Can I stop ART?

Once you are taking ART it is best to keep taking it.

Stopping ART will cause your viral load to increase.

Within a few weeks it is likely to be detectable again and can even be back to pre-ART levels. Staying off ART will then start to reduce your CD4 count.

• Each time you stop there is a small risk of drug resistance.
• Each time you stop it can take longer to become undetectable again.

If you decide to stop

If you do want to stop ART, please speak to your doctor first.

They can give you advice on how to do this safely, They can also monitor your CD4 count and viral load  more closely.

Stopping ART as part of a research study

Some research studies include having to stop ART for a short time.

In cure-related studies this break is called an analytic treatment interruption (ATI).

These studies usually involve very close monitoring, for example, having CD4 and viral load tests every week.

Last updated: 1 November 2024.