Question
I want to move to the UK, can I still get ARVs?
4 October 2020. Related: Access to treatment, All topics.
I want to move to the UK for work (I’m from India) will I be able to access ARVs? I hear they are free, is this true?
Answer
Thanks for getting in touch.
What you’ve heard is right, ARVs are free for anyone who lives in the UK and this includes people who aren’t from the UK.
To access ARVs you’ll need to register with a sexual health clinic. This clinic with then advise you about what it is that you need to do.
There are a lot of clinics in London as well as across the UK. The following link has more information:
https://i-base.info/find-or-change-clinic/
Hi Vinod, good to hear you are doing well on meds and have exciting plans. HIV meds are free in the UK and they will be the same as meds in India. Lots of meds in the UK are actually generics that are made in India. Good luck with your plans.
I’m on ARVs in India for 1 years, I’m undetectable… I want to move permanently in UK and continue treatment there.
Does changing ARVs from India to UK ARVs cause any mutation to the virus and is there any risk?
Are ARVs from India and UK the same? Or how different are they?
Hi Ravi,
Everyone who registers as a new patient in the UK will start with an HIV test and a new CD4 count and viral load. This is good practice.
When you come over the best thing to do is to bring a summary of your medical history. This should include your CD4, viral load and treatment history, with approximate dates. Please include resistance test results if appropriate.
It is also good to bring current meds to cover you until your are registered with a clinic here. If possible, this should be to cover you for a couple of months.
HIV treatment and monitoring in the UK is free so long as you are an out-patient and are not hospitalised.
There are a lot of clinics in London as well as the UK. The following link has more information:
https://i-base.info/find-or-change-clinic/
Thank you so much Lisa. Just wanted to check there won’t be a HIV test again I believe. And do we need to take insurance if I move to UK.
Can you pls provide the clinics those are working with positive people.
Hi Rodrigo,
As the post notes, ARVs are free for anyone who lives in the UK, and yes this includes people who aren’t from here. If you do move to London there are a lot of clinics that work with positive people. All you’ll need to do is contact one of them and they’ll explain the process.
My name and Rodrigo I’m Brazilian I got HIV I already have treatment in Brazil but I want to live in the United Kingdom. I’d like to move to London, can I get medication?