Biomedical prevention strategies – particularly PrEP – are highly efficacious, but their impact is greatest so far in men who have sex with men. Women are seemingly falling behind with prevention options; a common narrative still exists that PrEP works less well in women and that women do not take PrEP. Strikingly, the newest PrEP option (oral emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide) was recently approved with an indication that explicitly excludes women. Together, this begs the question: Are women losing out when it comes to biomedical HIV prevention?

Biomedical prevention strategies – particularly PrEP – are highly efficacious, but their impact is greatest so far in men who have sex with men. Women are seemingly falling behind with prevention options; a common narrative still exists that PrEP works less well in women and that women do not take PrEP. Strikingly, the newest PrEP option (oral emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide) was recently approved with an indication that explicitly excludes women. Together, this begs the question: Are women losing out when it comes to biomedical HIV prevention?