HIV/AIDS Cure Updates: More than 50 Medicines for Treatment and Prevention of the Disease Currently in Development
While the first case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported more than 30 years ago, the world has yet to discover a fool-proof cure for the disease it causes, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). However, it may just be a matter of time before an antidote to the virus will be discovered as there are currently 50 medicines and vaccines in development for HIV/AIDS infection, treatment, and prevention.
According to a recent report of the Medicines in Development by PhRMA (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America) there is an 88 percent decline in the HIV/AIDS death since the 1990s as an estimated 862,000 premature HIV/AIDS deaths have been prevented in the United States alone. With the more than 50 medicines and vaccines being currently developed not just for the prevention but also for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, the future looks promising for those who already have the virus or who are most susceptible to acquiring it.
"While we have made great progress, there is more to be done, which is why the 52 medicines and vaccines in development offer tremendous hope and inspiration that an AIDS-free generation may one day be in reach," said Stephen J. Ubl, president and chief executive officer of PhRMA.
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It has been learned that of the 52 medicines currently being developed for HIV/AIDS, 32 are antiretrovirals and antivirals, and 16 are vaccines for cell therapies. Once the development of the medicines is completed, HIV/AIDS patients will have more options to deal with the disease as there are currently more than 40 medicines approved in the United States for the treatment of HIV.
Based on a 2015 data by the by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 1 million people in the U.S. who have HIV, with one in seven Americans not having an idea that he or she already has the virus. The data also revealed that 82 percent of those who have HIV are the gay and bisexual men.
