February 25, 2010

Researchers: Vigorous Test and Treat Strategy Would Eliminate HIV Within 30 Years

At this week’s American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in San Diego, researchers from the South African Center for Epidemiological Modeling and Analysis (SACEMA) proposed that aggressive, blanket HIV testing and early treatment would eliminate HIV/AIDS worldwide within 30 years, Voice of America News reports. The strategy, which is based on a mathematical model, would target the world’s most at-risk populations.

“If in fact you get people very soon after they are HIV positive and put them on antiretrovirals, you reduce the aggregate viral load in the entire population,” said SACEMA director John Hargrove. “Therefore you will reduce the rate at which new infections occur.”

Hargrove added that under this proposed global strategy, people would be tested for HIV once a year. Testing would be voluntary, though “very strongly” recommended. And people who test positive would have free antiretroviral therapy for the rest of their lives.

Such a program would cost up to $3 billion annually in South Africa alone.

Search: SACEMA, testing, treatment, HIV, AIDS, eliminate, antiretrovirals, researchers, John Hargrove, global, South Africa

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Previous Comments:

Frederick Wright, Tampa, 2010-03-02 13:37:45
Hum... that won't work in a free country, however I think they are on to something, however I think it would be more prudent to allow Over the Counter HIV Screening kits and to allow open pre-exposer HIV MEDs. The evening before Rapid HIV tes and themorning after HIV removal Pill until their is a Cure. The social marketing message of a HIV Rapid HIV screening kits over the counter would stop a lot of new HIV cases, and is it is very sad that HIV leadership have been blocking all these concepts

Sean Strub, New York, 2010-03-02 10:01:39
The failure to address the ethical issues in these "test and treat" strategies is profoundly irresponsible. Those promoting that all with HIV are put on treatment are willing to trade in the health of the kidneys, bones and other body parts of those with HIV who do not need treatment in exchange for a hypothetical prevention of some new infections. Those of us with HIV are valued less; our health is secondary. This could not be more wrong.

New Yorker, , 2010-02-25 14:48:52
So they're going to put people on ARVs whether they need them or not? What about the harm to the individual patient or are the rights of the individual just something Americans worry about?