Key points at a glance
🟰 U=U
Undetectable does not mean non-transmissible. If the viral load is below the detection limit, HIV cannot be passed on during sex.
💊 Treatment protects
HIV medicines suppress the replication of HIV and provide protection through treatment.
🩺 Check-ups are important
The viral load must be checked regularly by a doctor to ensure that protection remains effective.
🛡️ Safe sex without a condom
Provided the conditions are met, HIV treatment protects against HIV during sex even without a condom or PrEP.
What is protection through HIV treatment?
Therapeutic protection is a safer sex method for protecting against HIV. It works when a person living with HIV takes medication, thereby permanently suppressing the replication of HIV.
If the viral load has been below the detection limit for at least six months, HIV can no longer be transmitted during sex. Under these conditions, sex is safe from HIV even without a condom or PrEP.
It is important to take HIV medication regularly. In addition, the viral load must be monitored regularly by a doctor.
How HIV treatment provides protection
HIV medication suppresses the replication of HIV in the body. This reduces the viral load. After a while, HIV may no longer be detectable in the blood. This is referred to as a viral load below the detection limit.
This principle is also TasP ... is called. The abbreviation stands for „Treatment as Prevention“, in German „Treatment as prevention“. What this means is that effective HIV treatment also protects against HIV transmission.
This is also what U=U. The abbreviation stands for "Undetectable = Untransmittable", in German „Undetectable = Untransmissible“. If the viral load has been below the detection limit for at least six months, HIV cannot be transmitted through sex.
This is conditional on the HIV medication being taken regularly and the treatment being effective.
Requirements
For protection through therapy to work, two conditions must be met:
- The viral load has been below the detection limit for at least six months.
- HIV medication is taken regularly.
Blood tests are carried out to check whether the treatment is reliably suppressing HIV. These tests take place at a clinic or outpatient centre specialising in HIV.
The safety and protection offered by HIV treatment
Prevention through therapy is highly reliable. Its protective effect has been investigated in several studies. These studies followed hundreds of couples over a number of years, in which one partner was HIV-positive and the other HIV-negative.
Despite numerous sexual encounters without a condom, there was no transmission of HIV when the viral load was below the detection limit. Under these conditions, sex without a condom or PrEP is therefore also considered safer sex.
Regular checks
To ensure that the protection provided by treatment remains reliable, the viral load must be monitored regularly. This is usually done once every three months.
If the viral load continues to rise, HIV treatment may no longer be sufficiently effective. One reason for this may be resistance. In that case, it may be necessary to change the treatment so that HIV is effectively suppressed once again.
Frequently asked questions
What does ‘protection through therapy’ mean?
Therapy-based prevention means that effective HIV treatment prevents the transmission of HIV during sex. This is conditional on the viral load remaining below the detection limit at all times.
What does U=U mean?
U=U stands for „Undetectable = Untransmittable“. In German, this means „Not detectable = Not transmissible“.
What requirements must be met?
The viral load must have been below the detection limit for at least six months. In addition, HIV medication must be taken regularly.
How effective is prevention through treatment?
Provided the conditions are met, treatment-based protection is highly reliable. In studies, there were no cases of HIV transmission during sex under these conditions.
Does HIV treatment also protect against other sexually transmitted infections?
No. Treatment prevents HIV transmission, but does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections. Condoms and Femidoms can further reduce the risk of contracting these.
