HIV is an uncommon type of virus called a retrovirus, and drugs developed to disrupt the action of HIV are known as antiretroviral drugs (ARV). They come in a variety of formulations designed to act on different stages of the life-cycle of HIV.
The AIDS virus mutates rapidly, which makes it extremely skilful at developing resistance to drugs. To minimize this risk, people with HIV are generally treated with a combination of ARV drugs that attack the virus on several fronts at once.
The introduction of ARV drugs in 1996 transformed the treatment of HIV and AIDS, improving the quality and greatly prolonging the lives of many infected people in places where the drugs are available. Nevertheless, ARV drugs are not a cure. If treatment is discontinued the virus becomes active again, so a person on ARV drugs must take them for life.
Although the price of ARV drugs has fallen significantly in recent years, the cost remains an obstacle to access in the developing world. Moreover, the health infrastructure required to deliver antiretroviral therapy is lacking in many places.
Access to drugs depends not only on financial and human resources. It depends also on people who need them being aware of their HIV status, knowledgeable about treatment, and empowered to seek it.
Thus public information and education are important elements in widening access, alongside efforts to build or strengthen the health services. The campaign for universal access to life saving drugs for HIV and AIDS, started originally by grassroots AIDS activists, is today a major focus of attention of UN agencies and others influential organizations at national and global levels.
The AIDS virus mutates rapidly, which makes it extremely skilful at developing resistance to drugs. To minimize this risk, people with HIV are generally treated with a combination of ARV drugs that attack the virus on several fronts at once.
The introduction of ARV drugs in 1996 transformed the treatment of HIV and AIDS, improving the quality and greatly prolonging the lives of many infected people in places where the drugs are available. Nevertheless, ARV drugs are not a cure. If treatment is discontinued the virus becomes active again, so a person on ARV drugs must take them for life.
Although the price of ARV drugs has fallen significantly in recent years, the cost remains an obstacle to access in the developing world. Moreover, the health infrastructure required to deliver antiretroviral therapy is lacking in many places.
Access to drugs depends not only on financial and human resources. It depends also on people who need them being aware of their HIV status, knowledgeable about treatment, and empowered to seek it.
Thus public information and education are important elements in widening access, alongside efforts to build or strengthen the health services. The campaign for universal access to life saving drugs for HIV and AIDS, started originally by grassroots AIDS activists, is today a major focus of attention of UN agencies and others influential organizations at national and global levels.
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