Updated HIVCL position on Treatment as Prevention
Earlier this month, the HIVCL Board updated our position statement on the use of anti-HIV medication to prevent the forward transmission of HIV. Often referred to as “Treatment as Prevention”, the approach recognizes that by reducing viral load, HIV treatment has a secondary benefit of significantly reducing the potential for HIV transmission. Largely pioneered out of the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Treatment as Prevention is an international gold-standard strategy in addressing the HIV epidemic.
In February of this year, an international group of HIV academics, activists and scientists joined together to support the use of HIV treatment as prevention, carefully outlining key principles and considerations: “This statement is issued with the underlying principle in mind of safeguarding the health and wellbeing of people living with HIV…it supports the human rights, dignity and self-determination that enable people to make the choices that most benefit their health and wellbeing and that of their partners”.
To learn more about the Community Consensus Statement, its development and supporters, please visit http://www.hivt4p.org/
To read the current DHHS Guideline visit http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/guidelines
Read our full position statement on Treatment as Prevention here