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HIV treatments have come a long way.

HIV Treatments
have come
a
long way

Model portrayal

Thanks to science, today’s HIV treatments can be simple to
take and effective

When compared to those first used to treat HIV, today’s treatments have come a long way. The effectiveness of today’s treatments and a better understanding of HIV have made it so that people with HIV who start and stay on treatment can live longer and healthier lives.

There are a lot of treatment options out there that can help get and keep your viral load undetectable, which means that there is so little virus in the blood that a lab test can’t measure it. Some treatments can even be started right away, including right after diagnosis.

Learn more about
starting treatment
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In 2022, approximately 54% of people with diagnosed HIV in the US were aged 50 and up

When do i start treatment?

You can start treatment as soon as your healthcare provider (HCP) recommends it. Some treatments can even be started the same day that you are diagnosed. You may hear this called rapid start.

Find an HCP near me

Some things to ask when discussing treatments with your healthcare provider

When you talk with your healthcare provider about what treatments might be best for you, here are some questions
you might want to ask:

I want to know how this HIV treatment can
work with my life.

  • Can this HIV treatment help keep my viral load undetectable?
  • What does the dosing for HIV treatment look like,
    and how can I stay on track?
  • How does keeping up with treatment help me, my partner, and my community?
  • Are there other resources to help with treatment
    costs?
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Yellow cloud

I want to know about resistance and what part it
plays in my treatment.

  • What is resistance and how can it affect my
    treatment?
  • What is a barrier to resistance?
  • Do all treatments have the same barrier to
    resistance?
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Yellow cloud

I want to know if I can start HIV treatment as soon
as I am ready, maybe even the same day.

  • Can HIV treatment be started right away?
  • What are the benefits of starting treatment right
    away?
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Green cloud

I want to know how HIV treatment works in
someone like me.

  • Do HIV treatments work the same way in everyone?
  • What treatment options are effective and help
    lower viral load?
  • Were treatments studied in people like me?
  • In your experience, how have people like me done
    on treatment?

I want to know how HIV treatment impacts my body.

  • What kind of side effects can I expect from HIV treatment?
  • Can HIV treatment be taken along with other medications?
  • How can I expect HIV treatment to affect my body now and as I age?
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FEATURED VIDEO
Talking to Your Healthcare Provider

People featured are compensated by Gilead.

Talking to your healthcare provider

It’s important to be open and honest with your healthcare provider about all the things you look for in a treatment to help find the right one for you. They only have your best interests in mind and are looking to help support you along the way.

TALKING TO YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER

People featured are compensated by Gilead.

GREG: My first doctor was this quirky, older guy who called me when I was in the midst of not speaking to anyone. And he asked, you know, “are you ready for treatment?” And that was a question that I hadn’t dealt with because I didn’t know that treatment was a thing.

And that was weird for me to deal with because it was like, well, now I get to live? And ... um ... he kind of chuckled under his breath, and that was something that, in hindsight, I can see exactly why he did that.

HIV is a disease that you can live a long life with.

He started telling me from, you know, the start, let’s talk about different medications and how those will affect you. And here’s how to have a healthy life.

I walked into the doctor’s office very scared and sad. And I left ... like I was in charge of myself again.

FEATURED VIDEO
Considering Changing HIV Treatment?

People featured are compensated by Gilead.

Considering changing your HIV treatment?

Have you ever considered changing your HIV treatment? We asked some healthcare providers what they think about when talking about this topic with the people they treat.

Considering Changing your HIV Treatment?

People featured are compensated by Gilead.

Conversations about changing treatment are common.
We asked some healthcare providers what they think about when discussing this topic with the people they see.

DALLAS GREEN, PA: I can’t tell you the amount of times that I’ve had a new patient come to me, but no one’s taken the time to sit down, discuss with them, and say, “Hey, you know, I think you can update your HIV regimen here.”

HADRIAN HOLDER, MD: Switching medications can be a very challenging thing for a patient. It’s important to make sure the patient understands the switch recommendation. We’re trying to give people, you know, hopefully the knowledge to make the decision for themself and understand why you as their provider are trying to make the best decision for them.

DALLAS GREEN, PA: I always try to have a conversation over multiple visits. How do you feel about your regimen? I think there’s an opportunity here to improve your regimen. And hearing their concerns and answering their questions gives them the confidence that the decision we make in the end is going to be one that’s made between both of us.

DALLAS GREEN, PA: I use the analogy of a car. It will still get you from point A to B, but you might not have AC in the car, the seats might not be very comfortable, but it still works. Well, that might be the same as your regimen. Your regimen might still work, but we can improve that regimen. You can get some AC. You can have comfortable seats, get to A to B.

Finding the right
treatment for you