HIV Treatment

How can HIV be treated?

Treating HIV involves a drug regime known as ‘combination therapy’. This means taking a combination of ‘antiretroviral’ (ARV) drugs. These suppress the virus and keep the immune system going, potentially providing a dramatic boost to life expectancy.

But drug resistance can kick in after a few years – particularly if drugs are not taken at the regular intervals prescribed – at which point people must start ‘second-’ or ‘third-line’ treatment. These treatments are much more expensive.

If HIV undermines the immune system enough, a person becomes susceptible to a range of other opportunistic infections which can be fatal. The sooner that people are tested and able to discuss treatment options, the longer they can stay healthy. Treatment can also substantially reduce the chance of pregnant mothers passing HIV on to their children. But this option is currently out of reach for around two thirds of new mothers with HIV in the developing world. 

How easy is it to get access to treatment?

In wealthy countries, HIV has become a serious but manageable illness that people can live with for years. But millions of people in developing countries are not so lucky.

Nearly 70% of people living with HIV in the developing world are not getting the treatment they need, often because of the high prices of patented ‘second-line’ drugs. That is why it is so important that countries have the freedom to manufacture copies of patented drugs, known as ‘generic’ medicines.

However, drugs are only one part of the jigsaw. The health system that is needed to support an effective regime of antiretroviral treatment is immense. Health systems need to be capable of distributing drugs effectively and need sufficient staff to monitor the progress of the virus, to manage patients’ side effects and to provide education on how to take the medicine. Good nutrition is also essential for living with HIV. Community involvement and support are important parts of the jigsaw.

Has campaigning made a difference to treatment access?

Yes. Campaigning in developing countries and in wealthy countries alike has been crucial for winning commitments from reluctant governments to fund treatment. It has also put the spotlight on the behaviour of powerful drug companies. For example, the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa has challenged companies with patent monopolies on antiretroviral drugs, and has exposed government failures to provide treatment.