HIV treatment
Is there a cure for HIV?There is no cure for HIV. Someone who is HIV positive will stay that way for the rest of their life, or until a cure is found.
Medical researchers and doctors are trying to develop a cure and a vaccine, but they are not expected to produce either in the near future.
How is HIV treated?
Even though there is no cure yet, HIV can be treated very effectively with a combination of antiviral medications. These help to stop HIV infecting new cells in the body. So people who manage their HIV well can expect to live long and healthy lives.
If someone living with HIV does not get the treatment they need, or they do not take their medication as prescribed, HIV can eventually make their immune system so weak that they are no longer able to fight off other infections. However, if they are diagnosed promptly after they have been infected with HIV and they then stick carefully to their treatment programme, their life expectancy can be just the same as it was before they had HIV.
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