| From the time that HIV/AIDS was identified (during | | | | medicines makes a person resistant to it and the |
| the early 1980s) till date, there is no definite | | | | body no longer responds to the treatment involving |
| treatment that can completely cure a person of an | | | | the use of these medicines. |
| HIV infection. The medicines usually prescribed by the | | | | However, medical researchers have come up with an |
| doctors only offer symptomatic relief from the | | | | effective drug called anti-retroviral drugs, to check |
| opportunistic infections associated with the disease. | | | | the uncontrolled multiplication of the virus in the host's |
| All over the globe, medical research is in progress to | | | | body. If these anti-retroviral drugs (which are |
| develop that 'wonder drug' which can treat both HIV | | | | available in three classes) are used in proper |
| AIDS and opportunistic infections at the same time. | | | | combinations and under strict medical supervision, |
| However, such a wonder drug has not been | | | | then they have the capacity to significantly reduce |
| developed as yet. Therefore, doctors continue to | | | | the viral load in the blood of an HIV positive person. |
| prescribe medicines to treat the opportunistic | | | | This method of treatment is known as HAART |
| infections and to extend the life of the patient by | | | | (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy). Although this |
| improving the quality of their life. | | | | method has been successful in reducing the large |
| The drawback with these medicines is that not only | | | | number of HIV/AIDS related deaths across the |
| are they unable to cure HIV/AIDS, but they are very | | | | globe, its drawback is that it is very expensive and |
| expensive and beyond the reach of a common man. | | | | can cause a lot of severe side effects. The worst |
| Additional drawback is that these medicines have | | | | part is that the anti-retroviral drugs used in the |
| many severe side effects. Prolonged use of these | | | | treatment cannot cure a person of HIV/AIDS. |