The goal of ART (anti-retroviral treatment) is to lower a person’s HIV viral load to undetectable status.
This means that HIV does not do damage to the immune system, so opportunistic infections cannot take hold
This ALSO means that a person who is undetectable cannot transmit HIV to a sexual partner.
This is huge news and changes how we approach HIV infection. It is why early treatment is so important. And it means that HIV is a chronic condition, like diabetes.
It can be difficult to be in treatment – medications can be expensive and other life events can get in the way like homelessness, stigma, racism, ableism, and other systems of oppression. If you are in a situation that doesn’t allow you to be in treatment, please contact a local provider or go to our Legal Resources page to see if there’s a way to receive help.
For more information, visit the Prevention Access Campaign.
