On the Front Lines of Prevention Part 1: Updates in HIV Prevention

Afaxys Candid Conversations in Public Health

In our third and fourth episodes of Afaxys Candid Conversations in Public Health, we talk with Dr. Olivia van Gerwen and Dr. Christina Muzny about recent updates in prevention strategies for HIV and bacterial vaginosis (BV).

In Episode 3 (Part 1), Dr. Olivia “Libby” van Gerwen walks us through oral versus injectable medications as HIV prevention strategies, including the findings from the Purpose 1 and Purpose 2 trials of lenacapavir. We also discuss real-world nuances of HIV PrEP care such as insurance, cost, patient preference, and the clinical logistics of these preventive medications.

In Episode 4 (Part 2), Dr. Christina Muzny tackles our tough questions: Is BV a sexually transmitted infection? Does male partner treatment prevent BV recurrence? Which patients are eligible for this type of therapy?

Learn how today’s guest experts are advancing STI prevention and improving patient care—insights every sexual and reproductive health clinician can use.

Disclosures:

Dr. van Gerwen discloses research funding from NIH and Gilead, including the Purpose 2 and Purpose 365 trials. Unrelated to this episode, she has served as a consultant for GSK, Abbott, and BioMeriuex.

Dr. Muzny discloses research funding from NIH, Gilead, BioNTech, and Abbott.

Resources for Part 1:

Bekker LG, Das M, Karim QA, et al. Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir or Daily F/TAF for HIV Prevention in Cisgender Women. New England Journal of Medicine. 2024;391(13):1179-1192. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2407001

Kelley CF, Acevedo-Quiñones M, Agwu AL, et al. Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir for HIV Prevention in Men and Gender-Diverse Persons. New England Journal of Medicine. 2025;392(13):1261-1276. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2411858

Resources for Part 2:

https://www.mshc.org.au/sexual-health/bacterial-vaginosis

Vodstrcil LA, Plummer EL, Fairley CK, Hocking JS, Law MG, Petoumenos K, Bateson D, Murray GL, Donovan B, Chow EPF, Chen MY, Kaldor J, Bradshaw CS; StepUp Team. Male-Partner Treatment to Prevent Recurrence of Bacterial Vaginosis. N Engl J Med. 2025 Mar 6;392(10):947-957. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2405404. PMID: 40043236.

Muzny CA, Sobel JD. Bacterial Vaginosis — Time to Treat Male Partners. New England Journal of Medicine. Published online March 6, 2025. doi:10.1056/NEJMe2500373

Educational content only — not a substitute for professional medical advice. Opinions are those of the speakers and not necessarily of Afaxys. Visit Afaxys.com for resources.