TasP

TasP refers to Treatment as Prevention, a public health strategy for HIV. The core principle of TasP is that providing effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) to people living with HIV significantly reduces their viral load to undetectable levels. When a person with HIV has an undetectable viral load, they cannot transmit the virus sexually to their HIV-negative partners. This means that consistent and proper use of ART by an individual living with HIV effectively prevents sexual transmission of HIV to others.

TasP is supported by extensive scientific evidence, including large-scale clinical trials and epidemiological studies. These studies have consistently demonstrated that when HIV viral loads are suppressed to undetectable levels, the risk of sexual transmission is effectively zero. This concept is often summarized by the slogan "Undetectable = Untransmittable" or U=U.

Implementing TasP involves ensuring that individuals living with HIV have access to quality healthcare, including regular medical check-ups, consistent access to ART, and support to adhere to their treatment regimen. It also requires robust HIV testing and linkage to care services to identify individuals living with HIV who may not be aware of their status or who are not yet on treatment. By treating HIV as effectively as possible, TasP not only improves the health and longevity of individuals living with HIV but also plays a crucial role in curbing the spread of the epidemic. It shifts the focus from solely preventing new infections to also managing existing infections as a primary prevention tool.