Thirty five years ago the letters “HIV” struck fear and hopelessness in the hearts and minds of people. Today, fear has been replaced with facts and hopelessness with optimism. In the 21st century a person diagnosed with HIV can live a normal life expectancy and pursue personal dreams and aspirations with regular medical care and daily medications.
Treatment has come a very long way. Today’s medications are potent and very well tolerated with as little as a single pill once a day. With all of these advancements, the medical and scientific community is not satisfied with successful treatment, they are striving to find the cure! So if you are a person living with HIV, get in care and stay in care. A well known advocate said it best: “Stick around for the cure.”
According to the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC), people who are HIV positive who start and continue treatment are 96 percent less likely to transmit HIV to others. Treatment, especially for those starting antiretroviral drugs right after diagnosis, helps people with HIV live longer and healthier lives, and it prevents the spread of HIV. Yet, only 1 in 4 of the 1.1 million Americans living with HIV have an undetectable viral load. This means the virus is at a level that provides maximum health benefits and reduces the risk of transmitting the virus to others.
“Today, not only can HIV treatment save lives, it can help stop a national epidemic in its tracks,” said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention. “Our goal is to help everyone with HIV know the tremendous health benefits treatment offers to them and the protection it provides to their partners.”
HIV Treatment Works, a communication campaign focused exclusively on encouraging treatment and care for people living with HIV, was launched by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in an effort to get more Americans living with HIV to stay in care and take treatment.
The HIV Treatment Works campaign encourages people living with HIV to Get in Care , Stay in Care and Live Well .
Check out Angie’s story.
