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Lenacapavir HIV prevention remains scarce in Mbarara, Uganda, despite tentative generic approval

Doses at one Mbarara health facility were used up within 10 days, as groups debate whether rollout plans are sufficient.

Published Nov 3, 2026 · 11:41 UTC2 reports

The short version

  • The FDA tentatively approved a generic version of lenacapavir, which studies show offers near-complete protection with two shots a year.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • People in Mbarara, Uganda, where an estimated 10% of adults have HIV, are struggling to get doses.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • The Global Fund hopes to reach 3 million people by 2028, but Doctors Without Borders says the rollout plans are not nearly enough.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • The generic approval is tentative, and the adequacy of the rollout remains disputed.[ABC News · Associated Press]

Key facts

  • Gilead Sciences developed lenacapavir, an HIV-prevention drug that studies show offers nearly complete protection with two shots a year.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • The FDA tentatively approved a generic lenacapavir that could reach 120 low-income countries at roughly $40 a year, far below the $28,218 US list price.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • The Global Fund says it hopes to reach 3 million people with lenacapavir by the end of 2028.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • Doctors Without Borders says the rollout plans are not nearly enough.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • Doctors Without Borders is calling on Gilead to make cheap doses available to more countries and to sell doses directly to the group.[Associated Press]
  • An estimated 10% of adults in Mbarara, Uganda, have HIV, double Uganda's national rate.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • A health facility in Mbarara received 40 doses in April and 70 in June, and the June batch was used up within 10 days.[ABC News · Associated Press]

What remains uncertain

  • The FDA approval for the generic version is tentative, not final.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • Whether the Global Fund's 2028 goal and planned rollout will meet demand is disputed; Doctors Without Borders says they are insufficient.[ABC News · Associated Press]
  • The dose figures come from one facility's account given by a nursing officer; broader supply data is not in the reporting.[ABC News · Associated Press]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.