The International AIDS Society Conference 2025 (IAS 2025) brought together global leaders in HIV science, policy, and community advocacy against a backdrop of funding crises and scientific breakthroughs. In Kigali, Rwanda, one theme rang clear: innovation alone isn’t enough. Delivery, access, and equity must catch up with the science. We spoke with leading experts and advocates to ask: What single development at IAS 2025 will have the greatest impact on HIV prevention or care going forward? Their answers capture the momentum, and the challenges, that will shape the next era of the global HIV response.

Onychomycosis is one of the most common nail conditions seen in clinical practice, yet diagnosis is often uncertain and treatment failures are frustratingly common. In this episode, Dr Shari Lipner shares practical updates on smarter diagnostics, existing & emerging therapies, and what we need to know about how to manage this condition today and in the future.

Mitchell Warren discusses insights from the IAS 2025 session, “Re-imagining prevention: Planning for sustainable PrEP access in the new funding context”, highlighting the most pressing global HIV prevention priorities, the promise of long-acting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) technologies, and the need for urgent, equity-focused investment, especially amid uncertain funding landscapes.

Prof. Kenneth Mayer discusses promising Phase 2 results for MK‑8527, a once-monthly oral PrEP candidate. He highlights its favourable safety profile, potential to improve adherence, and how upcoming Phase 3 trials could shape the future of HIV prevention across diverse global populations.

In this interview, Dr Katherine Gill discusses key findings from the phase III PURPOSE 1 and 2 trials, which evaluated twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention in adolescents and young people. She highlights the drug’s efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics, as well as its potential to overcome adherence challenges associated with daily oral PrEP and its integration into youth-focused HIV prevention programmes.

Dr Clarissa Melo Czekster is a rising star in the field of enzymology and bacterial pathogenesis. In this Q&A, she reflects on her early inspirations, key mentors, and the molecular curiosity that drives her work in infectious diseases. From childhood experiments to developing novel antibiofilm tools, her career blends biochemical precision with a passion for collaborative science.

"Even with intensive support, short-cycle therapy did not match the effectiveness of daily treatment in adolescents." - Dr Adeodata R. Kekitiinwa   Short-cycle therapy (SCT) has previously shown promise in maintaining viral suppression among young people living with HIV. In ...

A resident of northern Arizona, USA, has died after contracting pneumonic plague, a rare but highly serious form of the disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, according to a statement from the Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS). This is the first confirmed plague-related fatality in the county in several years and has prompted increased public health monitoring and community awareness efforts.