One injection every two months is all people with HIV and those on PrEP may need in the not-to-distant future. The injectable drug Cabotegravir appears to be 69 percent more effective than Truvada, the daily pill most commonly prescribed.

According to Science magazine, 4,500 people participated in the study. Divided into four equal groups, each participant was randomly assigned to receive a Cabotegravir injection, a placebo injection, Truvada or a Truvada placebo. The Truvada group received 38 new infections, while the Cabotegravir group only 12.

The injection isn’t a vaccine to prevent the virus from attacking the immune system. However, for people on PrEP, it would work as a vaccine, but would need to be taken once every two months. For those on a daily pill, one injection every two months would replace the daily pill.

The study ended early because of the coronavirus pandemic and has not been published yet. Researchers warn that the statistics don’t show that Cabotegravir is better than Truvada, but appears to be at least as effective. Also, it provides an alternative to people who have trouble taking a daily medication.

— David Taffet