The preventive effect of antiretroviral treatments remains largely unknown

An HIV-positive person on treatment with an undetectable viral load cannot transmit the virus, even during sex without a condom. This preventive effect of treatment, known as “TasP” (short for “treatment as prevention”), has been scientifically demonstrated by two large cohort studies.¹ Among the couples monitored—where one partner was HIV-positive and on treatment and the other was HIV-negative—no cases of viral transmission were observed in these studies.

The effectiveness of antiretroviral treatments—which today allow HIV-positive people to live healthy lives with a life expectancy identical to that of HIV-negative people, without the risk of transmitting the virus—remains poorly understood, even among the populations most affected by HIV. For example, in 2016, in the European EMIS² survey of gay and bisexual men, 41% of respondents were unaware of the preventive effect of antiretroviral treatment.

The Importance of Testing

Early care for as many people infected with HIV as possible is a public health priority of the highest order. Knowing one’s HIV status means gaining access to antiretroviral treatments as soon as possible, which not only help preserve one’s health but also eliminate the fear of transmitting HIV to sexual partners.

According to the Public Health Bulletin on the surveillance of HIV and bacterial STIs^³, published on December 1, 6.2 million HIV serology tests were performed in 2019 by clinical laboratories. While testing activity has increased in recent years (+10% between 2014 and 2018, +6% between 2018 and 2019), the COVID-19 pandemic led to a sharp decline in testing for these infections in 2020. During the first lockdown, the number of serology tests fell by 56% between February and April 2020. It rose again in May and June, though it did not reach the levels observed at the start of the year.

Raising Awareness of TASP to Change Perceptions of People Living with HIV

December 1st is an opportunity to say, “Living with HIV means, first and foremost, living.” With this slogan, Santé publique France’s new campaign addresses a critical issue: reminding people that today, with treatment, an HIV-positive person can live in good health, enjoy a fulfilling sex life, and have children.

By emphasizing that HIV-positive status is not an identity, nor a barrier to romantic relationships, and that people living with HIV who are on effective treatment cannot transmit the virus, this campaign aims to challenge misconceptions and combat the discrimination that HIV-positive people still too often face. The tagline for the campaign visuals begins with the term “seropo” and ends with an adjective highlighting another personality trait: poetic, mischievous, possessive, etc.

Various KABP⁴ surveys have shown that, generally speaking, acceptance of people living with HIV decreases with the degree of closeness: while nine out of ten people would agree to work alongside someone living with HIV, only one in two would agree to have sex with them using a condom. Furthermore, in 2016, 49% of HIV-positive men who have sex with men reported experiencing discrimination in their sexual lives due to their HIV status.

Visible on billboards and online from November 26 through December 28, the campaign features five visuals depicting couples and families in private settings and during joyful moments. The photos were taken candidly to better capture the daily lives and intimacy of these couples in their private spaces.

The campaign features a wide variety of couples—same-sex and opposite-sex, young and older—representative of French society. It thus reaches the broadest possible audience, with a particular focus on the populations most affected by HIV (MSM and migrants from sub-Saharan Africa), as well as people living with HIV.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential to continue taking care of oneself. Testing is the only way to establish a diagnosis and access antiretroviral treatments.