back to top Treatment Access
Since the turn of the century the international HIV/AIDS community have scaled up their commitment to universal access to HIV treatment. Compared to a decade ago, when less than half a million people living in low- and middle-income countries were receiving treatment, HIV treatment access has improved dramatically; today it is estimated that 8 million people, living in low- and middle-income countries with HIV, in need of treatment are receiving it.
Yet despite this progress, a little under half of people who need treatment are still not receiving it. Cost is a large barrier to universal access. Various trade laws prevent the replication of drugs made by larger pharmaceutical companies, severely limiting the availability of effective treatment. However, some trade laws allow the creation of ‘generic’ drugs that can make HIV drugs far more accessible around the world. Other barriers to achieving universal access to treatment include a lack of trained staff, infrastructure and resources to ensure a reliable supply chain of antiretroviral drugs.
Some of the key strategies and targets that have moved the world closer to achieving universal access to HIV treatment are covered in ‘Treatment Access Topics’; including information about why pharmaceutical companies charge high prices for antiretroviral drugs and which countries have led a revolution against global barriers to HIV treatment.