A post made by “news” account DramaAlert on X has received over 3.9 million views and claims that a new, 100% effective AIDS cure costs $40,000 and requires 2 shots yearly.
However, the lack of further information or even a link to an article with context and elaboration stood out to us as suspicious. The lack of further information has also led to speculation in the replies ranging from conspiracies about “Big Pharma” to accusations of extortion by the cure’s manufacturers. This is potentially further exacerbated by a lack of full understanding about AIDS and the existing preventative resources already on the market today.
What is AIDS?
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), is the third and final stage of the human immune deficiency virus (HIV). HIV infections weaken the body’s immunity by destroying white blood cells that protect against other viruses and bacteria. There is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection HIV – from completely undetectable symptoms to tumours, weight loss, tuberculosis, or other serious infections and even death.
However, HIV is treatable (particularly when diagnosed in the earlier stages of the disease) and also preventable using daily pre-exposure prophylaxis medications (PrEP). While there is no cure for HIV, infected individuals are now often able to manage or suppress the disease and lead normal lives due to advancements in medical treatments.
HIV/AIDS is thought to have jumped from primates to humans in the early to mid-20th century but was first isolated and recognised in the 1980s. Since then, the disease has continued to pose serious health challenges, with over 42 million recorded deaths worldwide in the past 4 decades. This is particularly so in regions such as Africa, where over 25 million people are living with HIV.
Investigating the Claim
A quick search about the claim being made led us to an article published on 1 December by AP News titled “A twice-yearly shot could help end AIDS. But will it get to everyone who needs it?” which describes how a recently developed drug has been shown (in trials) to be 100% effective as a preventative drug. That is, it prevents AIDs infections from occurring instead of being a “cure” for the disease. The short-form claims circulating on social media appear to be based on this article.
Rather than focusing solely on the drug, the article explores how it’s dissemination in lower income, resource-limited regions with high rates of AIDS could drastically reduce incidence rates globally – and how individuals in some other regions (such as Latin America) might experience difficulties when it comes to accessing it. According to the article, the drug in question – Lenacapavir – is made by the pharmaceutical company Gilead and has actually been used commercially since 2022 as a treatment to reduce (although not “cure”) the HIV virus.
However, the “new” development refers to recent Phase 3 trials that have shown lenacapavir’s efficacy as a form of PrEP as well. According to reports from Gilead in 2024, new published studies they conducted show that two shots of lenacapavir had 100% efficacy in preventing HIV amongst cisgender female participants in one study, and 96% amongst test subjects in another study that included “cisgender gay, bisexual, and other men, transgender women, transgender men, and gender non-binary individuals.” 
This is important given that current PrEP medications are typically taken orally on a daily basis for effective prevention of HIV infection. According to various studies, adherence to daily PrEP use is a significant issue in regions such as Africa, resulting in HIV infections continuing to occur. In this context, two shots a year is potentially a much more effective and sustainable solution.
The current version of lenacapavir that is approved for use as a treatment costs $40,000 for two shots in the United States – which is often co-paid by the patient and their insurance company. However, the use of lenacapavir for prevention is still in the testing phases and is pending approval from regulatory authorities and therefore does not yet have a set price. In October 2024, Gilead also announced that it had signed “non-exclusive, royalty-free voluntary licensing agreements with six pharmaceutical companies to manufacture and supply high-quality, low-cost versions of lenacapavir for 120 primarily low and lower-middle income countries.” This suggests that the $40,000 price tag might change following the drug becoming accessible as a form of PrEP.
Conclusion
Therefore, while the claim post does include information that is technically somewhat true, it omits key information that would otherwise paint a completely different picture.
A new “AIDS cure” has not been found – the drug is neither new, nor is it a cure. Rather, it is an existing drug that is currently undergoing rigorous human trials as a preventative measure. And, a cure for AIDS does not yet exist. While it currently costs $40,000 in the US market as a treatment, this might not necessarily be the case when it is marketed as a PrEP drug. And, while the need for two yearly shots is might appear excessive when presented in isolation, it is far less involved than the daily preventative medication that is the current norm.
We give this claim a rating of mostly false due to its selective presentation of information and potentially misleading framing that has cause more misinformation instead of presenting news updates like the claim account purports to do.
