Merck Once-Daily ARV Pill Could Reach Market Soon
Michael Gwarisa In a move that could significantly reduce pill burden and improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved a new once-daily pill developed by Merck & Co. for adults living with HIV-1 who are already virologically suppressed. The pill is intended to replace a patient’s existing
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Leaked Memo Shows U.S. May Cut HIV Aid to Zambia to Secure Mineral Access
Michael Gwarisa A report in The New York Times reveals that the U.S. State Department is considering a significant reduction in health assistance to Zambia as a negotiating tool to gain greater access to the country’s critical minerals. According to The New York Times, a draft memo prepared for Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggests
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New Single-Pill HIV Treatments Show Strong Results in Global Trials
Michael Gwarisa Two new once-daily HIV treatments taken as a single pill have shown strong results in late-stage clinical trials, raising hopes for simpler treatment options for people living with the virus. The studies were presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections 2026 in Denver, United States. Researchers tested whether the new drugs
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US Unveils $65 Million Bridge Plan to Sustain Zimbabwe’s HIV Respons
By Michael Gwarisa The United States Department of State, through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), has unveiled a new HIV and AIDS support fund worth US$65.1 million for Zimbabwe. The initiative, known as The Bridge Plan, will run for the next six months, with renewal contingent on the Government of Zimbabwe meeting
Read MoreUnited Nations Proposes Shutting Down UNAIDS In 2026
By Staff Reporter The United Nations (UN) agency focusing on the HIV/AIDS pandemic could close by the end of next year as the UN restructures in the face of a funding crisis, according to a UN document published online. UNAIDS will “sunset” by the end of 2026, the document published on Thursday reads, part of
Read MoreZimbabwe Selected Among Ten Countries to Roll Out Breakthrough HIV Prevention Drug, Lenacapavir
By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has been selected as one of ten countries globally to roll out lenacapavir, a revolutionary new HIV prevention drug that is being hailed as a game-changer in the global fight against HIV. The announcement was made on the official U.S. Embassy Zimbabwe Facebook page, marking a historic milestone in the country’s
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UNAIDS Welcomes US Move to Expand HIV Prevention Access
By Staff Reporter UNAIDS welcomes the announcement by the US State Department that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) will be supporting an initiative by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria to provide lenacapavir to up to 2 million people in countries with high burdens of HIV. Lenacapavir, an American-based
Read MoreIn Search For An Elusive HIV Vaccine: Zimbabwean Scientists Dig Deeper For Answers after Imbokodo Trials
By Michael Gwarisa Over the past few years, several interventions have been developed as the world intensifies the fight against HIV and AIDS. These include combined strategies such as behavioral, biomedical, and surgical methods to prevent HIV like Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC). For other epidemics such as smallpox, polio, measles and COVID-19, vaccines saved the
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