Prophylaxis News and Research

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Chile becomes first South American nation to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies

Chile has become the first country in South America to receive the World Health Organization (WHO) validation for eliminating dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem.

18 Sep 2026

Persistent stigma creates barriers to modern HIV prevention methods

For decades, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) has been surrounded by fear, misinformation and stigma.

18 Sep 2026

Low discontinuation rates confirm manageable safety of iza-bren

An investigational EGFR x HER3 antibody-drug conjugate demonstrated promising efficacy with a tolerable safety profile in patients with previously treated EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), supporting selection of the 2.5 mg/kg dose for evaluation in the global Phase 3 IZABRIGHT-Lung01 registrational study.

12 Sep 2026

Tizanidine looked promising early in a migraine trial, but the benefit did not last

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that low-dose tizanidine did not provide sustained reductions in headache burden over 12 weeks in people with episodic migraine, despite a transient improvement with the 1 mg dose at week 4. Exploratory analyses suggested that smoking and sex may influence tizanidine exposure, while sex-specific efficacy signals remained hypothesis-generating and require confirmation.

10 Sep 2026

Sexual health education empowers young people to prevent infections

For many adolescents and young adults, life revolves around new experiences, greater independence, and new relationships.

30 Aug 2026

Anti-immigrant policies linked to rising HIV cases among Hispanic populations

Following the Trump administration's 2018 announcement of changes to the public charge rule that would penalize immigrants for using public benefit programs, antisanctuary counties in the US saw a 16.8-percent increase in HIV cases among Hispanic populations, compared to baseline counties.

25 Aug 2026

H5N1 infections remain rare among workers exposed to infected birds

A two-year cohort study of 428 people exposed to H5N1-infected birds in England found fewer than 1% met criteria for infection, with no severe disease or secondary human transmission. The findings support continued PPE use, biosecurity, and targeted surveillance while highlighting challenges around occupational exposure, mucosal contamination, and pandemic preparedness.

10 Aug 2026

Long-acting HIV prevention tools could help close the gap before a vaccine arrives

A review of non-vaccine HIV interventions highlights the strong preventive effects of long-acting PrEP, sustained ART, U=U, vertical transmission programs, and voluntary medical male circumcision. Gene editing and multispecific antibodies may expand future options, but safety, cost, access, adherence, and implementation barriers remain.

5 Aug 2026

Review outlines effective approaches to reduce recurrent hepatic encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a neurologic complication of advanced liver disease, causing impaired functioning, reduced quality of life (QOL), and increased hospitalisation and mortality.

31 Jul 2026

Integration is key to fighting global epidemics, WHO reports

The World Health Organization (WHO) today launched a new report assessing progress in implementing the Global Health Sector Strategies (GHSS) on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) for 2022–2030.

28 Jul 2026

Advanced synthetic grafting material fights bone cancer and prevents infection

Primary bone tumors, such as osteosarcoma, have seen stagnant survival rates over the past four decades. Surgical removal of the tumor is critical, but local recurrence may occur when tumours are close to vital structures, often resulting in amputation.

9 Jul 2026

New synthetic grafting material kills bone cancer and regenerates bone

3 Jul 2026

Fatal rabies case underscores need for immediate preventive treatment

Ontario's first case of fatal rabies since 1967 provides critical guidance to help prevent death from rabies in future instances.

29 Jun 2026

Simple guide improves informed decisions about HIV prevention

The most useful thing about a new HIV-prevention guide may be a question it never asks: Why do you want to know about pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP?

25 Jun 2026

New index identifies HIV prevention gaps across the Southern United States

The University of Mississippi-led study, published in Frontiers in Public Health, offers health care and government leaders a new tool for targeting HIV-related support where the need is highest.

3 Jun 2026

Early paracetamol may speed up heart vessel closure in preterm babies

Early administration of paracetamol may accelerate closure of the patent ductus arteriosus in extremely preterm babies, according to a new study.

3 Jun 2026

WHO prioritizes candidate vaccines and therapeutics for Bundibugyo virus

In response to the current outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with cases also reported in Uganda, WHO convened several of its expert and advisory groups.

29 May 2026

Innovative platform bridges the gap between OUD treatment and HIV prevention

People with opioid use disorder (OUD) are at increased risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). While there are effective interventions that can substantially reduce HIV incidence and opioid overdose, like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), many patients still face barriers to accessing and staying engaged in care.

22 May 2026

Bacterial sexually transmitted infections reach highest level in a decade

The latest Annual Epidemiological Reports from ECDC indicate a surge in bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) across Europe.

21 May 2026

Ensitrelvir cuts household COVID-19 risk when given after exposure

Ensitrelvir, an oral SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease inhibitor, reduced symptomatic RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 among household contacts when given within 72 hours after symptom onset in the infected index patient. In the phase 3 SCORPIO-PEP trial, COVID-19 occurred in 2.9% of ensitrelvir recipients versus 9.0% of placebo recipients, with similar overall adverse-event rates.

20 May 2026