Question
When will there be a cure for HIV?
18 September 2014. Related: All topics, Cure, Living with HIV long-term.
Hello,
Thanks for your answer to my previous question.
I have managed to convince my girlfriend who tested HIV positive not to commit suicide. I told her to take medications for the next few years.
I told her that i was convinced that there would be a cure in the next few years. Are my hopes justified?
In your opinion how long do you think it would take to find a cure if any?
What websites give such information?
Answer
Learning that you have HIV can be tough. But while coming to term with this it should help to know that current treatment means that most people can lead long, normal, lives.
We can do the same things we did in life before we had HIV. This includes sport, work, getting married and having children. Some people even say that finding out they were HIV positive meant that they valued life more than they did before.
Some people make changes in their lives for the better, in ways they might not have done otherwise. Life may be slightly more complicated with HIV, but access to good treatment allows all these things.
When someone is first diagnosed they may not have information, or they may not believe it. This is why access to accurate information is so important.
As for a cure, I’m sure it will come. In the last five years there has been a dramatic increase in this research. Scientists are making great progress in working on all the sections of this very complex problem.
Science has a way of solving most problems. If not now, then it will happen in the future. But putting a timeline on when is tough. Many of the leading scientists are cautious on this. Many suggest at least ten years is reasonable but an unexpected breakthough could change this.
One part of the challenge for HIV is that the virus becomes part of the genetic material (DNA) of immune cells. Some of these cells, once infected, rest or sleep for many years. Currently HIV drugs only work in cells that are active or awake, but research is looking at ways of targeting those sleeping cells.
This article describes new approaches to cure research:
https://i-base.info/guides/art-in-pictures/the-hiv-cure-puzzle
Even if a cure is a long way off it is not something that I worry about. It will come, and treatment will keep me healthy and alive until then. Following research is a good was to keep informed – both for newer treatments and for research into vaccines and ‘a cure’.
Most HIV organisations have newsletters that report on research from medical conferences. If you email me with which country you live in I can suggest something that may be useful.
Note: The answer was updated in September 2014 from a question asked in August 2007.
i am scared of being hiv positive i have had unsafe sex with two prostitutes 4 years back.after that iv have been sick few times but always recovered with very few or no medicines .do u think i might have hiv.
Hi Meg,
Many HIV positive men and women have negative children. There are various precautions which need to be taken, these change depending on whether the man, woman, or both partners are positive. Because you have not provided this information I can’t give you a more detailed answer here. Our guide to HIV, pregnancy and women’s health does answers questions on this topic.
I am HIV positive can I have a child without them being infected?
Hello,
Thank-you for your question. Having an undetectable viral load greatly reduces the chance of passing HIV to sexual partners. Studies have shown that having an undetectable viral load reduces the possibility of passing HIV through vaginal sex by 92-96%. This does not mean that transmission is not possible with an undetectable viral load, but it does mean it is much less likely. Unfortunately, however, there is no data on the reduced risk through anal sex (straight or gay). This page describes the findings from these studies in more detail.
I’m HIV positive found out early stage so I haven’t changed. I’m the same guy shape health but with 4 pills a day. I have an undetectable virus load, if I do unsafe sex how much is the chance not to give my HIV to the others?
Hello,
Your CD4 count and viral load results are very good and your doctor is correct that it may be many years before you need to start medication. To get an idea of how long most people take before they need to start medication please follow this link
For a more detailed explanation about life expectancy please follow this link to previous question.
India is indeed the main country producing generic HIV medicines.
Hi,
My most recent blood results were CD4 count 730 and plasma viral load 103 four months after infection. Doctors tell me that I have many years left before I should start HIV meds is this true? Also wish to know in your view how long can a person live with HIV infection if he know’s about it early?
Do you have any idea what percentage of people live full life spans, as reading papers they say people live now normal lives.
I dont drink nor do I smoke. I am from India and I believe India is one of the best HIV medication producers, is this true?
Hi people I am also HIV positive since 2010 and no matter what their tell you, the medication is really something that works. Thankfully here in South Africa things are not as bad as other parts of Africa. I honestly think we must start a global pressure group for a cure. So forming an international pressure group that advocates for a cure will make funding more available and maybe change current policies. Did you know if they found a cure now it would only be available in 5 to 10 years time due to current policy?
There are definitely ways that HIV positive men can have babies without infecting the mother or child and which are inexpensive. Many couples have had children this way. For more information please follow this link. Your friend should also read the Swiss statement as well.
My best friend has been diagnosed with this virus and since then I have really read up on HIV literature, stories and newpaper columns. I did have one question that I have not really read about. Is there ANY way a male carrying this virus have children without infecting the mother or child? Any costly procedures or meds?