What is ART and what are ARVs?

What are ARVs?

HIV is a retrovirus and it is treated by antiretrovirals (ARVs).

What is ART?

ART stands for ARV treatment. It is also called combination therapy or HIV treatment.

ART usually includes two or three active HIV drugs, sometimes in a single pill.

Sometimes ART includes a booster drug. This is where either ritonavir or cobicistat increases the levels on one of the other drugs.

Seeing people get better on combination therapy is without a doubt the most extraordinary thing I have ever seen. It made me become an activist.

— Polly, London.

Last updated: 1 June 2022.