Infectious Disease Clinical Trials in the UK (2026): HIV, Hepatitis, Long COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic transformed infectious disease research in the UK, creating infrastructure and public awareness that now benefits trials for HIV, hepatitis, and long COVID. From cure research to long-acting treatments, infectious disease trials are making conditions once considered lifelong into potentially curable or highly manageable.
Long COVID: Understanding and Treating a New Condition
Long COVID affects an estimated 2 million people in the UK, causing persistent fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness, and other symptoms long after the initial infection. The NHS has established dedicated long COVID clinics, and several clinical trials are now testing treatments including anti-inflammatory drugs, antivirals, structured exercise rehabilitation, and cognitive behavioural approaches. The RECOVER initiative and NHS England's long COVID trial programme are among the largest research efforts globally.
HIV: From Management to Cure
HIV treatment has been so effective that people with the virus can now live normal lifespans with undetectable viral loads. But the ultimate goal remains a cure. UK HIV trials are testing long-acting injectable antiretrovirals (monthly or bi-monthly dosing instead of daily pills), broadly neutralising antibodies for treatment and prevention, and gene editing approaches using CRISPR to remove HIV from latently infected cells. PrEP trials are also exploring longer-acting formulations.
Hepatitis C Elimination and Hepatitis B Cure Research
The UK has made remarkable progress toward hepatitis C elimination, with direct-acting antivirals curing over 95% of cases in as little as 8-12 weeks. Trials continue to test shorter treatment courses, retreatment options for rare failures, and approaches for patients co-infected with HIV. Hepatitis B cure research is more challenging but progressing, with trials testing RNA interference drugs, immune modulators, and capsid assembly modulators that aim for functional cure — sustained virus control without ongoing medication.