"Innovation has been driving progress in the HIV response for decades. The introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy in the 1990s meant living with HIV was no longer a death sentence. Treatment as prevention, including the data to support that an undetectable viral load means the virus is untransmittable (U=U), has radically reduced new diagnoses. Innovation in non-biomedical interventions, such as differentiated service delivery and social media campaigning, means more people than ever are accessing HIV information, testing and services."
"However, the discrimination faced by people affected by HIV continues to be a pernicious barrier in epidemic response. Taking daily medication is a reminder of HIV diagnosis, which can be demoralising and reinforce self-stigma. Collecting HIV medicine from a pharmacy can make somebody a visible target for judgement from their peers, particularly in communities where modern scientific understanding about HIV is low."
"This innovation offers people the choice of a daily pill or injections taken every few months or longer. The privacy and convenience this affords - especially to marginalised populations - is game-changing. The inherent benefits to adherence also mean more people can be retained in treatment and care. New treatment options mean there is more choice in how people approach their care, giving people living with HIV more agency and access than ever before."
Combination antiretroviral therapy transformed HIV from a fatal diagnosis to a manageable condition, while treatment-as-prevention and U=U have sharply reduced new infections. Non-biomedical innovations, including differentiated service delivery and social media campaigns, have improved access to information, testing, and services. Stigma and discrimination remain significant barriers, with daily medication and visible pharmacy pickups reinforcing self-stigma and community judgement. Newer biomedical options, such as long-acting injectables, increase privacy, convenience, adherence, and agency—especially for marginalised populations. Global targets aim to end HIV as a public health threat by 2030 through community-led programming, expanded prevention, equity-focused actions, and accessible new treatments.
Read at Advocate.com
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