A scientist who led studies that confirmed the effectiveness of the HIV prevention injection Lenacapavir in Uganda has urged men to disclose their use of Viagra to health workers before receiving the drug.
Dr Flavia Matovu Kiweewa, a Senior Research Scientist at Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration (MUJHU), says Lenacapavir can interact with some medicines, including certain statins, anti-tuberculosis and anticonvulsant drugs.
She says the interaction with Viagra, however, could result in serious complications. Lenacapavir is administered twice a year as a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option to prevent HIV infection.
Kiweewa says men who use Viagra should disclose it to health workers before receiving Lenacapavir so that they can be advised appropriately.
Viagra, whose active ingredient is sildenafil, is commonly prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction but is also widely accessed without medical supervision.
Kiweewa says Lenacapavir can reduce the breakdown of Viagra in the body, resulting in higher levels of the drug remaining in the bloodstream. She explains that men taking Lenacapavir may require less Viagra because of the interaction between the two medicines.
“You need less Viagra if you are on Len because the way Len works, it reduces the breakdown of Viagra and then you are having higher drug levels sustained in your system. You can get low blood pressure, or you may get a sustained erection leading to death,” Kiweewa said.
She has advised men to disclose their Viagra use before receiving the injection to enable health workers to assess the risks and provide appropriate guidance.
The warning comes amid growing demand for Lenacapavir in Uganda, particularly among men. Ministry of Health figures show that about 70 percent of people who have received the drug since its introduction in Uganda are men.
Uganda received its first consignment of 19,200 doses donated through the Global Fund. The doses were initially distributed through 103 health facilities across the country.The drug was initially intended for key populations who were screened and found to be at substantial risk of HIV infection.
However, Dr Herbert Kadama, the Ministry of Health coordinator for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, says health workers quickly noticed a high demand from men who did not necessarily fall within the initially targeted groups.
He says the ministry responded by increasing the number of facilities offering Lenacapavir and reviewing guidance to allow health workers to provide the injection to people who consider themselves at risk of HIV infection, following assessment. Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports that some members of the public are willing to pay for Lenacapavir despite the drug being provided free of charge under the current programme.
Efforts by URN to independently establish the reports were unsuccessful. However, Kiweewa says she has received calls from people asking about paying for access to the drug. Globally, demand for Lenacapavir remains high, with the drug costing tens of thousands of dollars annually in the United States.In Uganda, access to the drug is currently being supported through the Global Fund-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
