Question
When will injectable ART be available on the NHS?
12 March 2022. Related: Access to treatment, Adherence, All topics, CD4 and viral load, Changing treatment.
When will the NHS or UK clinic start the ART injections? (Once in a month)
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
The cabotegravir with rilpirivine injectable ART is expected to be available on the NHS within the next few weeks.
In Wales it should already have become available this month and it has already been available in Scotland for several months.
The injections (there are always two) are given every 2 months, not monthly. It will be offered as a switch option, meaning you already need an undetectable viral load on ART.
The process to switch will be: oral tablets for the first month, then higher dose initial injections and then finally 2 separate intramuscular injections every 2 months.
- More information on access times can be found on this recent HTB article.
- The British HIV Association (BHIVA) have published quidelines on who will be able to get injectable ART. This mainly involves being on ART with an undetectable viral load for over 6 months, and not having drug resistance. I also includes a caution about cases of treatment failing even with perfect adherence.
- This report includes these cases of viral failure which results in drug resistance to both drug classes.
Josh
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