HIV remedy has come a good distance prior to now 30 years.
Lengthy-acting injectables are an innovation in HIV remedy that’s making it simpler for individuals dwelling with HIV to conveniently handle HIV, keep wholesome and forestall onward transmission of the virus.
Cabenuva — an injectable HIV remedy — is now accessible in Australia.
So, let’s speak about long-acting HIV remedies and how one can entry them.
What’s long-acting injectable HIV remedy?
Lengthy-acting injectables are a medicine that treats HIV for an extended time frame — as much as two months within the case of Cabenuva. The Therapeutic Items Affiliation has authorized Cabenuva as an HIV remedy in Australia. Cabenuva combines two medicine, Cabotegravir and Rilpivirine. This remedy treats HIV for 2 months.
How do HIV injectables work?
The remedy consists of two injections into your butt muscle groups given on the similar time (one for every cheek). These are injected by your physician or a nurse.
The preliminary two injections are adopted by one other two injections one month later. After this, you will have to e-book appointments each 2 months.
Who can get injectable HIV remedy?
Cabenuva is for individuals dwelling with HIV who have already got an undetectable viral load. There are a few different standards for accessing Cabenuva, together with remedy tolerance and interactions, not having Hepatitis B, and never at present being pregnant or chestfeeding. Try ASHM’s Long-acting Injectable HIV Treatment Tool for extra details about eligibility.
The place to get Cabenuva?
If you’re all in favour of beginning Cabenuva, talk about it along with your physician, who can stroll you thru the main points. When you want a brand new, gay-friendly physician who can prescribe HIV remedy, discover one utilizing our map here (apply the s100 HIV remedy filter). You have to to go to your physician or a nurse usually (each two months) to obtain your injection.
How a lot does Cabenuva value?
Cabenuva is out there for Medicare recipients on the PBS (Pharmaceutical Advantages Scheme). Out-of-pocket prices for Cabenuva beneath the PBS are $31.60 per pack (two injections) or much less with a Well being Care Card. Affordable HIV treatment can be accessible for individuals with and with out Medicare.
What are some great benefits of long-acting injectable HIV remedy?
The principle benefit of long-acting remedy versus every day tablets is the comfort of not having to take remedy every single day. It’s additionally nice for travelling, as you gained’t have to hold remedy with you!
Since injectable HIV remedy must be administered by a health care provider or nurse, it’s extra discreet than taking oral remedy. This can be very useful in conditions the place you don’t need relations or family members to seek out your remedy which will help to scale back stigma.
Injections are additionally a superb choice for individuals who get nauseous from taking tablets.
Lengthy-acting HIV remedies have been probably the most most popular methodology of administering remedy by homosexual and bi+ guys in Australia, based on UNSW’s PrEPared report 2023. Those that are already taking Cabenuva are very satisfied with the treatment, with lower than 5 per cent switching again to oral remedy.
What are the disadvantages?
Because it’s administered by your physician or a nurse, taking long-acting injectable HIV remedy will imply extra appointments than you could be used to (at the least 6 per 12 months for Cabenuva).
There are additionally larger penalties in the event you miss a dose of long-acting injectables. You have to to remain on prime of your appointments and pre-plan for lengthy holidays or moving cities. There are some oral pill choices in case you possibly can’t make your injection appointment in time, however that can require pre-planning.
There are a number of unwanted effects reported for Cabenuva, most of that are delicate. The commonest is ache on the website of injection for a number of days afterwards (which will be decreased with paracetamol and chilly packs). Different much less frequent unwanted effects (comparable to tiredness and nausea) will be mentioned along with your physician in case you have considerations.
Effectively, there you have got it — the whole lot it’s essential learn about long-acting injectable HIV remedy and find out how to entry Cabenuva in Australia. For extra info on HIV remedy, go to our Knowledge Hub web page.
