Planned Parenthood

When someone is on HIV treatment, it means they’re taking medicines to help them stay healthy. Treatment for people with HIV is called antiretroviral therapy, or ART for short. (An antiretroviral is a medicine that fights viruses.)

Since the 1990s, ARTs have been used to support the health and well being of people living with HIV. When people take ARTs on schedule, it lowers the chances of passing on HIV to sexual partners. Some people on ARTs can’t transmit HIV to their partner at all, if certain lab tests can’t find HIV consistently and a doctor says the HIV is undetectable. Today, most people living with HIV who use ARTs live long and healthy lives.

But it’s not just about ARTs. Getting comprehensive HIV care also means having regular check-ups with a nurse or doctor. These visits include drawing blood for lab work, monitoring your vitals, checking how well the ARTs are working, and screening for other STDs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.

If someone you might have sex with or are already having sex with has HIV, talk with them about their treatment and health status. You can also talk with them about how likely their doctor or nurse says it is for them to pass on HIV, and what you can do to stay negative. This includes things like using condoms and taking PrEP — a daily pill that can help prevent HIV.

-Philip at Planned Parenthood