That definitive conclusion has energized a major HIV/AIDS conference this week
It may not be breaking news, but it’s big news nonetheless in the realm of HIV/AIDS: People living with undetectable viral loads in the body have zero risk of transmitting HIV to their sexual partners, according to a new World Health Organization brief published just before the opening of the 12th IAS Conference on HIV Science. To some, this is the most important development coming out of the event, Devex Senior Reporter Jenny Lei Ravelo writes from Brisbane, Australia, where the conference is being held.
While this isn’t a major revelation to many experts, it still marked a celebratory moment at the conference, which is hosted by the International AIDS Society and runs until Wednesday. Many are hopeful that the WHO announcement will dispel lingering doubts about sexual transmission and encourage more people to get on and stay on treatment — while no longer fearing intimacy or having children.