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: Introduction: Long‐acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB‐LA) demonstrated superiority to daily tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) for HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in the HPTN 083/084 trials. We compared the potential impact of expanding PrEP coverage by offering CAB‐LA to men who have sex with men (MSM) in Atlanta (US), Montreal (Canada) and the Netherlands, settings with different HIV epidemics. Methods: Three risk‐stratified HIV transmission models were independently parameterized and calibrated to local data. In Atlanta, Montreal and the Netherlands, the models, respectively, estimated mean TDF/FTC coverage starting at 29%, 7% and 4% in 2022, and projected HIV incidence per 100 person‐years (PY), respectively, decreasing from 2.06 to 1.62, 0.08 to 0.03 and 0.07 to 0.001 by 2042. Expansion of PrEP coverage was simulated by recruiting new CAB‐LA users and by switching different proportions of TDF/FTC users to CAB‐LA. Population effectiveness and efficiency of PrEP expansions were evaluated over 20 years in comparison to baseline scenarios with TDF/FTC only. Results: Increasing PrEP coverage by 11 percentage points (pp) from 29% to 40% by 2032 was expected to avert a median 36% of new HIV acquisitions in Atlanta. Substantially larger increases (by 33 or 26 pp) in PrEP coverage (to 40% or 30%) were needed to achieve comparable reductions in Montreal and the Netherlands, respectively. A median 17 additional PYs on PrEP were needed to prevent one acquisition in Atlanta with 40% PrEP coverage, compared to 1000+ in Montreal and 4000+ in the Netherlands. Reaching 50% PrEP coverage by 2032 by recruiting CAB‐LA users among PrEP‐eligible MSM could avert >45% of new HIV acquisitions in all settings. Achieving targeted coverage 5 years earlier increased the impact by 5–10 pp. In the Atlanta model, PrEP expansions achieving 40% and 50% coverage reduced differences in PrEP access between PrEP‐indicated White and Black MSM from 23 to 9 pp and 4 pp, respectively. Conclusions: Achieving high PrEP coverage by offering CAB‐LA can impact the HIV epidemic substantially if rolled out without delays. These PrEP expansions may be efficient in settings with high HIV incidence (like Atlanta) but not in settings with low HIV incidence (like Montreal and the Netherlands)., INTRODUCTION Two clinical studies (HPTN 083 and HPTN 084) have shown that long‐acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB‐LA) pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) given every 8 weeks is highly efficacious at preventing HIV among [...]

The plan for Ending the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) Epidemic (EHE) in the United States aims to reduce new infections by 75% by 2025 and by 90% by 2030. For EHE to be successful, it is important to accurately measure changes in numbers of new HIV infections after 5 and 10 years (to determine whether the EHE goals have been achieved) but also over shorter timescales (to monitor progress and intensify prevention efforts if required). In this viewpoint, we aim to demonstrate why the method used to monitor progress toward the EHE goals must be carefully considered. We briefly describe and discuss different methods to estimate numbers of new HIV infections based on longitudinal cohort studies, cross-sectional incidence surveys, and routine surveillance data. We particularly focus on identifying conditions under which unadjusted and adjusted estimates based on routine surveillance data can be used to estimate changes in new HIV infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Daily and on-demand pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are effective at preventing HIV acquisition among men who have sex with men (MSM), but only daily PrEP is approved in the US. On-demand PrEP may improve uptake and adherence. We identify sub-groups of MSM who would benefit from on-demand PrEP and determine effectiveness achieved if individuals used their optimal regimens., Methods: Using data from the HPTN 067 study (study period 2012-2014), we created an individual-based stochastic model of HIV risk in two synthetic MSM populations with parameters separately estimated using data from Harlem, US, and Bangkok, Thailand. Agents were assigned daily and on-demand PrEP for six months each. Two personalized PrEP assignments: optimal, based on improved predicted effectiveness and reduced pill burden, and adherence-based, using daily PrEP adherence, were simulated for another six months., Findings: Simulated on-demand PrEP was optimal for approximately one-third of MSM. It was assigned mainly to those with low daily PrEP adherence (88% (Harlem), 95% (Bangkok) of MSM with daily PrEP adherence <40%). Mean effectiveness was slightly higher in the full synthetic population with optimal PrEP assignment compared to universal daily PrEP. Among MSM for whom on-demand PrEP was optimal, mean effectiveness improved by 18 (Harlem) and 7 percentage points (Bangkok). Comparable predicted effectiveness was achieved if on-demand PrEP was assigned to the population with daily PrEP adherence <50%. There was no advantage in assigning on-demand PrEP by sex act frequency., Interpretation: On-demand PrEP could benefit many MSM by increasing effectiveness or decreasing pill burden with similar effectiveness. On-demand PrEP may be an effective alternative to daily PrEP for individuals with difficulty taking daily PrEP consistently. Results were similar for Harlem and Bangkok, indicating that these conclusions were robust in populations with different overall adherence levels and may inform future public-health policies., Funding: US NIH grant UM1 AI068617., Competing Interests: DJD declares support from the 10.13039/100000060National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and lecture honoraria from 10.13039/100006920University of Pennsylvania. MCB declares grants or contracts from MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis (reference MR/R015600/1), jointly funded by the 10.13039/501100000265UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and the 10.13039/501100020171UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), under the MRC/FCDO Concordat agreement and is also part of the EDCTP2 program supported by the European Union. JH declares grants or contracts from the 10.13039/100000002National Institute of Health (NIH). The remaining authors declare no competing interests., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Background: In the 2019 State of the Union Address, President Trump announced a plan for "Ending the HIV Epidemic" in the United States, with a goal to reduce new HIV infections by 90% by 2030. Phase I of the plan set an intermediate goal of a 75% reduction within 5 years, focusing on select states and counties., Methods: We assessed the feasibility of the first phase of the plan by estimating the fraction of HIV diagnoses that occur within the targeted region, using a statistical model to predict new HIV cases in each county. We suggested new areas that should be added to the current plan, prioritizing by both a "Density Metric" of new HIV cases and a "Gap Metric" quantifying shortcomings in antiretroviral therapy and pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake., Results: We found the current plan targets less than 60% of new diagnoses. The plan should be expanded to Puerto Rico, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Maryland as well as parts of New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia, areas which were prioritized by both metrics., Conclusion: Many of the highest priority areas, both by density of HIV cases and by lack of viral suppression and pre-exposure prophylaxis use, were not covered by the original plan, particularly in the South. The current plan to end the HIV epidemic must be expanded to these areas to feasibly allow for a 75% reduction in new HIV cases within 5 years.

Background: In late March 2020, a "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order was issued in Washington State in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 1, a 4-phase reopening plan began. We investigated whether adjunctive prevention strategies would allow less restrictive physical distancing to avoid second epidemic waves and secure safe school reopening., Methods: We developed a mathematical model, stratifying the population by age, infection status and treatment status to project SARS-CoV-2 transmission during and after the reopening period. The model was parameterized with demographic and contact data from King County, WA and calibrated to confirmed cases, deaths and epidemic peak timing. Adjunctive prevention interventions were simulated assuming different levels of pre-COVID physical interactions (pC&#95;PI) restored., Results: The best model fit estimated ~35% pC&#95;PI under the lockdown which prevented ~17,000 deaths by May 15. Gradually restoring 75% pC&#95;PI for all age groups between May 15-July 15 would have resulted in ~350 daily deaths by early September 2020. Maintaining <45% pC&#95;PI was required with current testing practices to ensure low levels of daily infections and deaths. Increased testing, isolation of symptomatic infections, and contact tracing permitted 60% pC&#95;PI without significant increases in daily deaths before November and allowed opening of schools with <15 daily deaths. Inpatient antiviral treatment was predicted to reduce deaths significantly without lowering cases or hospitalizations., Conclusions: We predict that widespread testing, contact tracing and case isolation would allow relaxation of physical distancing, as well as opening of schools, without a surge in local cases and deaths., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2020 The Authors.)