While experts are at loggerheads over the recent statement that HIV-positive heterosexual individuals who have undetectable viral load and no other sexually transmitted infections, should not be considered at risk of transmitting HIV to others, there was a striking degree of unanimity among a range of experts at the XVII International AIDS Conference that expanding the number of people on antiretroviral treatment will reduce the number of new infections at a population level.

“We’re in a desperate race against time for prevention that works,” said former UNAIDS Ambassador Stephen Lewis, citing disappointing results from recent vaccine and microbicide trials, together with the long lead-time needed for structural and behavioural prevention interventions to translate into reductions in HIV prevalence at the population level, as indicators of the need for new thinking. More >>