At least 15 people in England have tested HIV positive while waiting to get a place on a trial for a pill which prevents the disease. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a daily tablet which can stop a person from getting HIV. England is the only place in the UK where places on a trial to access the drug through the NHS are restricted. The Department of Health said plans are under way for "routine commissioning" when the trial ends next year.

PrEP is freely available for high-risk patients in Scotland and the British HIV Association, which represents healthcare professionals involved in the treatment and care of people with HIV, is calling for the same in England. It is currently available free of charge as part of the Impact trial in England, which began in September 2017 and is due to end in August. Places are limited and some clinics have had to close their lists but there are still places available around England.

Sexual health consultants say the trial is particularly useful for people who cannot afford PrEP privately, and among the 15 cases of people acquiring HIV while waiting for trial places, several people were on low incomes and could not afford the drug otherwise. All 15 were tested and found to be HIV-negative when they were assessed for a place on the trial. Read more via BBC