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'Treatment as prevention’ is an HIV prevention approach increasingly used among serodiscordant couples (where one partner is HIV-positive and one is HIV-negative). An HIV-positive person takes antiretroviral treatment to decrease their viral load and reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to their partner.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis, where a person takes a type of antiretroviral treatment to reduce their risk of becoming infected with HIV, is another use of treatment that has the possibility to benefit high-risk groups. Post-exposure prophylaxis is a short-course antiretroviral treatment regimen that people who have been exposed to HIV can take to reduce the risk of becoming infected. Also known as PEP, this HIV prevention method must be used within 72 hours of exposure to the virus.
Using HIV treatment as an HIV prevention method has gained momentum in recent years. From here you can access information about using HIV treatment as prevention and the research behind this approach, including: the Swiss statement, the HPTN 052 and iPrEx trials.