What do you do while you wait for an HIV cure?
No one knows exactly when a cure for HIV will be found. But thousands of scientists and doctors around the world are working hard to find a solution.
The chances of a breakthrough are increasing. Perhaps it will happen within five to ten years, perhaps it will take a little longer. What we do know is that a cure is possible. A few people have already been cured of HIV and there are people who have kept the virus under control for a long time without HIV medication.
Since HIV was discovered, progress has been made in treatments. Every step brings us closer to a real cure.
On this page, there is also a video in which people living with HIV talk about their hopes and expectations for the future.
Since the discovery of HIV, a lot of hard work has gone into developing various treatments.
Before 1996:
There was no anti-HIV medication. HIV led to AIDS, a deadly disease.
Starting in 1996:
Hiv medication gave people hope. People with HIV could live longer and healthier lives, and the pills kept improving.
Starting in 2020:
Long-acting injections, or ‘injectables’, came onto the market. These injections mean you no longer needed to take a pill every day. This development can make living with HIV less stressful.
Side effects
HIV medicines have fewer side effects than before, but some people still experience them.