People with HIV live almost 20 years longer than in 2001

[Recursion]

Some good news, for once, from the global fight against HIV AIDS.

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/jul/14/people-with-hiv-aids-live-nearly-20-years-longer-than-in-2001

People living with the HIV virus today can expect to live nearly two decades longer than those who were diagnosed at the start of this century, thanks to cheaper and more readily available antiretroviral drugs, the UN said in a major report on a disease once seen by many as a death sentence to be endured in secrecy.

The average HIV-positive person is now expected to live for 55 years – 19 years longer than in 2001, according to the report by the UN’s Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAids).

A sharp drop in the price of antiretroviral drugs, which are used to combat the HIV virus, and vastly improved access to treatment are behind the progress, UNAids said. The world has met a UN target to give 15 million people access to antiretroviral drugs by 2015. Fewer than 700,000 people living with HIV had access to treatment in 2000, the report said.

“Reaching 15 million people with antiretroviral therapy is one of the greatest achievements in the history of global health, financing and development,” said Michel Sidibé, executive director of UNAids.

Sidibé goes on to outline UNAids's plan for the next five years, which he describes as a critical time window for preventing a resurgence in infection rates.

[herding cats]

1. I believe a large part of the reason is the decrease in the cost of the drugs.

From the article:

The cost of a year of antiretroviral treatment has tumbled from $14,000 (£8,990) in 2000 to less than $100 today, according to the study.

Which makes it affordable for people to actually receive treatment now.

The next step is going to be coming up with new drugs that treat the resistant strains, and keeping the newer medications affordable for everyone.

[Recursion]

2. As well as addressing prevention more

There have been strides on that, but it needs to continue to be a focus. You don't have to pay anything for drugs when someone doesn't get HIV in the first place.