Government distributes new drug for HIV patients

Brazil’s Ministry of Health has finished distributing 5.6 million tablets of Dovato, a new drug for the treatment of patients with AIDS or HIV.

The medicine, which has been passed on to states and the Federal District, combines two antiretroviral drugs in a single pill: dolutegravir and lamivudine.

“Previously, HIV treatment exclusively involved combinations of various drugs from different classes to effectively suppress the virus and slow down the progression of the disease,” a statement from the ministry reads.

“With the new medicine, users can opt for a treatment with a single daily dose.”

Who will be allowed to take it?

The switch from two pills to one should be made gradually and continuously for patients aged 50 or over with regular adherence and a viral load of less than 50 copies/ml in the last test, who started dual therapy (two pills) before November 30, 2023, the ministry reported.

“The criteria for expanding the public covered by the new treatment model may be reviewed in six months, taking into account, for instance, the upward trend in prescriptions and the availability of the drug,” the official note says.

From 2017 to 2021, the disease caused the death of more than 59 thousand people in Brazil.