What is in the future for HIV-infected individuals and for those at risk to contract HIV?

What is in the future for HIV-infected individuals and for those at risk to contract HIV?

Trends continue toward simplifying drug regimens to improve adherence and decrease side effects. In addition, the availability of multiple new drugs in new classes have made it possible to suppress viral load to undetectable levels even in the most treatment-experienced patients. With such great success in treatment, it has been disappointing that there has been much less progress in research related to prevention and establishing a cure. Research is attempting to find ways to enhance the body's natural defenses against HIV in order to control viral growth on and off therapy. Similarly, innovative studies are under way to purge or eliminate the HIV from the body. Although all of this research is exciting, it has been met with little success and for at least the near future, patients will need to remain on antiviral therapy.

The good news is that the development of antiviral therapy has led to marked declines in AIDS-related deaths in many parts of the world. The majority of infected individuals, however, do not have access to the expensive antiviral medications. Accordingly, the best hope for limiting the current epidemic of HIV around the world remains an effective vaccine. Unfortunately, despite increasing research in this area, the development of a vaccine continues to lag far behind the progress that has been made in antiviral therapy.