Which HIV Finding is the Health Breakthrough of 2011?

[William769]

This year has seen monumental advances in HIV treatment and prevention, but some health experts say the most important advance is the discovery that antiretroviral treatment cuts down infection rates by more than 95%.

It's been known since the 1990s that antiretroviral medications save lives of those with HIV. But the results of recently-published studies show HIV-positive people on proper treatment have a very small chance of infecting HIV-negative partners. The findings show that AIDS can be nearly wiped out if everyone who needs antiretroviral medication receives it and takes it as prescribed, writes Art Caplan, the director for the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, on MSNBC's Vitals page.

"A clinical trial involving AIDS this year is rightly being called by Science magazine the most important scientific breakthrough of the year," Caplan writes. "So, at last, after taking a terrible toll on us for decades, we now know how to get the HIV virus on the run. Get antiretroviral medications to all 7.6 million people who need them, continue aggressive efforts to promote the use of condoms and the avoidance of risky sexual and injection drug behavior, give out clean needles to addicts and we can have our revenge on the virus that causes AIDS."

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/12/24/Which_HIV_Finding_is_the_Health_Breakthrough_of_2011/

[La Lioness Priyanka]

1. i agree

incidentally this the study i was trying to cite the other day, when i said that putting people on ADAP waiting lists not only harms people with hiv but also harms hiv prevention

[beyurslf]

2. I was started the cocktail almost immediately and have been on it for 9 years now.

I took my own "med holiday" against my doctors wishes for about a year. That was a couple of years ago. Nothing major happened (thankfully) but I have never gotten my CD4 above 600 since and I have never gotten and undectable VL again either.

[William769]

3. I got my CD4 up to 600 once

But it usually stays between 400 & 500 and for the past 3 years my viral load has been undetectable. In my case these numbers are a small miracle since at the beginning of 2005 my CD4 count was down to 3 with a viral load in the hundreds of thousands.

After losing my partner of 16 years due to non compliance with his meds, I vowed to always adhere to what my Doctor says to me about my meds.

Glad to hear your health is good & may you have many more healthy years ahead of you.

Peace
Bill