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.

The XFG COVID-19 variant is driving a rise in cases and hospitalizations in the UK and France, while some US regions are also reporting increases.

XFG, nicknamed ‘American COVID’ or Stratus, is a recombinant SARS-CoV-2 variant from the Omicron lineage, formed from LF.7 and LP.8.1.2. The WHO recorded the earliest documented XFG sample on January 27, 2025, and designated it a variant under monitoring in June 2025.

The NHS has advised infected people to stay home to limit spread. The UK is rolling out COVID vaccination, while France is expected to begin its campaign next week.

COVID and flu symptoms can overlap, including cough, fever, sore throat, headache, runny nose and fatigue.

COVID Activity Rises in UK, France

In France, the estimated number of people with COVID consulting GPs for acute respiratory infections rose to 13 per 100,000, from nine the previous week, according to The Connexion. This translates to around 8,806 new cases, up from about 6,000.

In England, hospital PCR positivity rose from 5.9% to 7.0% in the week to September 20, while hospital admissions increased from 0.81 to 1.20 per 100,000. Overall activity remained low.

US CDC data from September 29 showed cases rising in some states while falling or remaining stable in others.

Also read: ‘American Covid’ Strain Drives 50% Surge in UK Hospital Admissions: XFG Symptoms to Know

Is India At Risk?

HealthandMe spoke to experts who said the UK-France rise does not necessarily mean India will see a similar increase.

“The rise in COVID-19 cases in the UK and France does not necessarily mean that India is headed towards a similar increase,” said Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi.

XFG is being monitored because it has become more common in some countries, but available evidence does not indicate that it causes more severe illness than other circulating variants.

“For India, the more relevant question is whether XFG is increasing locally and whether this is translating into a rise in symptoms or hospitalizations,” Dr Suranjit told HealthandMe .

Does XFG Cause More Severe Disease?

Dr Amit Prakash Singh, Consultant - Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, said the spread of XFG highlights the need for continued surveillance as SARS-CoV-2 evolves.

“Yet at present there is no evidence to indicate that the XFG variant causes more severe disease than the other Omicron-lineage variants,” he said.

However, the “main concern for India would be a greater rate of transmission, especially among older people, those with comorbidities and the immunocompromised, should the variant become more common in the country”.

What Should India Watch?

Read More: COVID-19 Cases Rise In France, Vaccination Campaign Set To Start Next Week

Dr Amit told HealthandMe India should continue genomic surveillance and monitor hospitalizations and severe disease rather than focusing only on case numbers.

Dr Suranjit said international travel can introduce new variants, but their impact depends on community spread and existing immunity.

“At this stage, there is no reason for people (in India) to be unduly concerned or change their daily routine.”

He added that continued surveillance, timely testing when symptoms occur and sensible precautions during respiratory infections remain appropriate.

Are XFG Vaccines Available?

XFG-specific vaccines have been developed and are either in use or authorized in several countries. The US and UK have opted for XFG-targeted formulations for the 2026–27 season.

In India, an XFG-specific vaccine should be considered available only after regulatory approval and commercial supply.

The WHO continues to stress that vaccination should not be postponed while waiting for an updated formulation.

The Supreme Court, on Thursday, asked the Centre to form a panel to form statutory regulations against unethical practices by pharmaceutical companies. This includes gift giving, hospitality, and other incentives offered to doctors.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued the direction while hearing a petition seeking stronger regulation of pharmaceutical marketing practices.

The court wants the committee to recommend whether, and how, the unethical interactions between pharmaceutical companies and doctors should be brought under a legally enforceable framework.

The matter will resume in court on January 29, 2027, when the Centre is expected to show compliance with the directions.

What Did The Supreme Court Say?

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The court's order follows earlier concerns about whether the existing system is equipped to prevent unethical pharmaceutical marketing.

Justice Sandeep Mehta, reading out the order, said, “We have directed the Union of India to constitute the committee and give its recommendations in terms of our previous directives and observations.”

The committee will examine the representations received and make recommendations to the Union government on the need for statutory regulation.

The Court had reserved order after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Court that the Union government is to form a three-member committee to assess whether a statutory framework is needed to regulate unethical practices by pharmaceutical companies.

The case was filed by the Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives' Associations of India (FMRAI), which has sought accountability for alleged practices such as expensive gifts, foreign trips, hospitality and other benefits used to promote medicines to doctors.

It said, “This has led to over-prescription of drugs resulting in a serious infringement of the right to life and the right to health of the citizens.”

What Are Pharma Freebies To Doctors?

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Pharmaceutical companies use various marketing strategies to promote their products to healthcare professionals. These can include gifts, hospitality, sponsored travel, benefits related to conference and other promotional incentives.

The concern before the Supreme Court is not just an ordinary interaction between drug companies and doctors, but whether financial or material incentives can unethically influence drug-prescribing decisions.

India already has the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP), 2024, which lays down rules concerning gifts, physician samples, brand reminders, continuing medical education and other promotional activities. However, questions remain over whether the framework has adequate statutory regulation.

The Centre has previously said the UCPMP is functioning, but agreed that the question of giving pharmaceutical marketing regulation statutory backing should be examined separately.

The Centre, in its response, said, “The Department of Pharmaceuticals has issued the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP), which is applicable to Pharmaceutical Companies, medical representatives and agents.” The code clearly prohibits pharmaceutical companies from offering gifts, travel facilities, hospitality, cash or monetary grants to physicians or their family members, it added.

Unethical Pharma Marketing Could Affect Patients

The biggest concern is that a prescribing decision could become influenced by factors other than clinical need, evidence, safety, and cost. If incentives influence prescribing, patients could potentially face:

• Unnecessary medicines when they are not clinically needed
• More expensive branded drugs when alternatives exist
• Higher doses or longer treatment than necessary
• Polypharmacy, or the use of multiple medicines when fewer may be appropriate
• Higher out-of-pocket healthcare expenses

These concerns have previously been raised before the Supreme Court in relation to alleged pharmaceutical marketing practices. The issue, therefore, goes beyond ethics for patients. The doctor-pharma relationship can directly affect what medicine a patient receives, how long they take it, and how much they pay.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is moving deeper into biological research, with Meta, Google DeepMind, the US government and other partners backing a $1.8 billion effort to build AI-ready biological datasets and predictive models of life that could help scientists better understand, predict and treat diseases.

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan-backed nonprofit Biohub first announced the Virtual Biology Initiative in April 2026 with a $500 million commitment.

The five-year effort aims to generate large-scale, multimodal biological data that could help scientists develop AI models capable of predicting how cells respond to different interventions — potentially accelerating disease research, drug discovery and the development of new treatments.

The initiative has now expanded through partnerships involving the US Department of Energy, National Institutes of Health, Meta, Google DeepMind and Isomorphic Labs, bringing the total commitment to $1.8 billion.

“An accurate predictive model of biology could dramatically accelerate scientific discovery by enabling scientists to perform experiments digitally. The insights that come from this could unlock a far greater understanding of disease and open up completely new paths for cures,” said Biohub Head of Science Alex Rives.

“Because of this potential, the creation of a virtual cell is one of the most important challenges for the next era of science. It will require coordinated data generation efforts at a national and international scale, which is why these partners are coming together. We invite the worldwide scientific community to join us in this project,” he added.

Also read: Anthropic, OpenEvidence Expand Clinical AI Globally: WHO Warns of Ethics Risks

What Is the Virtual Biology Initiative?

The Virtual Biology Initiative aims to coordinate biological data generation across institutions and scientific disciplines, creating open, AI-ready datasets that can support predictive models of life.

The broader goal is to build increasingly accurate models of the complex workings of cells, allowing scientists to investigate biological mechanisms and understand how diseases develop. Such models could allow researchers to ask and test questions digitally at a scale and speed that would be difficult to achieve through laboratory experiments alone.

If successful, the approach could help accelerate scientific discovery, identify potential biological targets and support the development of therapies for complex diseases.

Of that commitment, $400 million supports technologies designed to expand what scientists can measure, including cryo-electron tomography to resolve near-atomic details inside cells, microscopy capable of imaging millions to billions of cells in living tissue, and engineering tools to build and perturb biology at molecular, cellular, tissue and whole-organism levels. A further $100 million supports research outside Biohub.

Read More: Google DeepMind’s AlphaGenome Atlas Maps 9 Billion Mutations in Human Genome; To Reveal Genetics, Rare Disease Clues

Inside the $1.8B AI Biology Effort

• Biohub: Provides biological measurement technologies, research infrastructure and open datasets to build the foundation for virtual biology.
• US Department of Energy: Will contribute more than $500 million through its Genesis Mission, including advanced imaging, biological research, AI-driven analysis, modeling and high-performance computing.
• NIH: Brings together existing biomedical datasets, repositories, knowledge bases and research infrastructure developed through previous federal investment.
• Google DeepMind: Contributes AI and AI-for-science expertise to help develop predictive models of biology.
• Isomorphic Labs: Brings AI-driven drug discovery expertise and capabilities in biological modelling.
• Meta: Brings AI and computational expertise as part of the industry's collective $300 million commitment.
• NVIDIA: Contributes accelerated computing infrastructure, software and technical expertise.
• Research institutions: Organizations including the Allen Institute, Broad Institute, Gladstone Institutes, Human Cell Atlas, Human Protein Atlas and Wellcome Sanger Institute contribute biological data, scientific expertise and international coordination.