On this 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, there is new hope for an end to AIDS. Based on mathematical models performed by scientists at the World Health Organization, once implemented, a new strategy could reduce HIV cases by 95% within 10 years and reduce the prevalence of HIV to less than 1% within 50 years. This strategy involves testing everyone 15 years and older for HIV every year and starting people on antiretroviral therapy (ART) immediately after they are diagnosed HIV+. This means not waiting until their immune systems are depressed, which is the current line of therapy. The cost of implementing such a strategy will be high, but researchers note that by 2032 its cost will be less than that of conventional treatment strategies.
While there are obvious obstacles to implementing this plan, such as persuading people to be tested each year and convincing those HIV+ patients with no symptoms to start an ART regimen, the results of this study are compelling. While HIV is now a manageable condition for many, this new approach combined with prevention strategies could potentially eradicate HIV and AIDS as we know it.
