Can HIV prevention shots be easier to stick with than pills?
Shots were linked to more consistent use: 40% of users stayed highly consistent, compared with 26% of pill users.
AJMC reported findings from PrEPFACTS, a study using U.S. health insurance records. It compared people using cabotegravir, a long-acting shot, with people taking pills. Both are forms of PrEP, medicine used to help prevent HIV. The results were presented at an October 2026 conference.
Researchers adjusted the comparison to account for differences between the groups. After that adjustment, 40% of shot users showed consistently high use over time. That compared with 26% of pill users—a 14-percentage-point gap. A rapid drop in use was also less common with shots. That pattern appeared in 34% of shot users versus 43% of pill users.
The takeaway is about keeping up with a routine, not guaranteed protection. These records show a link between shots and more consistent use. They do not prove that shots caused the difference. And shots did not remove every hurdle: about one-third of users still showed rapidly declining use. The supplied excerpt does not give enough detail to compare HIV case rates.
For BioSocial members, this offers a useful way to compare routines. Personal logs could capture missed pill days, refill gaps, or delayed shot visits. Those numbers can add context when comparing notes with community peers. They can also help separate a routine that sounds convenient from one that fits everyday life.
What have your own logs or experiences shown about keeping up with pills or shot visits?
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