New Recommendations on Treatment and Prevention in Persons with HIV

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and five non-governmental CDC partner organizations,* published a new guideline, Recommendations for HIV Prevention with Adults and Adolescents with HIV in the United States, 2014. This document is a comprehensive resource that brings together advances in biomedical, behavioral, and structural interventions that can greatly improve the health of persons with HIV and reduce the risk of HIV transmission. The recommendations present a holistic approach that looks at myriad factors, including linkage to and retention in care, use and adherence to antiretroviral treatment, screening for mental health and substance use issues, STD treatment and prevention, and reproductive health, among others, all within the framework of social, ethical, and legal issues.

The National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States has made HIV prevention a priority, and these updated recommendations bring together scientific evidence, program experience, and expert opinion to help move this strategy forward. The recommendations are for three main audiences: 1) clinical providers working with patients with HIV, such as physicians and advanced practice nurses; 2) nonclinical providers, including HIV counselors, social workers, and case managers; and 3) staff of health departments and HIV planning groups that provide population-level services; all focused on optimizing health outcomes for people with HIV. Three summary publications provide a subset of the recommendations directed to each of these audiences. An online Resource Library is also available with additional fact sheets, tools, training aids, and other background materials.

I encourage you to review these recommendations and the related materials. Comprehensive HIV care and prevention is a win-win situation for all of us. It helps those with HIV live longer, healthier lives and greatly reduces transmission of the virus. People with HIV and this nation deserve no less.

*The American Academy of HIV Medicine, The Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, The International Association of Providers of AIDS Care, The National Minority AIDS Council, The Urban Coalition for HIV/AIDS Prevention Services