Advances in HIV/AIDS treatment

It's quite amazing when we look back at advances in HIV and AIDS treatment. CNN has a story titled, "A generation born with HIV/AIDS defies the odds." I hope this title or story doesn't give people the wrong idea. Some people out there may think that HIV and AIDS are not serious conditions. They may think that the majority of patients with HIV and AIDS live for a very long time when they read something like, "With advances in medicine, the babies born with what was once thought of as a sure-fatal virus have danced at their high school proms, walked on stage to receive their diplomas and even experienced the birth of their children."

The reality is that HIV and AIDS are still killing many people each day. In this picture, teenagers born with HIV/AIDS are paying respect to their deceased friends at the memorial tree. Perhaps the important message is that HIV patients need support and community. The CNN story talks about a group of HIV-positive teens called the Kool Kids. Patients with HIV can support each other as they take their antiviral medications and endure various side effects. They can encourage each other when their HIV friends pass away from AIDS-related complications. It's great to see that advances in HIV/AIDS treatment have resulted in fewer pills and better ways of measuring and evaluating drug resistance. I still wonder if we'll ever develop an effective HIV vaccine. Because the virus mutates so frequently, it may never happen. Perhaps advances in medical technology will prove me wrong.

To read the story on CNN, click here. Image source: CNN