Question
How many one-a day HIV meds could I miss in a week?
25 September 2026. Related: Adherence, All topics.
Hi there, I am on a once-daily combination that means I only have to take one pill a day.
Sometimes I am late or forget my meds and I wanted to know how safe this is and how many times a week can I miss my meds.
Answer
Hi there
Thanks – this is a good question.
Everyone will miss or be late with their meds sometimes. Hopefully this will not be very often, and in these cases the odd missed dose will be okay.
Modern HIV meds are also good enough to cover missed doses because they stay in your body for more than 24 hours.
As a general rule, if your viral load is undetectable, then missing one dose a week is unlikely to cause any problems.
Several studies showed that missing two doses a week might also be okay in adults. However, a recent study reported that children or adolescents who missed two doses a week (not taking meds at the weekend) had a higher risk of viral load increasing.
Other studies in adults reported that only taking meds on four days a week was not as good as taking meds every day. See here and here. No doctors or guidelines currently recommend this as safe or a good idea.
The answer will also depend on your own HIV and treatment history.
For example, if you have always had an undetectable viral load on treatment, you probably have more flexibility than someone whose viral load has not always been undetectable and who has a history of drug resistance.
It might also depend on which drugs are in your combination as some might be more protective than others.
Comment