Regional Meeting on Expanding Access to Long-Acting HIV Prevention Medicines Held in Tashkent

On November 3–4, 2026, a regional meeting entitled “Preparing Central Asian Countries for Access to and Introduction of Long-Acting HIV Prevention Medicines” was held in Tashkent, organized by ECAT and ITPC EECA with the support of UNAIDS.

The event brought together representatives of government institutions, international organizations, pharmaceutical companies, experts, and patient communities to discuss opportunities for introducing modern HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) methods in Central Asia and Eastern Europe.

Participants included representatives of ministries of health and government institutions from countries across the region, UNAIDS, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), ITPC Global, as well as civil society organizations and patient communities.

The first day of the meeting focused on existing opportunities and barriers to introducing long-acting HIV prevention medicines. International experts presented global initiatives aimed at accelerating access to long-acting PrEP and discussed the economic, clinical, administrative, and regulatory aspects of its introduction. Particular attention was paid to international experience, including practices in Cambodia, as well as the current situation and prospects for introducing new prevention methods in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia. Participants also discussed drug registration, improvements to regulatory frameworks, and opportunities for regional cooperation to overcome existing barriers.

An important part of the agenda was devoted to the role of civil society and community readiness for the introduction of injectable PrEP. Sergey Golovin, Senior Consultant at ITPC EECA and ECAT, presented preliminary findings from a study conducted in Kyrgyzstan by the Partner Network Association as part of the ATLAS initiative. The findings indicate respondents’ interest in new prevention methods while also highlighting limited awareness of injectable medicines, concerns about confidentiality, and potential administrative barriers. The study underscores the need to involve communities in PrEP planning and implementation, develop accessible information materials, and ensure that individuals can choose the prevention method best suited to their needs.

On the second day, participants met with representatives of the pharmaceutical companies Gilead, Emcure, Viatris, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, and ViiV Healthcare. Discussions focused on ensuring access to new medicines, cooperation between manufacturers, government institutions, and civil society, and prospects for introducing long-acting PrEP options in countries across the region.

Meeting reports summarizing the discussions with pharmaceutical companies will be prepared and published at a later date.