Raphaël Depallens & Florian Vock, Swiss AIDS Federation

A dose every three days, once a week, every two, three or four months, twice a year and even once a year -  injectables, implants, self-administered patches... long-acting therapies are the future.

Why more research?

There are numerous forms of therapy that work successfully. Much is also being done to make affordable generics available. The question is why there should be any investment in new antiretroviral drugs at all. 

In his presentation, José Arribas showed why there are good reasons for this: 

• For people with HIV, one question is crucial: how often will I have to think about my treatment in the next six months? Adherence is crucial to the success of the treatment. The less often tablets have to be taken, the easier it is for many people to follow the regimen. 
• In addition, other forms of administration, such as injections, are much more discreet than daily pills. As long as the stigma associated with HIV remains so great, not being able to keep their treatment secret is a big problem for many people. 
• In terms of safety, both against the development of resistance and for vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, new therapies can offer urgently needed alternatives. 
• Last but not least, new therapies can also reduce overall costs if their prices are reasonable, because fewer medical consultations and check-ups are needed.

And women?

Despite the current knowledge about the challenges faced by women living with HIV, the consideration given to these challenges is (still) modest. In 544 studies, women are only represented in 23%, criticises Yvonne Gilleece in her presentation. Whether it is about the risk of comorbidities, contraception or pregnancy, menopause, violence or mental health, it is time for research to stop just discussing the lack and finally take action!