HHS Releases Updated Guidelines for Treatment of HIV-Positive Adults, Adolescents

HHS yesterday released revised guidelines for the treatment of HIV infection in adults and adolescents, which will make it easier for people with HIV/AIDS and their doctors to choose an appropriate drug regimen from the growing number of antiretroviral medicines, according to an NIH release. Previous versions of the guidelines grouped commonly used antiretroviral drugs into columns and asked doctors to combine drugs from different columns; however, as the number of medications increased, using the column format became increasingly complex. The revised guidelines provide physicians with a list of suggested drug combinations for the initiation of antiretroviral therapy. The combinations are listed as "preferred" or "alternative" based on clinical trial results and expert opinions. "With 22 FDA-approved formulations of antiretroviral agents, selecting the right multi-drug combination can be a challenge for even experienced clinicians," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the NIH National Instititute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said, adding, "These revised guidelines help simplify the process by which caregivers and patients chart a course of therapy, whether they are receiving antiretroviral treatment for the first time or are treatment-experienced and contemplating a change in drug regimen." The updated "Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-Infected Adults and Adolescents" is available online at www.aidsinfo.nih.gov (NIH release, 7/14).

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