HIV Treatment Can Keep You From Infecting Your Partner
If you have HIV but your viral load tests show the virus is undetectable, you cannot pass it on to other people. This fact is at the heart of the “U = U” information campaign , and this has been further confirmed in a new study.
“The question has been finally answered, there is no need for further research. We don’t often have to say that, ”co- writer Alison Roger told CNN .
The new study involved 782 couples in which both partners were men, one with HIV and the other without. HIV partners took antiretroviral drugs to keep the virus suppressed (undetectable or very low). In the study, which included almost 77,000 cases of anal sex without a condom, no one contracted HIV from their partner.
This builds on previous research, which was conducted primarily in heterosexual couples. Anal sex is more likely to transmit the virus than vaginal sex, so it was important to confirm that HIV treatment can still be considered effective prevention, even in same-sex couples.
There are some important caveats, and if you or your partner is infected with HIV, you should definitely talk with your doctor or someone at your sexual health clinic to make sure you are doing it right. For example, a person with HIV must make sure they are at an “undetectable” level for six months before relying on their status as a prevention tool. The HIV negative person should also use condoms or consider using PrEP if they have sex with anyone else; some of the study participants contracted HIV from people who were not their registered partners. HIV medications can also be expensive, even with insurance. Poz has a guide to help programs that can help pay for your drugs.
The bottom line is that “undetectable equals non-transferable” is a scientific consensus and an important reason for testing and treating if the test is positive. You can read more about the science and best practices of the Prevention Access Campaign .
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