Participants at the Aids 2026 Conference in Rio de Janeiro discussed how recently developed HIV prevention medications could significantly impact global disease rates, while simultaneously noting that reductions in international funding threaten to limit their deployment to populations most in need.
Lenacapavir, an injectable form of PrEP that requires only two doses annually, was recommended by the World Health Organization as a priority for expanded access around the globe. The medication demonstrates 99% effectiveness in preventing sexually transmitted HIV among consistent users. Mathematical modeling conducted by the WHO and United Nations suggested that widespread availability of lenacapavir could prevent 41% of new HIV infections in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and western Kenya. The injectable formulation addresses significant barriers faced by populations in poverty, areas with limited healthcare infrastructure, and communities experiencing stigma, for whom daily pills or bimonthly injections present substantial challenges.
However, the potential benefits of these innovations are being constrained by reductions in international HIV prevention funding. USAID previously supplied 73% of donor-funded resources for HIV prevention globally, according to research published in the Lancet Global Health. As of July 2026, multiple reports document sharp declines in HIV prevention investment worldwide. Beyond medication availability, funding cuts have impaired outreach capacity, with organizations reducing peer support services that are essential for engaging high-risk populations, particularly people who inject drugs.
Experts emphasized that cutbacks in community-based services undermine the effectiveness of new medications. Closing physical and mobile locations forces at-risk populations to travel greater distances for services and disrupts relationships essential for building trust. Additionally, geographic disparities in medication access persist independent of funding changes. Certain pharmaceutical agreements exclude Latin American nations classified as upper-middle-income countries, despite these regions’ substantial contributions to clinical trials. Advocates argue that despite having transformative prevention technologies available, current funding constraints and policy decisions make achieving established targets for disease elimination by 2030 increasingly difficult.
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