Drug-Resistant HIV Threatens Progress Toward Ending AIDS, WHO Report Says

Deutsche Welle: What’s changed since the last HIV meeting?
“…[A]s world HIV experts prepare to talk through the latest science in Paris at IAS 2017, … new statistics suggest those experts will have to fight the battle on an emerging front: HIV drug resistance…” (Abbany, 7/20).

Reuters: HIV drug resistance could undermine progress in AIDS battle: WHO
“…Already in six out of 11 countries surveyed in Africa, Asia, and Latin America for a WHO-led report, researchers found that more than 10 percent of HIV patients starting antiretroviral drugs had a strain resistant to the most widely used medicines…” (Kelland, 7/20).

TIME: Drug-Resistant HIV Is On the Rise
“…The countries that went above the 10 percent threshold are Argentina, Guatemala, Namibia, Nicaragua, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Researchers say the most rapid increase in resistant cases of HIV was observed in southern and eastern Africa. Currently the WHO recommends that countries that exceed that threshold review their treatment programs…” (Sifferlin, 7/20).

VOA News: Growing HIV Drug Resistance Posing Threat to Treatment
“…The World Health Organization is issuing new guidelines to help countries address HIV drug resistance. It recommends countries monitor the quality of their treatment programs and as soon as resistance is detected, people should be switched to a different drug treatment regimen. The U.N. agency warns increasing HIV drug resistance could lead to an additional 135,000 deaths and 105,000 new infections in the next five years if no action is taken. It projects the cost of HIV treatment could increase by $650 million during this time” (Schlein, 7/20).

The KFF Daily Global Health Policy Report summarized news and information on global health policy from hundreds of sources, from May 2009 through December 2020. All summaries are archived and available via search.

KFF Headquarters: 185 Berry St., Suite 2000, San Francisco, CA 94107 | Phone 650-854-9400
Washington Offices and Barbara Jordan Conference Center: 1330 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005 | Phone 202-347-5270

www.kff.org | Email Alerts: kff.org/email | facebook.com/KFF | twitter.com/kff

The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news, KFF is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California.