Glossary

CD4 cells are white blood cells in your immune system. CD4 cells signal to CD8 cells to destroy a virus. CD4 cells are also used by HIV as factories to reproduce in.

HPV (human papillomavirus) – a family of viruses associated with cervical cancer and anal cancer and genital warts.

European Medicines Agency (EMA) – the EMA is the part of the European Union that is responsible for approving and regulating human and animal medicines and medical products.

See: www.ema.europa.eu/en

selective pressure – this is when a factor in the environment causes one type of organism to develop and grow in preference to another. With HIV drug resistance, the presence of a drug exerts selective pressure for resistance to develop. It is based on evolution and the concept of ‘survival of the fittest’ theory developed by Charles Darwin.

antiretrovirals – the common name for any HIV drugs. HIV is a retrovirus, so drugs to fight HIV are called antiretrovirals. Also abbreviated to ARVs.