CHECK Berlin #4

ENGLISH
HIV
LIVE POSITIVELY
Thanks to modern drugs, people
with HIV are no longer infectious
Photo: private
Holger Rovini, doctor and
medical director at ViiV
Healthcare Germany
Around 88,000 people currently live with HIV in Germany. Nowadays, thanks to
modern drugs, they lead a normal life. If the therapy is successful, their viral load is
below the detectable limit, then they are no longer at risk of passing on the disease--
undetectable means untransmittable. Even so, people with HIV are often limited to
their diagnosis, stigmatized and discriminated against.
Mr. Rovini, are people with HIV really no longer
infectious these days?
Indeed, with successful therapy, people with
HIV are no longer infectious. The primary aim
of treatment is to permanently lower the viral
load below the detection limit. The viral load
is the amount of virus in the blood. With modern
drugs you can lower it to a point that the
viruses can no longer be detected in a blood
test and therefore no longer be transmitted
to others. This was first postulated in 2008
with the so-called „Swiss Statement“ and has
been shown in several large studies since
2011. It was later also reflected in the EACS
(European AIDS Clinical Society) guidelines
and elsewhere: The principle U=U (undetectable
= untransmittable). This means that
HIV-positive people could have unprotected
sex even without the risk of transmission.
Does HIV then still play a role in the life of an
HIV positive person?
Even if an HIV diagnosis can be an emotional
experience, it only accounts for a small part
of a person‘s everyday life in the long term.
Life expectancy in Western Europe for those
with HIV is close to that of people without
HIV. Of course, the medication must be taken
consistently and there are regular check-ups
with the doctor. The aim is for HIV to become
as small a part of life as possible. We would
like to offer the optimal therapy for every HIVpositive
person.
So there are various HIV therapies?
Everyone has different needs and many
different drugs are available these days. If HIV
therapy is individually adapted to these needs,
it can have a decisive influence on the longterm
quality of life for people with HIV.
Why are HIV-positive people still discriminated
against when they can live well with HIV
and are no longer infectious?
Unfortunately, HIV is still a taboo subject. As
a result, there is little coverage of it in the
media, so that the success story of modern
HIV therapy is only slowly spreading. In the
meantime, it is no longer the virus itself that
people suffer from, but above all the prejudice
and discrimination that are brought against
them based on the diagnosis. Today‘s life with
HIV is very different from what most people
think. Our current campaign #HIVersity aims
to show just that. The different lives and needs
of people with HIV are incredibly diverse - so
they are much more than just HIV positive. At
the same time, #HIVersity also alludes to the
diverse treatment options. For people living
with HIV, in order to maintain their quality of
life, it makes sense to regularly check with
their doctor to see whether their therapy is
still optimally suited to their circumstances.
Further information at
www.livlife.de
82 CHECK | AUSGABE 4