Rio de Janeiro hosted AIDS 2026, the 26th International AIDS Conference, from July 26 to 31, drawing roughly 7,000 delegates under the theme "Rethink. Rebuild. Rise." The theme turned out to fit the week closely. Coverage divided into two parallel stories, one about some of the most important scientific progress the HIV field has made in years, and the other about funding cuts moving quickly enough to threaten that progress before it reaches the people who need it most.
In prevention, long-acting options reached a meaningful milestone. Results from the PURPOSE 1 and PURPOSE 2 trials showed twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir reducing new infections to near zero among participants who received it, with adherence above 90% in both trials and most participants choosing to continue it when offered the option. In treatment, the ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2 trials presented a once-weekly oral regimen (islatravir/lenacapavir) that performed as well as daily standard-of-care treatment while demanding much less of patients from day to day.
