HIV Treatment |
New data adds to a growing body of evidence that as well as saving lives, treating HIV can also help prevent HIV transmission, making the scale-up of treatment all the more urgent. In May 2011, a study called HPTN 052 supported by the US National Institutes of Health found a 96% reduction in transmission when HIV-positive persons in a relationship with an HIV-negative person were started early on antiretroviral therapy compared to people whose treatment was deferred.9 Early treatment also significantly reduced the development of tuberculosis, which remains the number one killer of people living with HIV/AIDS. Download this publication |
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Now is a critical time to ensure widest possible access to ART: a landmark scientific breakthrough in 2011 showed that treatment with antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) not only saves lives, but can also stop HIV from being transmitted by up to 96%.4 In response to this evidence, in 2012 the World Health Organization (WHO) issued guidance supporting immediate treatment – regardless of a person’s immune system’s status or CD4 count – for HIV-positive people who have HIV-negative partners, in order to help prevent transmission of the virus.5 At the same time, guidance was also issued suggesting the possibility of offering full antiretroviral therapy for life to all pregnant women living with HIV for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the virus (PMTCT). Download this publication |
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The purpose of the Discussion Paper is to facilitate the UNDP consultation on enforcement of intellectual property rights, in particular anti-counterfeit measures and access to HIV treatment and other essential medicines in sub-Saharan Africa. The Discussion Paper summarizes the developments in intellectual property rights enforcement in the world and in the region. It elaborates on the public health impact of anti-counterfeit laws and discusses whether they are an adequate solution to the legitimate concerns about the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines. Download this publication |
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At the end of 2011, more than 8 million people were receiving antiretroviral therapy in low- and middle-income countries,a dramatic 26-fold increase from December 2003. Although it can be minimized, some degree of HIV drug resistance is anticipated to emerge among people on treatment even when appropriate antiretroviral therapy is provided and high levels of adherence are achieved. Therefore, WHO initiated global surveillance of HIV drug resistance in 2004 in order to adequately monitor the emergence of HIV drug resistance as countries scaled up access to antiretroviral therapy. Download this publication |
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The aim of this update is to provide information and guidance to countries on how best to use tenofovir (TDF) for the treatment of children with HIV. It is intended to complement the World Health Organization (WHO) normative guidelines on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and also support the goal of increasing access to simpler paediatric antiretroviral (ARV) formulations, in line with Treatment 2.0. Download this publication |
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This document is a discussion paper, prepared for the 2012 InternationalAIDS Conference in Washington DC, United States of America. It highlights key issues that confront the global community, policy-makers and national programme planners as they seek to make optimal use of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) as part of the broader response to HIV. It also discusses how ARVs could contribute to eventually ending the HIV epidemic. The paper does not in itself constitute a World Health Organization (WHO) guidance document, even though it summarizes existing WHO guidelines related to ARV use, highlights progress in the Treatment 2.0 initiative, and summarizes the next steps in WHO’s normative work related to ARV use. Download this publication |
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In 2010, an estimated 34 million people were living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), around 70% of them in sub-Saharan Africa. By the end of 2010, 6.6 million people, or 47% of those in need (CD4+ cell count <350 cells/mm3), were on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and an estimated 7.5 million people were still in need of treatment. While considerable progress has been made in extending ART coverage, there continue to be critical gaps. In the same year, coverage for children was reported to be less than 23%, there were 2.7 million new infections and more than 20 million people were not yet treatment-eligible (as most of them did not know their HIV status). There were an estimated 1.1 million new cases of HIV-associated tuberculosis (TB), which led to 24% of HIV-related deaths. HIV is the strongest risk factor for developing TB, and people living with HIV have a 20–37 times higher risk of developing TB than those who do not. ART has a significant secondary prevention benefit for both HIV and TB, and expanded access to ART has probably averted millions of HIV infections and cases of TB. |
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Recent developments suggest that substantial clinical and programmatic advantages can come from adopting a single, universal regimen both to treat HIV-infected pregnant women and to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. This streamlining should maximize PMTCT programme performance through better alignment and linkages with antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes at every level of service delivery. One of WHO’s two currently recommended PMTCT antiretroviral (ARV) programme options, Option B, takes this unified approach.
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Over the past ten years, an increasing number of countries are initiating, negotiating and agreeing new trade agreements between two countries or amongst a group of countries. These are commonly known as free trade agreements or “FTAs”1, and they are promoted as providing significant economic benefits to signatory countries through the removal or reduction of barriers to trade in goods and services. Download this publication |
