A long-term study published by the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases has reached a conclusion: HIV+ cannot transmit the virus when carrying an undetectable viral load. The US agency joins 300 health agencies worldwide in supporting the finding.
The study, co-authored by Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the world’s foremost experts on HIV, looked at data from 77,000 instances of condomless sex between serodiscordant (that is, a couple where one has HIV and the other does not), male same-sex couples. The study found not one instance of HIV transmission among them.
Related: 5 reasons ‘HIV undetectable’ must now mean ‘uninfectious’
“In summary,” the study declares, “even though the clinical data underpinning the concept of U = U have been accumulating for well over a decade, it is only recently that an overwhelming body of evidence has emerged to provide the firm basis to now accept this concept as scientifically sound.”
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The report also notes several important caveats for the findings to hold true. Patients with HIV must adhere to their prescribed regimen of medication, and it can take up to six months once HIV is detected in the blood for viral levels to drop to undetectable levels. Furthermore, a patient with HIV needs to undergo viral load testing every 3-4 months to make sure their HIV level remains undetectable.
Twitter lit up at the announcement with various HIV charity and awareness accounts, as well as accounts maintained by activists, rejoicing at the news. We join them to share that sentiment.
#UequalsU means that people living with #HIV who achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load–the amount of HIV in the blood–by taking and adhering to antiretroviral therapy (ART) as prescribed cannot sexually transmit the virus to others. https://t.co/belYaqNOVf
— POZ Alaska (@PozAlaska) January 11, 2019
?Since August '16, the pioneers at @NIAIDNews @NIH have been invaluable allies to those of us in the #UequalsU movement. Again, they've come through on a monumental scale. Today, @JAMA_current released this article by Drs. Fauci, Dieffenbach, Eisinger https://t.co/3XYUBckfdQ pic.twitter.com/t2zvA4I9gC
— Bruce Richman (@BR999) January 10, 2019
NEWS: The science is clear: With #HIV, #undetectable equals #untransmittable. #NIAID experts discuss the scientific evidence & principles underlying #UEqualsU in @JAMA_current. https://t.co/HvjKtngv4A pic.twitter.com/RfA0tn0Ann
— NIAID News (@NIAIDNews) January 10, 2019
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Pete le meat
HIV was always exaggerated due to identity politics. People wanted to associate male homosexuality and the gay identity with death. It suited the agenda of the scientific community, the gay community, the liberal crowd and the conservative anti-homosexual crowd.
For different reasons, of course.
Creamsicle
The dangers 9f HIV were not exaggerated or blown out of proportion. Without modern antivirals HIV killed people. If people do not know their status and fail to treat the virus, it will still kill them now. HIV is a serious disease, not just a propaganda tool.
HIV used to strike down healthy young men in their prime. It’s a big deal that we have these medications. The fact that you can make light of HIV’s lethality now is a testament to how they are a major medical achievement.
calpoidog
Wow. You must be under 30 and not alive when all your friends were dropping dead. May want to read up on it….
HereIAm
Can anyone trust these hookup app sl*ts when they say they are undetectable? How do you know if they are lying or telling the truth? I fail to see how this U=U propaganda can really help anyone.
JerseyMike
That’s the chance you take raw dogging it with random people..
Bromancer7
It’s not meant to help people using hookup apps. And it’s certainly not propaganda (tho I’m unsurprised by your pearl-clutching and bunched panties). The article clearly states that sero-discordant couples are the ones who will benefit the most by this information. It also allows those who are positive and stick to their meds to not have to worry they may accidentally infect others, giving them peace of mind.
Anyone who trusts a stranger’s declaration of being negative or undetectable is foolish. ALWAYS protect yourself by using a condom, PrEP, or both.
Umoja
Um, in case you’ve never visited Earth – there’s other modes of having gay sex other than ‘hook ups’. U=U is a huge win, bridge builder, anxiety and shame killer for men in relationships with other men.
For men who enjoy casual condomless sex – they should seek to protect their health via PrEP and regular testing. U=U indicates that it is actually safer to have sex with an undetectable man versus some random guy who hasn’t been tested in a year or two as there is an unfortunately high rate of untested positive cases out there.
geb1966
Maybe if you pay attention to what the article actually discusses and don’t jump from the headline to the comment section, you’d realize this is talking about the benefits from couples in pos/neg relationships, not people using hookup apps. If you can’t trust the person you are in a relationship with, your issues are much bigger than just their HIV status. .
Juanjo
Oh, this biotch again. Honey, can you ever trust anyone, ever, regardless if you meant them at the church social, online, or at the meeting of the Log Cabin Club? People have claimed they were single, clean of disease, wealthy, an age they weren’t, and numerous other things everywhere one interacts with other people. Being U+U, HIV-, a virgin, whatever is unverifiable in a social context.
The fact you have a stick up your bum over hook-ups online is obvious.
surreal33
This is NEW LOW FOR QUEERTY it the most irresponsible narrative every published by Queerty.
This “study” assumes men are honest and take meds daily.
The “study” does not address fact that the subjects are engaging in unprotected sex which could lead the reinfection with different drug resistant strain of HIV as well as other STIs.
Yet another attempt minimize HIV and promote unprotected sex as okay.
Your life and well being are too important to risk for a fleeting sexual encounter.
Bromancer7
No where does this study suggest any of the things you claim.
Umoja
Why would a study assume anything – when it can TEST actual data?
acutepbos
you two above judge much? I think so. Trusting someone who discloses that they are =U is no different than trusting someone who says they’re negative. If you don’t like those “sl**s” online, THEN DONT GO ONLINE! If you think unprotected sex is too risky, DONT PARTICIPATE!! Stay offline, check your stocks of candles, study moon landing conspiracies and keep away from the edge of the Flat Earth. But after a long time of studies and research we have new information that the rest of the rational world might benefit from.
HereIAm
I decided long time ago that I will keep speaking up against what I believe is morally wrong. No, we are not going anywhere just because you don’t like what we have to say. You accuse us of being judgmental but you actually behave like a dictator yourself who wants to suppress opinions that differ from yours. You hidden agenda that it’s OK to have unprotected sex with HIV poz guys who claim to be undetectable is so hideous that it makes one wonder if you yourself is poz.
Bromancer7
@HereIAM The thing is, no one cares about or wants to hear your moral judgement. I know you’re going to give it out anyway, but honestly, all you do is make yourself look foolish, and you’re not doing anyone any favors by constantly spewing logical fallacies and false equivalencies to justify your hatred and shame of being gay and having sex.
Umoja
@HereIAm
Can you please enlighten us about what is wrong about attaining an undetectable status? It seems you’re actually a fanatic that seeks to insert a narcissistic cry for attention into articles that are not actually on the topic you want to talk about.
Juanjo
@HereIAM @biotch no one really cares. We are all aware of your obsession and mental instability. Your pronouncement that, “you actually behave like a dictator yourself who wants to suppress opinions that differ from yours” is particularly humorous. What we are doing is criticizing your silly pronouncements as the delusional drivel that they are. We are not suppressing your opinions, we are making fun of them for the absurdities they are.
bftlguy
I’ve been Hiv+ for over 35 years and have been undetectable for the last 10. Thanks to this thing called technology I can whip out my smart phone, open my Healthvana app to which my medical provider downloads my quarterly bloodwork. There it is “undetectable” quarter by quarter by quarter. Can you prove you’re negative, you judgmental chump? Oh and before you tell me my disease was preventable I contracted when it was called GRID and St Ronald Reagan wouldn’t allow the risk factors to be published by the CDC. While there may be exceptions among us I believe an openly HIV+ man who has routinely disclosed his status is very unlikely to lie about his viral load. Fear those who haven’t been tested recently but are barebacking in the tubs every night. My last test taken on xx/xx/xx was negative means nothing.
Juanjo
Well spoken. very well spoken.
calpoidog
not to throw fuel on the fire (I’m in your same boat (poz ~35 years) but our undetectable test is only as good as of the date of our last viral load since none of us know when we’ll break thru our current therapy and become “detectable” (which no one will know until your future viral load).
However, agree that someone who is taking care of their health is probably better armed about ALL things (Hep C, syphilis, AND viral load) than many guys that get tested only occasionally.
surreal33
The “trust” factor is why HIV has been claim as many lifes as it has. The responses here seem to suggest certain miscreants believe it is more important to have unlimited, unprotected, sex than it is insure health and well being. Also under the layers righteousness is shame because in your heart or hearts you know you are dead wrong.
DHT
“The US agency joins 300 health agencies worldwide in supporting the finding”…more than ten years behind the rest of the world. There are HIV negative children who were born from serodiscordant couples who are now teenagers and people don’t even realized this. Why is it that Americans are so irrational and insecure that they need to promote every kind of bigotry for as long as possible? I’m glad they published this article but the truth is it will do no good to change the minds of most people in this country.