#AskTheHIVDoc: Why isn't there a cure for HIV yet?

#AskTheHIVDoc is a series of short explainer videos from Greater Than HIV featuring top HIV doctors covering all aspects of HIV from prevention (including PrEP) to diagnosis, care and treatment, as well as the basics.

In this installment, Dr. David Malebranche, MD, MPH, explains terms like CD4 and T-Cell, viral load and HIV undetectable. He also covers the basics of HIV treatment – why it matters, how it works, when to start – as well as covers getting into care and finding support.

These videos are provided for educational purposes and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.

TRANSCRIPT:
So the age old question is why don't we have a cure for HIV? We don't have a cure for the common cold. We don't have a cure for the flu.

HIV is a much trickier virus and so the medications that we use in the sciences come along to make sure that we can slow down HIV so it doesn't destroy your immune system and it doesn't reproduce as fast as it's supposed to. But at the same time we have to know that just slowing it down does not mean you can eradicate it altogether.

As a clinician, I'm optimistic the science is moving, and again we just have to be patient with it because I think there's going to be a cure eventually along the way. It's just taking longer than we thought.