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.

Israel’s military is facing an alarming mental health crisis as prolonged geopolitical conflict continues to take a psychological toll on its soldiers.

Recently, two female Israeli soldiers died by suicide within days of each other, bringing the number of active-duty military suicides this year to at least 16, according to Israeli media.

The deaths in the force have reignited concerns over whether the military personnel are receiving necessary trauma and mental health care

The latest cases involved a combat soldier from the Bardelas Battalion and an intelligence officer. Military Police have launched investigations, while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has acknowledged the incidents, saying that the affected units are being supported in every way.

Mental Health Crisis In Israel's Military

According to Israel’s Defence Ministry, cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among soldiers have increased by nearly 40% since 2023.

Of more than 22,000 personnel receiving treatment for war-related injuries, around 60% are being treated primarily for psychological trauma.

“Soldiers are grappling not only with fear for their own lives, but also with moral injury resulting from witnessing or participating in traumatic events,” clinical psychologist Ronen Sidi of Emek Medical Center told Reuters.

Also read: Many US Veterans With Suicidal Thoughts May Not Be Receiving Mental Health Treatment, Study Finds

What Is Moral Injury?

Unlike PTSD, which is often linked to fear-based traumatic experiences, moral injury refers to when patients feel they have violated deeply held moral or ethical beliefs, or witnessed events that violate those values.

Military psychologists say constant exposure to civilian casualties, loss of troops, and conflicting decisions on the battlefield can leave lasting emotional wounds that last for a long time.

Ground Reality

The two recent suicides are not isolated incidents. Earlier this year, Israeli media reported that many soldiers on active duty had taken their own lives after returning from their deployments.

Some reports also said that soldiers who were discharged are struggling with severe PTSD, depression and social isolation after leaving service. Researchers say many continue to battle mental health issues long after their duty ends.

Veterans’ organisations have increasingly called for comprehensive and effective rehabilitation services, saying that untreated trauma may surface months or even years after military service ends.

Also read: US Government Backs Psychedelic Therapies Research For Veterans With PTSD and Depression

Are Mental Health Support Systems Enough?

The Israeli Defence Ministry says it has expanded mental health services, funding and introduced alternative therapies to improve mental health recovery for soldiers who are struggling.

However, some recent reports have questioned whether those services are reaching troops quickly enough. Critics have pointed to shortages of field psychologists, cancelled mental health support days and unsuccessful recognition of warning signs.

Mental health specialists also say that stigma remains another barrier. Despite growing awareness, many soldiers hesitate to seek help because they believe that doing so could affect their careers or be viewed as a sign of weakness.

For Israel, the growing number of soldier suicides is becoming a stark reminder that the cost of war is measured not only in physical casualties, but also in the invisible wounds that reflect through mental health issues.

Uganda has officially ended the Ebola outbreak after completing the mandatory 42-day monitoring period with no new infections, even as neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to battle its worst outbreak of the deadly disease in years.

Ugandan Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi announced the "successful completion of the mandatory 42-day monitoring period," which began after the last locally transmitted patient was discharged on June 16.

"Throughout this period, the Ministry of Health maintained intensive surveillance nationwide, and no new Ebola cases have been detected," Baryomunsi said.

Uganda Ends Outbreak After Swift Response

Earlier this month, Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary at Uganda's Ministry of Health, said the outbreak had been successfully contained through rapid surveillance, prompt treatment, contact tracing, and close cross-border coordination.

Uganda recorded 20 confirmed Ebola cases during the outbreak. Of these, 18 patients recovered and were discharged, while two died.

Most of the infections were linked to travelers arriving from the DRC, with only a small number resulting from local transmission.

Despite the declaration, Baryomunsi urged the public to remain "vigilant" and continue following public health measures to prevent future outbreaks.

Congo Outbreak Nears Scale of Historic Epidemic

Also read: Michigan Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Nears 10,000 Cases: Is Your Lettuce Safe?

While Uganda celebrates its success, the Ebola crisis in the DRC continues to worsen. According to the Congolese Ministry of Health, the country has reported at least 3,262 cases and 1,437 deaths, bringing the outbreak close to the scale of the country's devastating 2018-2020 epidemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has described it as the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak ever recorded, warning that the actual number of infections could be two to four times higher than officially reported.

UN Warns Virus Is Spreading "Like Wildfire"

United Nations humanitarian officials have described the outbreak as one of the world's most severe public health emergencies.

"The outbreak is spreading like wildfire," UN officials warned, citing armed conflict, mass displacement, and repeated attacks on healthcare facilities as major obstacles to controlling the virus.

The WHO has also warned that many newly reported infections cannot be linked to known transmission chains, suggesting the virus is spreading undetected within communities.

Contact tracing remains inadequate, while insecurity, misinformation, and community mistrust continue to undermine response efforts.

Health workers have also staged strikes in some areas over unpaid wages, further disrupting patient care and containment operations.

Attacks on health facilities, shortages of medical supplies, delayed laboratory testing, and public distrust are other factors delaying efforts to isolate patients, trace contacts, and break chains of transmission.

First Volunteer Receives Experimental Bundibugyo Vaccine

Amid the worsening outbreak, researchers have reached an important milestone in Ebola vaccine development.

The first volunteer has received an experimental vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, marking the world's first Phase I clinical trial for this virus, according to the University of Oxford.

The vaccine, ChAdOx1 BDBV, developed in collaboration with Serum Institute of India (SII), is designed specifically to protect against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.

It uses the same viral vector platform that powered the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

The vaccine uses a genetically modified chimpanzee adenovirus (ChAdOx1)—a harmless virus that normally causes the common cold in chimpanzees—as a delivery vehicle.

"We welcome the start of the phase 1 clinical trial of an investigational vaccine against Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease—an important step to assess the safety and immune responses generated by the vaccine," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on X.

A simple blood test that can accurately identify tuberculosis (TB) across people with different levels of exposure help earlier diagnosis and speedy treatment,, according to new research presented at the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM) 2026 Annual Scientific Meeting.

The study discovered that the experimental blood test can distinguish individuals with active tuberculosis from those who are healthy, regardless of whether they have had prior exposure to the disease.

Researchers say the findings could help address one of the biggest hurdles in TB control: identifying and tracing infectious patients before they unknowingly spread the disease.

"If validated in larger clinical studies, this test has the potential to transform tuberculosis screening by enabling earlier and more accurate detection of active disease," the study authors said. They observed that such a tool can significantly help control transmission, particularly in nations where TB still remains a public health issue.

Do We Need A Better TB Test?

Although TB is preventable and curable, delayed diagnosis continues to fuel transmission and contributes to deaths that are preventable.

Current diagnostic methods have important limitations. Sputum-based tests can be difficult to perform, especially in children and people with TB outside the lungs.

Meanwhile, commonly used blood tests can indicate exposure to the bacteria but cannot reliably distinguish between active disease and latent infection, meaning additional investigations are needed.

Also read: World Tuberculosis Day: A 2nd Surge In Tuberculosis Cases Again Seen In The US

About The New Blood Test For TB

According to the researchers, the new test examines the immune signatures in a blood sample to identify active tuberculosis, rather than merely detecting previous exposure.

In the study, the test successfully differentiated active TB cases from healthy individuals with varying degrees of TB exposure, suggesting it could be used as an effective screening tool across diverse populations.

The investigators emphasized that larger, multi-center studies are still needed before the test can become part of routine clinical practice. However, the early results point toward a faster and less invasive way of diagnosis.

Also read: Over 8 Million People Diagnosed With TB Last Month: Know Early Signs

Early Diagnosis Is Key

Early diagnosis is one of the most factors for controlling tuberculosis. Patients with untreated active TB can infect many others. A simple blood test that identifies active disease quickly could allow doctors to start treatment sooner, reduce transmission, and improve patient's health.

This could also be useful where resources are particularly limited. Places where collecting sputum samples is challenging and access to a sterile laboratory testing is limited can benefit from this blood test.

As blood samples are easier to obtain in many clinical situations, the test could help screen vulnerable populations, including children and people with extrapulmonary TB.

Public health experts have repeatedly stressed that improved diagnostics are essential for achieving the World Health Organization's End TB Strategy.

You May Carry TB And Not Know

Treating latent TB is like stopping the virus, while it's still small and easy to treat. It's much easier to kill the dormant germs than to fighting the active disease. You could be carrying the disease and not realise. This increases the risk of transmission.

A 2017 study published in the Viruses Journal explained that we all have slightly different versions of our genes (polymorphisms) and these differences can affect how our bodies react to any virus. Some gene variations might make your immune system stronger against a specific virus, while others might make you more vulnerable.