Anyone infected with HIV should begin antiretroviral treatment soon after diagnosis, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in new guidelines that could help avert more than 21 million deaths and 28 million new infections by 2030.
With its “treat-all” recommendation, WHO removes all limitations on eligibility for antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people living with HIV.
According to the WHO, the expanded use of ART is supported by recent findings from clinical trials confirming that its early use keeps HIV-infected people alive, healthier and reduces the risk of transmitting the virus to partners.
“All populations and age groups are now eligible for treatment,” the Geneva-based agency said in a press release issued by the UN Information Center in Tehran.
WHO is also recommending that people at “substantial” risk of HIV should be offered preventive antiretroviral treatment, building on previous guidelines to offer a combination of antiretroviral drugs.
The new guidelines stress that in order to effectively implement the recommendations, countries will need to ensure that testing and treatment for HIV infection are readily available and those undergoing treatment adhere to recommended regimens and are retained in care.
