Australia: Confusion Reigns Over HIV Drugs

Australia's National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS is launching a new campaign to address late diagnosis and treatment. About 30 percent of those who know they have HIV go untreated, say experts and advocates with NAPWA's "Start the Conversation Today" campaign. New Australian residents lacking the nation's Medicare card are especially likely to forego treatment.

"We've got a range of analysis and reports that show people have had past negative experiences with older treatments, and that's still influencing many personal attitudes and decisions to seek treatment," said Jo Watson, NAPWA's executive director. "We are trying to get the community curious again about the situation for HIV treatments and encourage those with HIV to start conversations with their doctors if they're unaware of treatment advances."

NAPWA endorses the movement toward early treatment for all people with HIV. Current Australian guidelines suggest the initiation of treatment for patients with CD4 cell counts of less than 500, but these are being reviewed.

"The problem is that you can't start treatment, then stop," said Don Smith, head researcher at the Albion Street Center, a community center that assists people affected by HIV. "You have to continue for the rest of your life, so that puts people off, as well as the fact that a lot of people don't feel sick in the early stages."

Large studies have shown that an early start on antiretroviral therapy cuts illness and death rates, Smith said. "One large clinical trial found a 96 percent reduction in transmission rates for those on treatment," he added.

For more information, visit http://napwa.org.au/2012/04/20/napwas-new-hiv-treatments-campaign-whats-it-about.

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