundreds → live → lenacapavir
The decision, announced by the NHS this week, has been welcomed by HIV campaigners who had been calling for this because lenacapavir will be life-saving for many people living with HIV in the UK who have run out of other treatment options.
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who → announce → options
But as lenacapavir is rolled out here in England, there are many across the rest of the world who do not have access to this treatment, including the very communities who hosted clinical trials and helped make the drug possible.
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drug → roll → trials
How did this happen?
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this → happen → ?
Lenacapavir can be a lifesaver for people living with rare drug-resistant HIV, but it is also a major breakthrough in HIV prevention.
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it → live → prevention
Given as an injection just twice a year, it can prevent HIV without requiring people to take a pill every day.
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it → give → pill
For many people around the world who live with HIV, multiple barriers such as stigma and discrimination, criminalisation, financial insecurity, and geographic isolation make sourcing and taking daily medication difficult.
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sourcing → live → medication
A twice-yearly injection truly has the potential to prevent new HIV cases on a large scale.
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injection → have → scale
In rich countries it sells for $28,000 to $40,000 (£21,000 to £29,000) per person per year.
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it → sell → year
While some low-income countries around the world will have access to the drug for the much more affordable price of $40 (£29) per person per year, when generics become available, countries including Brazil, Mexico and Peru who hosted clinical trials, still have to pay the full price and are unable to do so.
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who → have → price
The bitter irony is that despite helping to make the drug viable, the communities in these countries can’t access this lifesaving preventative treatment.
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communities → help → treatment
The HIV movement has spent decades fighting the idea that where you live or what you earn should determine whether you get lifesaving treatment.
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you → spend → treatment
We cannot accept a future where people in wealthy countries can access the latest HIV innovations whilst people in other countries, many carrying some of the highest HIV burdens, are left waiting.
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many → accept → burdens
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has set out three straightforward demands in its campaign “Lenacapavir: Two Shots. $40.
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Frontières → set → campaign
To bring the price of lenacapavir below US$40 per person per year in all low- and middle-income countries, to increase global supply to meet actual demand and to allow organisations working directly with communities to purchase lenacapavir directly (including MSF).
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organisations → bring → MSF
These demands are the minimum needed if we are serious about making this breakthrough available to everyone who could benefit from it and realising the global goal of ending AIDS as aa public health threat by 2030.
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who → need → 2030
The UK is now benefiting from the scientific progress that made lenacapavir possible and should now use its financial and diplomatic influence to make sure that this progress is shared.
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progress → benefit → influence
The UK should support organisations such as Unitaid, which has already helped secure the US$40-a-year price for generic lenacapavir, and the Global Fund, which is also helping countries introduce and deliver lenacapavir.
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countries → support → lenacapavir
However, given the demand, the UK must also use its diplomatic leverage with Gilead to demand the three asks outlined in MSF’s campaign and ensure licensing arrangements that put people and communities first, ensuring lenacapavir is affordable and available in every country where it is needed, not just in the markets that are most profitable.
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that → give → markets
If lenacapavir isn’t made accessible to all who need it, it will simply become another medical breakthrough reserved for those who can afford it rather than fulfil its potential to finally end a decades long epidemic.
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who → make → epidemic
Building on its decades of global leadership on HIV to date, the UK should invest in the organisations that can get these innovations to scale, use its political influence to fight for fair access, and ensure that the people who need new technologies most are not left behind.
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who → build → technologies
By doing so it will play a lead role in ensuring the world meets the 2030 target of ending AIDS as a public health threat.
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world → do → threat
However, this kind of leadership is harder to deliver while the UK is cutting its aid spending and reducing the resources available for global health.
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UK → deliver → health
We cannot say we want to end AIDS whilst reducing the support to partners, like Unitaid and the Global Fund, who help make that possible.
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that → say → Unitaid
With just four years to 2030, the UK’s new leadership has a choice about what kind of global health leader it wants to be.
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it → have → leader
If we are serious about ending AIDS as a public health threat, it must be willing to fight for equitable access to the innovations that can get us there and put the political and financial investment behind that commitment.
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that → end → commitment
Molly Thompson is senior advocacy advisor at STOPAIDS – a HIV, health and human rights advocacy network of 50 UK international development agencies working globally to end AIDS and realise all people’s right to health and wellbeing
This article has been produced as part of The Independent’s Rethinking Global Aid project
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article → work → project
