Category: 8. Health

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez vowed to rebuild trust with the American public after the agency was the target of a deadly shooting last week, but some staff were frustrated that she didn’t offer more information on safety.

The gunman who shot nearly 200 rounds into four buildings and two security guard stands on the CDC campus Aug. 8 outlined his frustration with Covid vaccines before the rampage, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The attack occurred as medical misinformation is rampant in the US, fueling everything from political positioning to consumer purchases — and increasingly violent attacks.

SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A newly published post-hoc analysis of the landmark FUEL (Fontan Udenafil Exercise Longitudinal) Trial demonstrates that udenafil, a PDE5 inhibitor, significantly improves peak oxygen consumption (peak VO₂) in adolescents with single ventricle congenital heart disease (SV-CHD) who have undergone the Fontan procedure and have reduced exercise capacity.

Published in the Journal of the American Heart Association: “Revisiting the Effect of Udenafil on Exercise Performance in Patients With Fontan Circulation: Results of a Post Hoc Analysis of the FUEL Trial”

The original multinational, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 3 FUEL trial demonstrated statistically significant improvements in key secondary endpoints – such as VO₂ at ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT) and myocardial performance index (MPI) – but narrowly missed statistical significance for the primary endpoint of peak VO₂ in the overall population. Recognition of a high performing “Super Fontan” subgroup prompted further analysis stratifying participants by baseline peak VO₂ (<80% vs. ≥80% of predicted) to assess whether initial exercise capacity influenced treatment response.

Key findings from the post-hoc analysis:

• In the 302 patients with baseline peak VO₂ <80% predicted (80% of the evaluable cohort), udenafil significantly improved peak VO₂ compared to placebo (p=0.021).
• Significant improvements were also observed in VO₂ at VAT (p=0.023), work at VAT (p=0.032), and MPI (p=0.007).
• A significant interaction between baseline exercise capacity and treatment effect for peak VO₂ (p=0.036) suggests that including high-functioning patients, whose physiologic ceiling may limit measurable gains, could have masked the full treatment effect in the original trial.

“These results provide a possible physiologic explanation for the outcomes of the FUEL trial and support further investigation of udenafil in Fontan patients with reduced exercise capacity,” said Dr. David Goldberg, lead author and pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “This analysis highlights the need for a confirmatory clinical trial targeted to the large majority of Fontan patients who are most likely to demonstrate benefit using peak VO₂ as the primary endpoint.”

“Importantly, the absence of a detectable change in peak VO₂ among higher-functioning Fontan patients may reflect– what may be termed a ‘ceiling effect’ – rather than a lack of therapeutic response,” added Dr. Bryan H. Goldstein, senior author and Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. “These patients still achieve meaningful improvements in submaximal exercise measures such as VO₂ at VAT and MPI. Moreover, as these younger, high-performing individuals age and are further exposed to ongoing Fontan circulatory stresses, their exercise capacity with decline and therefore, the need for targeted pharmacotherapy will likely increase.”

The findings highlight the importance of selecting appropriate endpoints and stratifying populations in rare disease trials. Informed by FUEL, the ongoing confirmatory phase 3 FUEL-2 trial focuses on Fontan patients with reduced baseline exercise capacity – those in whom changes in peak VO₂ are most reliably measurable.

“This focused design increases the likelihood of demonstrating efficacy on the primary endpoint, while still capturing udenafil’s broader therapeutic potential,” said Dr. Rahul Rathod, Global Principal Investigator for FUEL-2 and Director of the Single Ventricle Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. “Given the strong link between peak VO₂ and long-term outcomes in Fontan patients, a +1.13 mL/kg/min improvement over six months is clinically meaningful and may influence disease progression.”

The FUEL trial was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and Mezzion Pharma Co., Ltd., the regulatory sponsor of udenafil development for Fontan patients.

About Mezzion

Mezzion Pharma Co., Ltd. is a biopharmaceutical company developing therapies for rare and orphan diseases. Udenafil is currently being evaluated in the Phase 3 FUEL-2 trial for improving exercise performance in adolescents and young adults with Fontan circulation.

For more information, please visit www.mezzion.com and www.FUEL2Study.com.

Media Contacts:
John Presser, Chief Business Officer – [email protected]
Sung-Il Noh, Chief Financial Officer – [email protected]

SOURCE Mezzion Pharmaceuticals, Inc

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez vowed to rebuild trust with the American public after the agency was the target of a deadly shooting last week, but some staff were frustrated that she didn’t offer more information on safety.

The gunman who shot nearly 200 rounds into four buildings and two security guard stands on the CDC campus Aug. 8 outlined his frustration with Covid vaccines before the rampage, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The attack occurred as medical misinformation is rampant in the US, fueling everything from political positioning to consumer purchases — and increasingly violent attacks.

BBC

Diagnosis within an hour

ELI-002 2P, a lymph node–targeting amphiphile peptide–based vaccine, improved relapse-free survival (RFS) in patients with KRAS-mutated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) correlated to a tumor biomarker, according to results from a phase 1 study published in Nature Medicine.¹

At a median follow-up of 19.7 months, the median overall survival (OS) was 28.94 months, and the median radiographic RFS was 16.33 months in patients who received ELI-002 2P after locoregional therapy. Crucially, investigators identified that patients with a T-cell response above a 9.17-fold threshold had significantly superior outcomes to those who did not.

Targeting the KRAS G12D and G12R mutations, ELI-002 2P is designed to deliver peptide antigens and amphiphile-adjuvant CpG-7909 to the lymph nodes to enhance KRAS-specific T-cell activation and amplification. Earlier reporting from the phase 1 AMPLIFY-201 trial (NCT04853017) established the safety and immunogenicity of ELI-002 2P.²

Twenty-five patients at 7 centers in the United States were enrolled to receive ELI-002 2P with fixed doses of the antigen peptides and escalating doses of Amph-CpG-7909, 20 of whom had PDAC and 5 of whom had CRC. Patients had high-risk stage I, II, III, or oligometastatic stage IV PDAC or high-risk stage II, III, or oligometastatic stage IV CRC. All patients had positive minimal residual disease (MRD) or after locoregional therapy. The primary end point was safety and secondary end points included reduction in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and/or serum tumor antigen levels.

Patients received 6 subcutaneous doses of ELI-002 2P over 8 weeks followed by 3 months of observation, then 4 weekly doses of ELI-0002 2P. They were followed for up to 2 years after the first dose of ELI-002 2P.

No dose-limiting toxicities were observed and a recommended phase 2 dose of 10.0 mg of Amph-CpG-7909 was determined. At the initial data cutoff with 8.5 months’ median follow-up, 21 of 25 patients had mutant KRAS (mKRAS)-directed T-cell responses, with CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in 71% and responses to all 7 mKRAS antigens were present in 57%. All patients who received the 2 highest dose levels had T-cell responses.

With longer follow-up, post hoc analyses of immunogenicity and clinical outcomes were reported.¹ In the PDAC cohort, median RFS was 15.31 months, and median OS was 28.94 months, which was consistent with the full cohort that also included the 5 patients with CRC.

Using an exploratory receiver-operating characteristics analysis, investigators identified the 9.17-fold threshold in T-cell activation that separated patients with better or worse outcomes, after previously reporting outcomes based on the median of 12.75-fold change from baseline. With the new analysis, 17 patients (68%) had better outcomes and 8 (32%) did worse. All 8 of the patients with T-cell change below 9.17-fold experienced radiographic progression and 7 had died. However, 11 of the 17 (65%) with greater change in their T cells had no radiographic progression, 5 required no subsequent therapy and 6 received subsequent chemotherapy based on tumor biomarker increase but remained free from disease progression. There were 6 patients in this group who had complete ctDNA clearance.

Investigators calculated an increase in relative risk of radiographic progression or death of 2.96 for the below-threshold group. The median RFS was not reached vs 3.02 months for the above- and below-threshold groups (HR, 0.12; P = .0002). The median OS was not reached in the above-threshold group vs 15.98 months in the below-threshold group (HR, 0.23; P = .0099). The investigators compared these outcomes favorably to the historical progression of patients with MRD-positive PDAC after resection.

The immunogenicity analyses also showed antigen spreading patient-specific neoantigens not included in ELI-002 2P. T-cell response to nonvaccine antigens were expanded from baseline levels in 67% (6 out of 9 patients) of evaluated patients, and 13 of 52 evaluated neoantigens showed increased T-cell responses. Five of 6 patients with antigen-spreading responses were those with responses above the 9.17-fold threshold.

No new safety signals were reported at the time of this analysis; common treatment-related adverse events previously observed included fatigue, malaise, diarrhea, abdominal distention, and abdominal pain.

A 7-peptide formulation, ELI-002 7P, is also under investigation to target a greater number of KRAS mutations. It showed robust responses in the phase 1 AMPLIFY-7P trial (NCT05726864) and a randomized phase 2 trial is underway in the adjuvant setting for PDAC.

“The updated phase 1 AMPLIFY-201 data further demonstrate that the AMP platform has the potential to provide durable benefit to [patients with] PDAC in the adjuvant setting,” said Chris Haqq, MD, PhD, chief medical officer of Elicio Therapeutics, in a press release.³

_References:

_{1. Wainberg ZA, Weekes CD, Furqan M, et al. Lymph node-targeted, mKRAS-specific amphiphile vaccine in pancreatic and colorectal cancer: phase 1 AMPLIFY-201 trial final results. Nat Med. Published 11 August 2025. doi:10.1038/s41591-025-03876-4}

_{2. Pant S, Wainberg ZA, Weekes CD, et al. Lymph-node-targeted, mKRAS-specific amphiphile vaccine in pancreatic and colorectal cancer: the phase 1 AMPLIFY-201 trial. Nat Med. 2024;30(2):531-542. doi:10.1038/s41591-023-02760-3}

_{3. Elicio Therapeutics announces publication of ELI-002 updated AMPLIFY-201 phase 1 follow-up data in nature medicine for minimal residual disease (“MRD”) positive, adjuvant-stage patients. Elicio Therapeutics. News release. August 12, 2025. Accessed August 12, 2025. https://elicio.com/press_releases/elicio-therapeutics-announces-publication-of-eli-002-updated-amplify-201-phase-1-follow-up-data-in-nature-medicine-for-minimal-residual-disease-mrd-positive-adjuvant-stage-patient/}

Despite increasing evidence linking alcohol consumption to cancer, little is known about the biological mechanisms behind the association. A new study, published Aug. 12 in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, suggests that inhibiting a cellular molecule called CREB might thwart pancreatic tumor development in response to alcohol.

Our model serves as an important platform for understanding how chronic inflammation related to alcohol consumption accelerates the development of pancreatic cancer.”

Siddharth Mehra, Ph.D., scientist at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and first author on the study

Chronic, high alcohol use damages acinar cells in the pancreas, specialized cells that produce digestive enzymes. The damage in turn causes the cells’ enzymes to increase inflammation in the tissue, exacerbating damage to the pancreas.

Over time, precancerous lesions can develop, increasing the risk for full-blown pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest types of tumors. Previous studies have implicated CREB, a DNA-binding protein that regulates gene activity, and associated molecules in helping to mediate this process.

Progression to cancer also generally requires other cellular events, such as a mutation in a pro-cancerous gene called Ras, which commonly occurs in pancreatic tumors.

In the new study, the researchers developed a model that recapitulated alcohol-induced inflammation, the development of pre-cancerous lesions and progression to cancer. The model contained Ras mutations in acinar cells, and it also had an intact CREB gene that could be experimentally knocked out in these cells.

The researchers found that exposure to alcohol and a pro-inflammatory molecule caused the development of symptoms similar to alcohol-induced pancreatitis, an inflammatory condition. Inflammation in turn prompted the development of precancerous lesions and, later, cancer. Consistent with previous studies, CREB was highly activated throughout this transition process.

The researchers next knocked out CREB and found that they could quell the development of precancerous and cancerous lesions, even in the continued presence of alcohol. Knocking out CREB also relieved damage to acinar cells.

The findings hint that inhibitors of CREB might have therapeutic potential in people who have high alcohol use. Such inhibitors could potentially relieve damage to the pancreas and thwart tumor development, said the researchers.

“We found that CREB is not just a mediator of inflammation; it is a molecular orchestrator that permanently converts acinar cells into precancerous cells, which ultimately progress to high-grade neoplasia,” said senior author Nagaraj Nagathihalli, Ph.D., associate professor of surgery and assistant director of the Sylvester Pancreatic Cancer Research Institute at the University of Miami.

Future studies should help provide additional information about how alcohol use promotes pancreatic cancer development.

Questions include whether similar events occur in human cells and tissues and what other molecules and cells play a role in the process. CREB activation may also be involved in other alcohol-linked cancers, speculates Nagathihalli.

He and colleagues are also leveraging the model to investigate the potential of CREB inhibitors, which are under development as potential cancer therapeutics.

“We believe this study lays the groundwork for future translational efforts targeting CREB as a therapeutic vulnerability in inflammation-associated pancreatic cancer,” said study co-author Nipun Merchant, M.D., Sylvester associate director of translational science and chief of surgical oncology.

The U.S. surgeon general recently declared alcohol the third leading preventable cause of cancer.

Specialty

Please chooseI’m not a medical professional.Allergy and ImmunologyAnatomyAnesthesiologyBiostatisticsCardiac/Thoracic/Vascular SurgeryCardiologyCritical CareDentistryDermatologyDiabetes and EndocrinologyEmergency MedicineEpidemiology and Public HealthFamily MedicineForensic MedicineGastroenterologyGeneral PracticeGeneticsGeriatricsHealth PolicyHematologyHIV/AIDSHospital-based MedicineI’m not a medical professional.Infectious DiseaseIntegrative/Complementary MedicineInternal MedicineInternal Medicine-PediatricsMedical Education and SimulationMedical PhysicsMedical StudentNephrologyNeurological SurgeryNeurologyNuclear MedicineNutritionObstetrics and GynecologyOccupational HealthOncologyOphthalmologyOptometryOral MedicineOrthopaedicsOsteopathic MedicineOtolaryngologyPain ManagementPalliative CarePathologyPediatricsPediatric SurgeryPharmacologyPhysical Medicine and RehabilitationPlastic SurgeryPodiatryPreventive MedicinePsychiatryPsychologyPulmonologyRadiation OncologyRadiologyRheumatologySubstance Use and AddictionSurgeryTherapeuticsTraumaUrologyMiscellaneous

In Scientific Reports today, Chilean researchers describe the first-time detection of suspected H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) in penguins and cormorants in Antarctica, which they say could indicate a significant expansion of the virus into the continent that would put susceptible bird species at risk.

The team conducted a geographic survey of seabirds at 13 breeding sites ranging from the northeastern Antarctic Peninsula to the Ross Sea, including the coasts of the Bellinghausen and Amundsen seas, in December 2023 and January 2024.

Beginning in 2020, clade 2.3.4.4b avian flu rapidly spread across continents, mainly driven by wild bird movements. “In Chile, it was detected for the first time in October 2022,” the investigators wrote. “Given its close proximity to the Antarctic continent and the migratory movements of birds between both regions, transmission is highly likely, causing a significant threat to the Antarctic wildlife.”

No clinical signs of avian flu

Of the 115 birds sampled, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results for 9, including 8 Adelie penguins (12%) at 2 different locations and 1 Atlantic cormorant, were suspected positive for H5 avian flu. Nearly all suspected infections were from Beagle Island, close to the Danger Islands at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Another infected penguin was identified on the West Antarctic Peninsula, south of the Antarctic Circle in Margaret Bay.

This study suggests the possibility of the first cases of HPAIV H5 in the Antarctic continent, potentially adding two new species to the list of infected species.

None of the birds sampled showed clinical signs of influenza infection, and the seven penguins with suspected infection on Beagle Island were still foraging as of March 2024, more than 2 months after testing. 

“This study suggests the possibility of the first cases of HPAIV H5 in the Antarctic continent, potentially adding two new species to the list of infected species,” the study authors wrote. “It also highlights the southernmost suspected cases identified to date of surveillance, and notably, no cases were detected between the Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea.”

A standardized definition of long COVID is necessary to improve diagnostic accuracy, clinical recognition, and research comparability, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.¹

Long COVID, defined by various major organizations, such as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), can be characterized by prolonged COVID or respiratory-related symptoms; however, there are numerous discrepancies between existing definitions. These discrepancies pose significant hurdles in recognition by both patients and clinicians, which can result in delayed or unnecessary treatments.¹

In the new study, researchers observed only 5 common symptoms across data from the Innovative Support for Patients With SARS-CoV-2 Infections Registry (INSPIRE; NCT04610515) and 5 comparator studies, which were “more tired than usual,” “pain or tightness in your chest,” “diarrhea [>3 loose or looser than normal stools in 24 hours],” “decreased smell or change in smell,” and “fatigue, tiredness, or exhaustion.”

“We’re not necessarily trying to say that any one definition that we looked at should be used,” lead author Lauren Wisk, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research at the University of California, Los Angeles, said in an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care®. “We were comparing across the ones that exist to sort of see how they stack up, and I think, really importantly, what the implications are for our ability to actually capture people who believe that they have long COVID.”

The longitudinal cohort study INSPIRE consisted of 6044 participants; however, only 75% (n= 4575) were included in this study because they completed the 3-month follow-up survey. Of them, 3521 tested positive for COVID-19. Moreover, 3897 participants (85.2%; 2986 [76.6%] COVID-19 positive) completed both a 3-month and a 6-month follow-up survey, and 3235 (83.0%) of those (2478 [76.6%] COVID-19 positive) also completed the final survey. The remainder were categorized as COVID-19 negative, which included patients with similar COVID or respiratory-related symptoms but who had not received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Of participants with race/ethnicity data available (n = 4446), 13.8% were Asian, 8.2% were Black, 68.9% were non-Hispanic White, and 9.1% were labeled as multiracial (5.4%) or of other race (including 0.6% who were Native American or Alaskan Native and 0.5% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander).

The analysis included 5 comparator studies that reported on the prevalence of long COVID at 1 to 5 months post infection, which ranged from 2.6% (84 days [Sudre et al]) to 47.4% (3-5 months [Pagen et al]), and at 6 or more months ranged from 10.0% (95% CI, 8.8%-11.0% [Thaweethai et al]) to 61.9% (6-11 months [Pagen et al]).^2-4 When applying the study’s long COVID definition to the INSPIRE cohort, the analysis showed a prevalence of long COVID ranging from 0.84% (95% CI, 29.33%-32.40%) to 42.01% (95% CI, 40.37%-43.66%) among the COVID-19–positive group and from 28.08% (95% CI, 25.41%-30.92%) to 40.32% (95% CI, 37.35%-43.36%) among the COVID-19–negative group. However, despite the overlapping rates in prevalence, scientists observed individuals who were COVID-19 positive showed a greater number of symptoms that aligned with multiple definitions of long COVID when compared with individuals who were COVID-19 negative.

The analysis showed that the multiple long COVID definitions tended to identify fewer true long COVID cases (indicating lower sensitivity) but were effective at correctly classifying individuals without long COVID (indicating higher specificity). The study authors concluded that a key identifying factor of long COVID when compared with other post-illness symptoms was the overall symptom count, with long COVID presenting with more symptoms.

Although NASEM did release a long COVID definition, researchers note that it should still be incentivized for federal government clinicians to adopt this definition to help keep diagnoses, documentation, and treatments consistent. However, NASEM includes people who are COVID-19 negative and/or have other post-illness symptoms to identify with long COVID, despite not having it. Wisk attributes this inclusion to expanding access for populations who may not be able to get a COVID-19 test or a provider to administer the test.

“I imagine that was a very intentional decision that they made to try to address some of these access issues… And so, trying to sort of create a little bit more equilibrium around then, who could get access to a long COVID diagnosis,” Wisk said. “But again, there are trade-offs there, and one of them is that we’re potentially going to be misdiagnosing people as having long COVID when they potentially have some other condition, including persistent symptoms from another respiratory illness.”

References

1. Wisk LE, L’Hommedieu M, Roldan KD, et al.Variability in long COVID definitions and validation of published prevalence rates. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(8):e2526506. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.26506

2. Sudre CH, Murray B, Varsavsky T, et al. Attributes and predictors of long COVID. Nat Med. 2021;27(4):626-631. doi:10.1038/s41591-021-01292-y

3. Pagen DME, van Bilsen CJA, Brinkhues S, et al. Prevalence of long-term symptoms varies when using different post-COVID-19 definitions in positively and negatively tested adults: the PRIME post-COVID study. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2023;10(10):ofad471. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofad471

4. Thaweethai T, Jolley SE, Karlson EW, et al. RECOVER Consortium. Development of a definition of postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection. JAMA. 2023;329(22):1934-1946. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.8823

The UK has just introduced the world’s first national programme offering a vaccine to help protect against gonorrhoea. This coincides with increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including antibiotic-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, particularly among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.

The vaccine being offered was not originally designed for gonorrhoea. It is the meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine, developed to protect against Neisseria meningitidis – the bacteria which cause meningitis.

These two bacteria are closely related and share several similar surface proteins. As a result, the immune response generated by the MenB vaccine also offers provides partial protection against gonorrhoea.

While the vaccine is not 100% effective, studies suggest it can reduce the risk of infection by a third. Given the emergence of antibiotic-resistant “super gonorrhoea” this is a valuable addition to our sexual health toolkit.

Condoms are the mainstay of STI prevention, and have been for decades. They are inexpensive, easy to use and remain the only single method that protects against both HIV and most other STIs.

Despite their effectiveness, many people do not use condoms every time they have sex. Some find they reduce sensation or pleasure; others see condomless sex as a sign of trust in a relationship. Condoms might not be on hand when sex is spontaneous, while alcohol and drug use may lower inhibitions and increase impulsivity.

Since the introduction of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) attitudes have also shifted. Some people now perceive other STIs as inconvenient but easily treated, particularly younger generations whose school-based sex education may have focused more on pregnancy prevention than on STI transmission.

But “condomless sex” need not mean “entirely unprotected” sex. In addition to condoms, biomedical advances are giving us more ways to prevent infection – many of which rely on acting before particular bacteria or viruses take hold. In public health, two of the most effective examples of this are vaccination and prophylaxis (treatment given or action taken to prevent disease).

Vaccination

Vaccines work by training the immune system to recognise and fight specific infections. They do this by introducing harmless fragments of a virus or bacterium, which prompt the body to produce antibodies and memory cells. If the body later encounters the real pathogen, the immune system can react rapidly and in a much more targeted way, preventing illness entirely or at least reducing its severity.

Vaccination already plays an important role in sexual health. Alongside the newly introduced gonorrhoea vaccine, the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine protects against genital warts and reduces the risk of several cancers, including cervical and anal cancer. Hepatitis A and B vaccines defend against viruses that can cause serious, and sometimes life-threatening, liver disease. The mpox vaccine is also available for people considered at higher risk.

These vaccines represent a useful preventative tool in the modern sexual health toolkit – complementing condoms, antiviral prophylaxis and other preventive strategies to give people another layer of protection.

Prophylaxis

In sexual health, one of the clearest examples of prevention in action is HIV prophylaxis. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) involves taking antiviral medication so that, if exposure to the HIV virus occurs, it cannot establish an infection. Some people take PrEP daily, while others use an “on demand” regimen around the time they have sex. Under the guidance of a sexual health professional, PrEP is a safe and highly effective option for preventing HIV infection.

Post-Exposure Porphylaxis (PEP) works in a similar way but is taken after a possible exposure. It’s an emergency option: a month-long course of antiviral medication that should be started as soon as possible (and no later than 72 hours after sex) to be effective.

Researchers are now exploring similar approaches for bacterial STIs. One promising example is DoxyPEP, where a single dose of the antibiotic doxycycline is taken after condomless sex. Early evidence shows it can significantly reduce the risk of syphilis and chlamydia, and to a lesser extent, gonorrhoea.

Why condoms still matter

These biomedical tools are changing the sexual health landscape. While there is no substitute for the comprehensive protection that condoms offer, more options mean greater control.

As threats continue to evolve, so too must our strategies to address them. The introduction of the gonorrhoea vaccination programme – the first of its kind – is a powerful example of innovation in practice. It demonstrates how progress can be achieved not only through new discoveries, but in finding new uses for existing tools.