VIDEO: New HIV guidelines review antiretroviral drugs for treatment, prevention
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The International Antiviral Society–USA Panel recently published new recommendations for managing HIV, including when to start therapy and which treatment regimens to use.
In this video, Rajesh Gandhi, MD, director of HIV clinical services and education at Massachusetts General Hospital and chair of the International Antiviral Society-USA Panel, discusses key takeaways from the guidance, including the importance of starting patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) immediately, even on the day of their diagnosis.
“If someone is positive, talk to them [and] assess if they’re ready to start treatment, he said. “Start regardless of CD4 count because there’s really no benefit and there’s potential harm in waiting to treat HIV.”
Gandhi said the guidelines review which specific ART regimens should be used, and include an “extra level of safety data” on which medications are safe to use in pregnant women and women who are trying to conceive.
They also highlight options for pre-exposure prophylaxis, which Gandhi said is “underutilized” and “should be discussed with all sexually active adolescents and adults and anyone who injects nonprescription drugs.”
Additionally, the guidelines address the need for ART drugs with fewer adverse events, including weight gain; managing patients with substance use disorder in the context of HIV; new challenges of mpox and COVID-19 in people with HIV; and more.