No HIV vaccine on the horizon but research shows other tools, efforts are plentiful

Although there is still no HIV vaccine and no promising candidates in the pipeline, data published throughout 2024 show the significant impacts of prevention efforts and tools.

Research published throughout the year highlights the impacts of PrEP and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), as well as the promise of a vaginal ring as a means of PrEP. Despite these advancements, HIV research still shows disparities and room for improvement.

Below are 12 stories sampling our coverage of the latest news and data on HIV.

Fauci: HIV, COVID-19 pandemics taught us to ‘expect the unexpected’

Despite being decades apart, the HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics shared many lessons that can be applied to future pandemics and health emergencies. The most important lesson, according to Anthony S. Fauci, MD, is to “expect the unexpected.” Read more.

Does the world still need an HIV vaccine? Experts say yes

More than a decade later after a trial showed the combination of two experimental vaccines reduced the rate of new HIV infections, a similar vaccine regimen was stopped after failing to prevent infections like many trials that have come after. With no vaccine success and the availability of other successful interventions, we asked experts if a vaccine is still needed. Read more.

HHS removes barriers for HIV-positive organ recipients

HHS adopted a final rule eliminating the requirement that patients with HIV in need of a kidney or liver transplant participate in a clinical study to receive an organ from a donor with HIV. Read more.

VIDEO: What patients are saying about long-acting cabotegravir for HIV PrEP

In this video from IDWeek, Vani Vannappagari, MBBS, PhD, MPH, discusses study findings demonstrating the effectiveness of cabotegravir for HIV prevention as well as what the people enrolled in the two trials have to say about cabotegravir. Watch video.

Despite improvement in new PrEP use, racial, ethnic ‘disparities still persist’

Access to PrEP remains insufficient, especially among Black, Hispanic and Medicare-insured populations, whereas the largest gains in PrEP use were reported among men and women with no risk factors for HIV-1 infection. Read more.

Over half of infants diagnosed with HIV did not receive preventive treatment

Among more than 3 million infants born from 2009 to 2021, 0.07% received postnatal antiretroviral prophylaxis. Of those with an HIV diagnosis in the first year of life, 51.9% did not receive perinatal prophylaxis. Read more.

A vaginal ring could soon offer women 3 months of HIV protection

A 3-month version of the dapivirine vaginal ring used as HIV PrEP performed at least as well as the existing 1-month version. Read more.

Lenacapavir poised to ‘transform’ HIV prevention

Twice-yearly lenacapavir injections reduced HIV infections by 96% in a phase 3 trial. Read more.

Experimental HIV vaccines fail to reduce infections in trial

Two HIV vaccine regimens failed to reduce new infections during a 3-year trial in Africa that was subsequently stopped based on advice from independent advisors. Read more.

Three-quarters of people with HIV globally are on ART, UNAIDS reports

Three-quarters of people globally living with HIV are on ART — an approximate 30% increase during the last 9 years — and fewer people acquired HIV in 2023 than at any point since the late 1980s, data from UNAIDS showed. Read more.

PEP underutilized for HIV prevention, study suggests

PEP for HIV remained significantly underutilized, with fewer eligible people prescribed HIV PEP in acute-care settings vs. non-acute-care settings. Read more.

Circumcision prevents HIV among men who have sex with men

Voluntary medical male circumcision was effective in preventing HIV infection among men who have sex with men, although researchers say additional protective measures should still be used. Read more.