Since July 2023, a small revolution has been taking place at Mays Chemist in Melville, Johannesburg that could make a real difference to HIV prevention in South Africa. But because of a drawn-out court case, a valuable opportunity to slow down new HIV infections in the country may be lost, researchers say.

Mays Chemist is a bright, bustling pharmacy on Main Road in Melville, Johannesburg. Since July 2023, a small revolution has been taking place there - one that could make a real difference to HIV prevention in South Africa.

With the support of pharmacists and an in-house nurse, 210 people have started getting PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) here, which is medication that can protect someone from contracting HIV. PrEP has been available in South Africa since 2016, and more than a million people have already started taking it to help protect them against HIV infection.

So why are the new clients getting their medication from Mays so important?

Because they're taking part in a project that's looking at whether letting people obtain HIV prevention medicines from healthcare facilities that are part of their everyday routines, such as pharmacies that are near to where they work, study or shop, can work. (At the moment, someone has to go to a government clinic or hospital to get PrEP.)

So far, the project has proven popular - more than 1,200 people across 10 pharmacies have started PreP.

The medicine is...