Views and Practice HIV treatment as prevention

Special Preventive Programme, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, 3/F, Wang Tau Hom Jockey Club Clinic, 200 Junction Road East, Kowloon Using antiretrovirals to prevent HIV is nothing new. Even in the early 1990s when there were only the "first generation" anti-HIV drugs, biomedical means was conceptualised for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV and put into clinical trials. The landmark ACTG 076 study published in 1994 showed that zidovudine reduced MTCT from 25.5% to 8.3%.1 Given the scientific advances thereafter, the risk of perinatal transmission has been reduced nowadays to about 1% with early maternal diagnosis and prophylactic intervention.2 The risk of occupational HIV transmission after percutaneous exposure in health care setting can also be lowered with postexposure prophylaxis.3