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.

Amid concerns over the MMR vaccine and falling childhood vaccination rates in the US, another child has died with measles.

The death was confirmed by Lancaster County Coroner Stephen Diamantoni, who said his office was investigating the case. He said the child died “a few weeks ago” but could not confirm whether it was the death Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro referred to last week.

“We just want to cast as wide a net as possible and identify any deaths that may have occurred in individuals who had measles,” Diamantoni said.

It remains unclear whether this is the second or third measles-associated death reported in the US this year.

Pennsylvania Reports Two Measles-Associated Deaths

In late August, Pennsylvania reported two measles-associated deaths in 2026, both involving unvaccinated individuals. One was reportedly an infant, while details about the second person have not been released.

The deaths are the first measles-related deaths reported in Pennsylvania in 35 years, according to the state Department of Health.

The infant’s death has been disputed. Lancaster County Coroner said the newborn tested positive for measles but died shortly after birth from a lacerated spleen. Measles antibodies were found during postmortem testing.

“The newborn had measles” but did not “die of measles,” Parsons said, citing the coroner.

CDC Challenges The Deaths

The CDC has not included the two Pennsylvania deaths in its national measles count while it reviews additional information about the circumstances and causes of death.

According to the CDC, available information does not establish whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths or whether the individuals died from other causes while infected with measles.

The Department of Health and Human Services said the deaths had not been confirmed based on the information available to the CDC.

Pennsylvania, however, maintains that it followed the standard process and provided the CDC with the required epidemiological data.

The state calls the deaths “measles-associated,” meaning there is laboratory or epidemiological evidence of measles, even if the virus is not established as the immediate cause of death.

The US CDC has 2,903 confirmed measles cases in the US in 2026, as of August 27, 2026, the highest number in 35 years.

The cases are spiraling amid anti-vaccine stance promoted by the Trump-led US government and HHS Secretary RFK Jr.

More recently, Trump also announced a split of the MMR vaccine.

Measles has been considered eliminated in the US since 2000, but the Pan American Health Organization is expected to decide in November whether the US has lost its elimination status.

What Is Measles?

Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases. An infected person can spread the virus to around nine out of 10 unvaccinated people exposed to it.

Most people recover, but measles can cause serious complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation and death.

Infants, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable.

Why Measles Is More Than A Fever And Rash

Early measles symptoms can resemble a common cold and include:

• High fever, which can exceed 104°

• Persistent

• Runny

• Red, watery eyes

A distinctive sign of measles is the appearance of tiny white spots, called Koplik spots, inside the mouth. These spots typically develop two to three days after the initial symptoms begin. Their presence is an important diagnostic clue and often appears before the characteristic measles rash.

What Does A Measles Rash Look Like?

A rash appears three to five days after the initial symptoms. It usually starts as flat, red spots on the face, near the hairline, and then spreads downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet.

The spots can sometimes be slightly raised and may merge. When the rash appears, the fever may also increase significantly.

Who Is Most At Risk?

Groups at higher risk of measles complications include:

• Children younger than

• Adults older than

• Pregnant

• People with weakened immune systems, including those with leukemia or HIV

How To Prevent

Two doses of the MMR vaccine are key to preventing measles. Te first MMR dose is recommended at 12 to 15 months, followed by a second dose at 4 to 6 years.

UK health officials have reported the breeding of an invasive mosquito species known to spread dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses.

While this is the fourth time Aedes aegypti has been detected in the UK, it is the first time the species has been found breeding. The mosquitoes were found reproducing in homes in east London.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the risk to the public is low, with no evidence of human infections linked to these mosquitoes.

Officials believe the mosquitoes may have been accidentally imported in baggage, vehicles or plants. Measures to destroy larvae, along with surveillance and trapping, have been stepped up.

What Does This Mean For Public Health?

Mosquito-borne diseases kill more than one million people and infect up to 700 million each year.

While Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are usually found in tropical and subtropical climates, the current risk to the UK public remains low. The species is unlikely to survive long-term in the UK's colder temperatures.

UKHSA head of medical entomology Dr Jolyon Medlock said: "There is no evidence that these mosquitoes have caused human infections and importantly, to date, there is no evidence of the mosquitoes or larvae being detected in nearby public areas."

Dr César López-Camacho of the University of Oxford called the finding "important" but said it was not a reason for alarm.

Is Climate Change To Blame?

Despite recent heatwaves, the overall UK climate remains too cold for Aedes aegypti to survive long-term, UKHSA said.

The mosquitoes were detected through the Mosquito Watch scheme, which monitors invasive species.

Medlock said the UK will continue to see invasive mosquitoes and that, as the climate warms, he expects more reports of them surviving.

Globally, dengue cases are increasing across the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia. These increases are fueled by climate change, globalisation and immunological naïveté, alongside the limited impact of existing control measures.

“While the current mosquitoes are unlikely to be infected, and so the risk to people will be low, their presence may indicate a regular summer event in future years. These mosquitoes will not survive the cooler weather of autumn or winter, but new introductions next year may lead to breeding again,” Martin Hibberd, Professor of Emerging Infectious Disease at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), said.

He said the mosquitoes live in and around human habitations and are well adapted to city life, requiring the right climate conditions, which the UK is now experiencing more regularly.

Dr Robert Jones, Assistant Professor in the Department of Disease Control at LSHTM, said: “Even in outbreak situations, only a fraction of mosquitoes are infected, so the risk to the public from this finding is very low.”

He advised people to make gardens and outdoor spaces less suitable for mosquitoes by removing standing water.

“Mosquitoes can lay eggs in buckets, containers, plant pots and other places where water accumulates, so removing standing water can help limit the places available for them to lay eggs and reduce the likelihood of populations becoming established.”

How To Prevent Mosquito Bites?

To lower your risk of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases:

• Wear clothes that cover as much of the body as possible
• Use mosquito nets, ideally treated with insect repellent, when sleeping during the day
• Install window screens
• Use repellents containing DEET, picaridin or IR3535
• Use coils and vaporizers

How To Stop Mosquitoes From Breeding?

• Remove places where water can accumulate
• Dispose of solid waste properly
• Cover, empty and clean domestic water-storage containers weekly
• Remove artificial containers that can hold water
• Use appropriate insecticides in outdoor water-storage containers

Mosquito detection and eradication programs are key to preventing the problem from becoming a bigger public-health risk.

A pig kidney transplanted into a US man in 2025 functioned in his body for 271 days, marking the longest dialysis-free survival reported following a porcine kidney transplant, according to Harvard Medical School.

Tim Andrews, who was 66 at the time of the xenotransplantation, did not need dialysis for 271 days before receiving a human kidney from a deceased donor.

What Happened In The Case?

In January 2025, Andrews, received a genetically edited pig kidney, after being on dialysis for more than two years due to end-stage kidney disease. He became the fourth worldwide to receive a pig kidney.

Andrews received the genetically engineered pig kidney under an FDA Expanded Access Investigational New Drug application.

A team of doctors monitored him for kidney function, rejection, antibody development and potential pig-to-human infection, and found that the kidney began functioning immediately. An early episode of T-cell-mediated rejection resolved with treatment, and no pig pathogen transmission was detected, revealed the case published in the journal The Lancet.

After approximately six months, immunosuppression was reduced because of an infection. The xenotransplant subsequently developed microvascular injury and inflammation that progressed to organ failure.

In January this year Andrews received a deceased-donor human kidney, which showed immediate graft function, with no evidence of sensitization during follow-up.

What Did The Case Show?

The findings illustrate both the promise of xenotransplantation and the areas that still need improvement before pig organs can become a broader transplant option.

Importantly, the microvascular injury seen in the porcine kidney has implications for developing immunosuppressive strategies, donor genetic engineering and monitoring approaches in future clinical transplantation studies, the researchers said.

Xenotransplants And The Organ Transplant Gap

According to the latest data from the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation, a record 183,896 solid organ transplants were performed globally across 96 countries. This represents a 4% increase over 2024, primarily driven by an 11% rise in donations after circulatory death (DCD) and a 4% increase in living-donor transplants.

Despite this growth, a 90% unmet need remains a critical global issue as demand continues to rise, driven by chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

In the US alone, over 109,000 people remain on the national transplant waiting list, while an average of 12 people die every day waiting for a compatible match, according to HRSA Organ Donor Statistics.

India recorded a record 20,138 transplants, yet more than 89,000 patients are actively waitlisted, according to data from NOTTO. The deceased-donor rate remains critically low at 0.77 per million people, with deceased-donor organs accounting for only 18% of the country's total transplant pool.

“The organ shortage is the greatest crisis we have right now in transplantation,” said Leonardo Riella, associate professor of surgery at Mass General and medical director for kidney transplantation at Mass General Brigham.

“We know that the best treatment option for patients with end-stage kidney disease who have developed renal failure is transplantation, but we simply don’t have enough human organs to transplant in a timely manner.”

Andrews’ case therefore offers a potential way to help bridge this gap.

“Our vision is that xenotransplantation could help address this gap — initially as a bridge to get patients off dialysis while they wait for a human donor kidney, and potentially, as we establish long-term safety and durability, as a destination therapy in its own right,” Riella said.