Our LGTBQXYZ Should be ecstatic! End to Aids in sight~huge study finds drugs stop HIV transmission

[The Purge]

An end to the Aids epidemic could be in sight after a landmark study found men whose HIV infection was fully suppressed by antiretroviral drugs had no chance of infecting their partner.

The success of the medicine means that if everyone with HIV were fully treated, there would be no further infections.

Among nearly 1,000 male couples across Europe where one partner with HIV was receiving treatment to suppress the virus, there were no cases of transmission of the infection to the HIV-negative partner during sex without a condom. Although 15 men were infected with HIV during the eight-year study, DNA testing proved that was through sex with someone other than their partner who was not on treatment.

“It’s brilliant – fantastic. This very much puts this issue to bed,” said Prof Alison Rodgers from University College London, the co-leader of the paper published in the Lancet medical journal. Earlier studies have also shown the treatment protects heterosexual couples where one partner has HIV.

She added: “Our findings provide conclusive evidence for gay men that the risk of HIV transmission with suppressive ART [antiretroviral therapy] is zero. Our findings support the message of the international U=U campaign that an undetectable viral load makes HIV untransmittable.

“This powerful message can help end the HIV pandemic by preventing HIV transmission, and tackling the stigma and discrimination that many people with HIV face.

“Increased efforts must now focus on wider dissemination of this powerful message and ensuring that all HIV-positive people have access to testing, effective treatment, adherence support and linkage to care to help maintain an undetectable viral load.”

In 2017, there were almost 40 million people worldwide living with HIV, of whom 21.7 million were on antiretroviral treatment. An estimated 101,600 people are living with HIV in the UK,

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...

Until it mutates!

 

[Tijn Von Ingersleben]

GRIDS is not a completely bad thing. The sad part were the infants and hemophiliacs who acquired it. Otherwise...most people who contracted the virus deserved it due to reckless and repulsive behaviors.

 

[Darkwind]

Great news.

The report didn't make clear, or I missed it. This does not irradicate the virus from the person, just suppresses it from harming the immune system (specifically, the destruction of T cells) and its transmission to others. What of mothers who are infected, does it prevent the transfer to the baby, or does the anti-viral simply suppress it in the baby too?

 

[Dekster]

There are multiple issues which won't make this the end of HIV/AIDS. There have been breakthrough infections of people on the PreP regimen. The lack of new cases will make the drugs increasingly more expensive as the market for them declines which will drive people to roll the dice. And of course there is the third world where HIV/AIDS will continue to spread and people will go there, catch it, and bring it back to developed countries. Nothing wrong with having hope in progress, but it is naive to think that victory is in sight until they find an actual cure.