New WHO HIV Guidelines Call For Treatment For All, PrEP For Those At Risk Of Infection

News outlets continue to report on the WHO’s new guidelines on when to begin antiretroviral therapy for HIV patients and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for those at risk of infection.

New York Times: Millions More Need HIV Treatment, WHO Says
“…HIV patients should be put on an antiretroviral therapy of three drugs immediately after diagnosis, the agency said, and everyone at risk of becoming infected should be offered protective doses of similar drugs…” (McNeil, 9/30).

PBS NewsHour: WHO says everyone with HIV should be treated
“…The new guidelines are based on recent studies that indicate treating patients as soon as possible can have substantial positive health outcomes, including the prevention of death, with relatively few drawbacks…” (Frazee, 9/30).

ScienceInsider: Treat all HIV-infected people, says new WHO guideline
“…WHO dubbed the new recommendations an ‘early release guideline’ and plans to release more complete revisions in 2016. WHO began releasing HIV treatment guidelines in 2002, at which point ARVs were recommended only for people who had fewer than 200 CD4s…” (Cohen, 9/30).

U.N. News Centre: New U.N. treatment guidelines say all people with HIV should get antiretrovirals
“…The new guideline stresses that, in order to effectively implement the recommendations, countries will need to ensure that testing and treatment for HIV infection are readily available and that those undergoing treatment are supported to adhere to recommended regimens and are retained in care…” (9/30).

Wall Street Journal: World Health Organization Pushes Earlier Use of HIV Treatment
“…Deborah Birx, U.S. global AIDS coordinator, said in an interview that the WHO’s new guidelines ‘are the key to the ability to put a halt to the epidemic as we know it.’ For example, putting more adult men on treatment will help reduce infections in girls and young women, she said…” (McKay, 9/30).

Washington Post: Groundbreaking guidelines expand population on HIV drugs by millions. But who will pay?
“…The new recommendations raise many questions about how the drugs will be made more widely available, one of the most important of which may be who will pay for them…” (Cha, 9/30).

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