The HIV Prevention Trials Network recently released results from a randomized, multi-site, international clinical trial that shows immediate ARV drug therapy to be crucial in preventing transmission of HIV to HIV-negative partners of those with the virus. The trial compared transmission outcomes of HIV-positive study participants who were given ARV treatment immediately with those who began an ARV protocol after their white blood cells fell below a specified level. Early use of ARV treatment was shown by the study to reduce transmission to non-infected partners by 96%. This is an important breakthrough linking HIV treatment and prevention, and another reason governments, NGOs, and individuals must push for better access to ARVs in rural and underdeveloped regions of the world.
