Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department has plans to allocate funding for research into acting/extended-release (a) injectable and (b) implantable forms of Antiretroviral drugs to help (a) a patients adherence to treatment and (b) decrease HIV drug resistance.

Our HIV/AIDS research focuses on HIV prevention technologies and understanding the structural drivers/factors that can increase HIV infection. Underpinning these themes is the need for strong health systems, to deliver services to those who need it.

Our product development research portfolio includes the International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM). IPM is developing the first long-acting HIV prevention (containing an antiretroviral drug) designed for women, a self-initiated female prevention product.

Research into the root causes of HIV and how best to tackle them are being addressed through the Tackling the Structural Drivers of HIV (STRIVE) and the recently completed Evidence for HIV Prevention in Southern Africa (EHPSA) projects.

The results of this research have the potential to increase adherence to treatment and reduce drug resistance. It will help some of the most poor and vulnerable people, and will be of benefit to people in all countries affected by HIV/AIDS including the UK.

DFID is also supporting the scale-up of long-acting technologies through our funding to Unitaid. Unitaid is a global health initiative which aims to improve access to medicines, diagnostics and preventative commodities for people affected by HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria in lower income countries. The Unitaid board has recently approved development of grants to drive innovation and rollout of the rich pipeline of long-acting technologies for HIV and other diseases.