An ‘elite controller’ is a person whose body is naturally able to suppress HIV for a long time without any treatment. Researchers are not quite sure how an elite controller’s body does this. If they could understand the phenomenon, they believe that would be able to help other people living with HIV to suppress the virus for a longer period without treatment.
There are very few elite controllers, so it is not advisable to stop taking your antiretroviral drugs without specialist support and advice from your HIV consultant.