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.

UK hospitals are seeing an increase in COVID-19 activity as the SARS-CoV-2 XFG variant, dubbed “American Covid” or “Stratus,” circulates in the country.

According to the latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), COVID positivity in hospital settings increased from 5.9% to 7.0%. The weekly hospital admission rate also rose from 0.81 to 1.20 per 100,000, an increase of about 48%.

London recorded the highest increase among regions, with its COVID hospital admission rate rising by 79%.

More than half of the sequenced positive samples were reported to be XFG. Among people aged over 85, hospital admission rates increased from 7.08 to 12.43 per 100,000.

However, the true number of infections could be higher because fewer people are testing for COVID-19 than during the pandemic.

Also read: Flu 2026: Symptoms To Watch For As New Season Begins

What Is the XFG Variant?

XFG is a recombinant SARS-CoV-2 variant formed from Omicron subvariants LF.7 and LP.8.1.2. The WHO records the earliest documented XFG sample on January 27, 2025, and designated it a variant under monitoring in June 2025.

The variant has since been detected in multiple countries and remains among the SARS-CoV-2 variants being monitored by WHO.

What Are the Symptoms of XFG?

COVID symptoms can vary between individuals. Reported symptoms associated with the current circulation of XFG include:

• Cough

• Fever

• Sore throat

• Headache

• Runny nose

• Fatigue

Some people may also experience muscle and joint aches, gastrointestinal symptoms as well as eye or chest infections, while others may have no symptoms.

London GP Dr Renée Hoenderkamp has highlighted symptoms including sore throat, headache, runny nose, fatigue and flu-like aches, Daily Mail reported.

Read More: WHO Sets 2027 Flu Vaccine Strains; US States Can Now Order Free COVID Shots For Kids

Does XFG Cause More Severe Disease?

There is currently no evidence that the variants circulating in the UK are causing more severe disease.

“There is no evidence that variants currently circulating in the UK are causing more severe disease,” Dr Siggins said. “However, COVID can still cause serious illness in those at greatest risk.”

The latest available figures cited in reports recorded seven deaths involving COVID in England in the week ending August 28, compared with six the previous week.

Older adults and people with underlying conditions remain more vulnerable to severe COVID.

How Worried Should We Be?

The current increase is not comparable with the waves seen during the height of the COVID pandemic. UKHSA classifies the current hospital admission rate as being at a baseline level.

“COVID is increasing, but from a low level, which is not unexpected at this time of year,” said Dr Matthew Siggins, lecturer in immunity and infection biology at the University of Surrey, according to reports.

WHO has assessed the additional public health risk posed by XFG as low at the global level. Current evidence does not indicate that XFG causes more severe illness or deaths than other circulating variants.

How Can You Protect Yourself?

People who develop a high temperature or feel particularly unwell should stay home and avoid contact with others while they recover.

People eligible for the autumn COVID vaccination are advised to get vaccinated to maintain protection against serious illness.

Most people have some immunity from previous infection, vaccination or both. However, immunity may decline over time and does not always prevent infection. Protection against severe disease is generally stronger.

WHO has said currently approved COVID vaccines are expected to continue providing protection against symptomatic and severe disease from XFG.

Robotic technology is set to become an accelerating tool across every specialty of medicine, covering diagnostics, treatment and therapy in India, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh said.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the International Conference of the Society of Robotic Surgery in New Delhi, Singh said robotics should not be viewed as technology limited to surgery but as a tool that could increasingly be used across different branches of medicine.

“It’s a tool. It will happen everywhere,” he said, adding that the future could see the emergence of robotic medicine, robotic endocrinology and robotic cardiology, just as AI is finding applications across medical specialties.

Robotics, AI and Precision Medicine

Singh said robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and nanoscience could create a larger ecosystem for precision health delivery and precision medicine.

Emerging technologies, he said, could enable increasingly personalized healthcare based on an individual's genetic profile, environmental conditions, lifestyle and dietary patterns.

He said the next phase of medicine could see greater use of genetically driven diagnostics alongside advances in quantum technologies, nanomedicine, AI and robotics.

Gene Sequencing for Every Newborn

Singh also expressed a desire to launch gene sequencing for every newborn. Referring to the Genome India Program, he said 10,000 individuals have already been sequenced and that AI and robotics could support detailed genetic sequencing across India's population of 1.4 billion.

He also highlighted the potential of tele-robotics, sharing his experience of performing an ultrasound on a person located 10,000 kilometers away in Antarctica.

How Robotics Is Changing Surgery

The shift toward robotic medicine is already visible in surgery. AIIMS experts recently explained how robotic technology is changing gallbladder surgery, building on the transition from open surgery to laparoscopy and now robotic-assisted procedures.

Professor Hemanga K Bhattacharjee, Department of Surgical Disciplines, AIIMS New Delhi, said inflammation, adhesions, scarring and unexpected anatomy can make gallbladder surgery difficult.

“What the surgeon encounters once the procedure begins can be very different from what was expected. In such situations, robotic-assisted surgery can be an ideal option, as the enhanced visualization and instrument control can help the surgeon navigate difficult anatomy with greater precision,” Bhattacharjee said.

The AIIMS Department of Surgical Disciplines uses the da Vinci robotic system, which provides a high-definition 3D view and wristed instruments for controlled movements. The department has performed more than 1,500 robot-assisted surgeries across specialties, according to hospital authorities.

Will Robotics Replace Laparoscopy?

Dr. Sunil Chumber, Head of the Department of Surgical Disciplines at AIIMS, Delhi, has worked through the evolution from open surgery and mini-laparotomy to laparoscopy and robotic-assisted surgery.

He described robotic-assisted surgery as “a significant step forward” and said he considers it “a superior surgical platform” based on his experience.

“My expectation is that, eventually, gallbladder surgery will be performed robotically and conventional laparoscopy will be phased out,” Chumber said.

“Every generation of surgery builds on what came before it. Laparoscopy was a major advancement in its time, but having worked with robotic-assisted surgery, I believe robotics is the next step in that evolution.”

TikTok star Brooke Eby, who chronicled her life with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), through candid, humorous and deeply personal videos, has died at 37.

Eby was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2022 at age 33. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that damages the nerve cells responsible for voluntary muscle movement.

Brooke Eby Made ALS Personal

Eby became known for sharing the realities of living with ALS on social media. Her videos combined humor with candid accounts of how the disease affected her mobility, breathing, speech and daily life.

The ALS Network described her as an “extraordinary advocate, storyteller, community builder and friend” whose honesty and humor helped change how people understood ALS.

“Brooke changed the way people see ALS, but she also changed the way people living with ALS find and support one another,” said Sheri Strahl, president and CEO of the ALS Network.

Eby also used her platform to challenge the perception that ALS mainly affects older men.

“I didn’t choose ALS, but I did choose to get loud, and be irreverent about it,” Eby said after receiving an award from the ALS Network for her advocacy.

Also read: New RNA Therapy For ALS, The Disease Stephen Hawking Had: Patient With Rare Motor Neuron Disease Improves

She Documented Her ALS Progression

Eby regularly updated followers as her condition progressed.

In June 2025, she said her breathing capacity had declined significantly over six months. She also shared that she had undergone a procedure to have a feeding tube placed in her stomach.

By January 2026, Eby said she had begun experiencing bulbar symptoms, which can affect speech and swallowing. She reported trouble swallowing, speech disturbances and excess saliva.

In September 2026, she shared that her speech had deteriorated rapidly.

“In the last few weeks, people just can’t understand me at all,” she said, explaining that speaking had also begun requiring careful positioning of her body.

Eby Wanted People To Understand ALS Can Affect Anyone

In a PEOPLE essay, Eby wrote that she wanted people to understand that ALS does not discriminate by age, gender or demographic.

“I have ALS at a relatable age. Personally, I always associated this disease with older men,” she wrote. “But I could be someone’s daughter, sister, mom, girlfriend, wife.”

While much of her content was comedic, Eby also educated her audience about ALS, including how symptoms can vary and how the disease progresses.

Read More: Stanford Scientists Say The Human Brain May Be Two Separate Organs: How It Could Affect ALS & SMA Research

What Is ALS?

ALS affects motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. As these nerve cells degenerate, people can develop muscle weakness, loss of movement, difficulty speaking and swallowing, and eventually breathing problems.

ALS can begin in the limbs or with speech and swallowing problems, known as bulbar-onset ALS.

There is currently no cure for ALS, although treatments can help manage symptoms, improve quality of life and extend survival.

ALS Symptoms

Symptoms vary but can include:

• Muscle weakness
• Muscle cramps and twitching
• Muscle atrophy
• Stiffness and spasticity
• Difficulty speaking or swallowing
• Breathing difficulties
• Changes in emotional expression

Some people with ALS also develop cognitive or behavioral changes.

Eby’s social media posts gave thousands of followers a candid look at how the disease could change everyday life, while helping raise awareness about a condition that is often associated with older adults.