Adherence
Many patients do not take their HIV medications consistently. They skip days or take their medication twice in one day, which can be detrimental to health. “HIV meds need to be maintained at high enough levels in the blood, 24 hours a day, every day” (AIDSMeds, 2014). This allows the HIV virus to continue to mutate and replicate, which can lead to drug resistance. An estimated “77% of patients in the United States taking ART have suppressed viral loads” and “only 28% of all persons with HIV have virus levels that are fully suppressed” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Although antiretroviral treatment (ART) has proven to be successful in many patients, adherence to ART is the leading issue related to the successful suppression of the disease in the United States. In fact, a major study that evaluated whether Americans would take their ART drugs every day recently reported failing statistics (McNeil, 2015). McNeil (2015) also reported that “only a quarter of all 1.1 million Americans with H.I.V. are taking their drugs regularly enough to not be infectious.”
If the medication isn’t taken on a constant basis, then this can lead many issues. A significant public health issue arises when adaptations of HIV develop while a person is inconsistently taking HIV medicines lead to new, drug-resistant strains of HIV (Department of Health and Human Services USA, 2015). Another adherence issue is that HIV cells can cause a decrease in white blood cells. A low count in white blood cells can lead to a weak immune system. Having a weak immune system takes away the body’s ability to fight off bacteria and other viruses.
Scientists recently have been working diligently to find a viable long-term solution to ART adherence by developing a device similar to the contraceptive implant. The device dispenses a consistent amount the antiretroviral medication and “it can be inserted into the upper arm” (Carstensen, 2015). Dr. Mark Baum, founder of the Oak Crest Institute of Science commented this implant “will revolutionize how we treat or prevent HIV/AIDS as it delivers powerful HIV-stopping drugs and eliminates one of the key obstacles in HIV/AIDS prevention – adherence to proper dosing regimens” (Maskaly, 2015).
