Japan could become one of the first countries in the world to end the HIV epidemic, says the president of Gilead Sciences Japan, Kennet Brysting. The idea for now could seem a little too ambitious, but it is not entirely unrealistic, given that the availability of medicines that can prevent transmission of HIV. Drugs are not the cure, but control over the spread of virus to the point where the disease is no longer a major public health threat.

What Is The Role Of Preventative HIV Medicines?

Gilead's have two key drugs, Truvada and lenacapavir. These two are playing a crucial role in prevention. Truvada is taken as a daily pill, while lenacapavir requires two injections per year. It can make the virus undetectable in infected individuals and prevent transmission to those who are not infected yet. In trials, lenacapavir showed 100% efficacy in preventing HIV infections. This is why it is describe as "almost a vaccine".

In 2024, Japan also approved Truvada for HIV prevention, but the country has yet to approve lenacapavir for the same. Until now, people in Japan had been importing generic versions of Truvada or purchasing it from clinics that source it from overseas.

HIV In Japan

Up until now, Japan reported around 25,000 HIV infections, whereas 669 new cases were reported in 2023. For seven consecutive years, the number of new infections remained under 1,000. The downward trend thus shows that the virus has been controlled, however, getting to zero new infections remains the ultimate goal.

Brysting too acknowledged that simply having effective drug is not enough. What is important is to have a proper implementation, access and healthcare support to make sure that these treatments are widely available and effective.

What Are The Challenges In Implementation?

The biggest challenges is testing rates. There is a need to increase testing rates. At this very moment, around 86% people infective with Japan have been tested, but the goal is to increase it up to 95%, with an ideal goal of 100%. Without widespread testing, many infected people may not even know that they are infected and it could transmit the virus.

Another measure issue is the cost of preventative medication. While Japan's health insurance covers treatments for diseases, it does not cover preventative drugs. Those who purchase Truvada for prevention, pay around $470 per month. Some clinics in Tokyo offer generic alternatives too, which is cheaper, but they are not ideal.

Better Healthcare Support

Brysting expressed concern that individuals importing medications might not be consulting doctors regularly, which is essential for monitoring HIV status and overall health. Truvada users need to be tested for HIV initially and every three months, along with screenings for other infections and kidney function checks. Without proper medical supervision, there is a risk of misuse and inadequate protection.

Gilead is in discussions with Japanese authorities to improve access and insurance coverage for Truvada, and progress is being made. Japan has shown efficiency in approving critical medicines, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic when Gilead’s remdesivir was approved in just three days.

What Is The Way Ahead?

Gilead at this moment is not only focused on HIV and hepatitis C, but also expanding into oncology with innovative treatments like CAR-T cell therapy, which strengthens a patient's immune system to fight cancer.

However, Japan’s strict approval processes can slow down drug availability. Phase 3 clinical trials often need to be conducted within the country, and Japan tends to approve medicines much later than other regions. For instance, Truvada was approved for prevention in Japan 12 years after the U.S. and nearly 20 years after its approval for treatment. inancial factors also play a role. The Japanese government adjusts drug prices annually, often reducing them, which can make long-term investment challenging for pharmaceutical companies.

Avian or bird flu (H5N1) is a viral infection that spreads in birds, cows and other animals and can cause severe illness and at times, be fatal to humans in rare cases. Until now, the flu primarily affected wild aquatic birds including ducks, geese, gulls and poultry such as chickens as well as turkeys.

However earlier this month, a dairy cow in the Netherlands appears to have been contracted bird flu, making this the first time cattle outside of the United States has suffered the infection.

Previously, transmission of avian flu from cattle to humans has only been reported in the US among farm workers exposed to infected cattle or contaminated environments, and such cases remain sporadic and all developed only mild symptoms.

How Was The Cow Infected?

According to a detailed letter from the Dutch agriculture minister, a cat on a dairy farm in the province of Friesland died from H5N1 last month, which prompted officials to sample blood and milk from cattle at the farm.

Out of the 20 tested, one cow had antibodies to the virus in its milk but did not test positive for the virus itself. “There are also no signs of avian influenza spreading to other dairy farms,” the minister wrote.

The cow had mastitis and respiratory problems last month and its milk was not processed, the letter stated. Also, milk from the farm had been pasteurized, which inactivates the virus and prevents it being transmitted to humans.

“This means that there is very little chance that virus from the infected cow has ended up in the milk for human consumption,” the minister assured. It remains unclear how the virus arrived at the farm or how the cat and cow became infected.

Since October 2025, more than three dozen farms in the Netherlands have had outbreaks and over 1.5 million chickens, turkeys and ducks have been killed to stop the virus’ spread.

Is Bird Flu Dangerous For Humans?

The H5N1 strain drew worldwide concern in the early 2000s because of its high fatality rate in infected people. Although sustained human-to-human transmission is uncommon, infection can occur through close contact with sick or dead birds, their droppings, or contaminated environments.

Bird flu has posed major challenges for both the poultry industry and public health systems, with outbreaks often resulting in large-scale culling to limit the spread.

India has experienced recurring avian influenza outbreaks, particularly in regions with dense poultry farming. Even with strict control measures in birds, the risk of human infection persists, making awareness, hygiene practices, and preventive steps essential for protecting public health.

The common ways humans can contract the virus include:

• Direct contact with infected birds: Handling sick or dead birds, cleaning poultry farms, or working in live bird markets increases the risk
• Exposure to contaminated surfaces: The virus can survive on surfaces such as bird cages, equipment, and clothing. Touching these and then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth can lead to infection
• Consumption of undercooked poultry or eggs: While properly cooked poultry is safe, raw or undercooked meat and eggs from infected birds may pose a risk
• Airborne transmission in poultry farms: In rare cases, workers in enclosed spaces with infected birds may inhale tiny virus-laden particles

In a breakthrough study, a group of Spanish researchers have created a drug-based cure that can kill pancreatic cancer tumors in the body and eliminate the disease completely.

A study from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) found that a combination of three drugs, known as CNIO therapy, can shut down multiple tumor survival mechanisms at the same time, preventing the cells from the rewiring themselves and defeating the treatment

Led by renowned cancer biologist Dr Mariano Barbacid, the authors wrote of the results: 'These studies open a way to design new combination therapies that can improve the survival of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. These results set the direction for the development of new clinical trials."

How Does The Drug Work?

To overcome cancer's ability to block the effects of singular therapy drugs, Dr Barbacid’s team attempted attacking the cancerous tumors from three directions together.

The first drug, daraxonrasib, blocked the main KRAS signal that drives tumor growth while the second drug, afatinib, shut down EGFR and HER2, both pathways that cancer cells often use to escape KRAS-targeted treatment.

The third drug, SD36, stopped the functioning of bSTAT3, a backup system that helps cancer cells survive stress and resist therapy.

In the mice study, when scientists combined and used all three drugs together in the rodents, they saw the pancreatic tumours shrank completely and did not return, even more than 200 days after treatment stopped.

The same effect was seen in genetically engineered mouse models and in tumors taken from human patients that were grown in a laboratory. The animals who underwent CNIO therapy did not show serious side effects, suggesting the combination could be safe enough to test in humans.

Despite promising results, the authors advised caution and noted: ""We are not yet in a position to carry out clinical trials with triple therapy. The authors themselves warn that optimising this combination for patients will be a complex process, although they are confident that the finding will set the course for future trials."

Pancreatic Cancer: All You Need To Know

While there are no clear signs of early pancreatic cancer, symptoms begin to show once the disease reaches the digestive system. Some of these include:

• Jaundice (yellowing of your skin).
• Dark urine
• Light-colored stool
• Upper abdominal pain
• Middle back pain
• Fatigue
• Itchy skin
• Nausea and vomiting
• Gas or bloating
• Lack of appetite
• Blood clots
• Weight loss
• New-onset diabetes

Certain prominent risk factors include smoking cigarettes, cigars and using other forms of tobacco; obesity; Type 2 diabetes and genetic factors.

Pancreatic cancer is also resistant to many common cancer drugs and it notoriously difficult to treat, making this discovery exceptionally important in the search for a permanent cure.

About 22,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer are estimated to occur annually in India out of which nearly 13,000 die from the cause, making it the 24th most common cancer in India.

A collective of environmental and public health researchers has raised serious concerns over free-living amoebas, warning that these organisms could become an increasing global health risk. Their concern stems from the amoebas’ ability to survive in harsh conditions and bypass routine water treatment processes.

These tiny protozoa occur naturally in soil and freshwater and are usually harmless. However, certain species, particularly Naegleria fowleri, widely referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba,” can trigger rare but deadly infections when contaminated water enters the nose during activities such as swimming or diving.

This issue is especially significant for India, as Naegleria fowleri causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a fatal condition that has seen repeated outbreaks in states such as Kerala.

What Is Naegleria Fowleri?

Naegleria fowleri is a free-living ameba, meaning it is a single-celled organism that survives independently in the environment. It flourishes in warm freshwater sources such as lakes, rivers, ponds, and hot springs. Commonly labelled the “brain-eating ameba,” it earns this name because of its ability to infect the brain and damage brain tissue. The organism is found worldwide in soil and warm freshwater bodies.

On rare occasions, it has also been detected in inadequately maintained swimming pools, splash pads, and other recreational water facilities. In some instances, the ameba has even been identified in tap water.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), when water containing the ameba enters the nose and reaches the brain, it can lead to an infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). In the United States, PAM affects fewer than 10 people each year. Almost everyone diagnosed with PAM does not survive. From 1962 to 2024, 167 cases were reported in the US, with only four known survivors.

What Is Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis?

Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a rare but almost always fatal brain infection caused by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba, often called the “brain-eating amoeba.” The organism enters the body through the nose from warm freshwater or soil, travels to the brain, and destroys brain tissue. This leads to intense inflammation, confusion, seizures, and, in most cases, death within days of the onset of severe symptoms.

Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis Signs And Symptoms

Early signs of PAM may include headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting. The disease progresses very quickly. Most patients die within one to 18 days after symptoms appear, with coma and death often occurring within five days. As the infection advances, symptoms can worsen to include a stiff neck, confusion, reduced awareness of people and surroundings, loss of balance, and hallucinations.

Brain Eating Amoeba Can Thrive In Heat

In a recent perspective published in the journal Biocontaminant, scientists led by Longfei Shu from Sun Yat-sen University explain how climate change, ageing infrastructure, and poor monitoring systems are creating conditions that allow these microbes to spread into areas where they were previously uncommon. Some species are capable of surviving high temperatures and can withstand disinfectants such as chlorine, making them particularly difficult to remove from drinking water supplies and distribution systems.

Adding to the concern, free-living amoebas can serve as protective carriers for harmful bacteria and viruses, housing them inside their cells and helping them spread. This so-called “Trojan horse” effect has raised fresh questions about water safety and how pathogens move through the environment, highlighting the need for coordinated, One Health-based approaches.

Experts warn that without strong intervention and improved water management policies, free-living amoebas could emerge as a major and largely overlooked threat to global public health in the coming years.