Early treatment can stop HIV transmission

The NZ Aids Foundation says new trial results are exciting. Photo / Thinkstock

A groundbreaking trial showing drug treatment can stop the sexual transmission of HIV has been welcomed by the New Zealand AIDS Foundation.

The US National Institutes for Health (NIH) trial found antiretroviral treatment to be 96 per cent effective in reducing sexual transmission of HIV.

It was the first major clinical trial that showed that treating an HIV-infected person can reduce the risk of passing on the virus to an uninfected heterosexual partner.

NZ Aids Foundation executive director Shaun Robinson said the trial results were exciting.

Worldwide, more than 80 per cent of HIV cases are transmitted sexually but that figure was much higher in New Zealand, he said.

"We're excited by these results but realistic too. It's much better not to get HIV at all, and the most effective way to prevent HIV is to use condoms and lube when you're having sex. However, these results suggest that early HIV testing and treatment will strengthen our response to the HIV epidemic."

Gay and bisexual men - who account for more than 75 per cent of HIV diagnoses in New Zealand - were not included in the study.

Mr Robinson said despite its results, the best way to prevent the spread of HIV was still early testing and diagnosis.

The number of New Zealanders from the communities most at risk of HIV being tested was still low, he said.

"A considerable number of people don't get tested for HIV until their infection is very advanced so testing would have to become a much higher priority if there's to be any chance of this approach being effective here."

The nine-nation study included couples from Botswana, Brazil, India, Kenya, Malawi,South Africa, Thailand, Zimbabwe, as well as a few from the US.

Previous research has suggested that HIV patients who use the medications are less likely to spread infection. But this study is the first to rigorously test that.


In 28 couples, the uninfected person became infected by their partner. Only one of those infections occurred among the couples where the infected person was treated early, said the NIH's Dr Anthony Fauci.

The other 27 cases in which HIV spread involved couples that delayed drug treatment.

- with AP