Search Here

Remembering to take several pills every day to treat an immune deficiency can be a daunting task. That's why doctors have created a new treatment option for newly infected HIV patients - a new pill that combines four HIV drugs into a single daily treatment. 

The revolutionary results were revealed by researchers in The Lancet and is said to be "safe and effective."

"Patient adherence to medication is vital, especially for patients with HIV, where missed doses can quickly lead to the virus becoming resistant," said Paul Sax of Harvard Medical School, who led the first study in Friday's Lancet. "Our results provide an additional highly potent, well-tolerated treatment option, and highlight the simplicity of treatment resulting from combining several antiretrovirals in single pill."

Researchers tested the pill on over 700 people from all over the world. Half of the patients were given the new pill and the other half was given Atripla, a current approved treatment for the virus.

After taking the pills for a year, comparably, 88 percent of people taking the quad pill experienced the suppression of the virus and 84 percent of people on Atripla experienced the same.

Some side effects of the pill  include mild nausea with Quad, and less likely to have dizziness, abnormal dreams, insomnia, and rash.

The Quad pill was recommended in May by a US Food and Drug Administration advisory panel for approval. A final decision is expected by August.

Over 1.1 people in the United States are estimated to be living with HIV, the uncurable virus that causes AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). HIV is transmitted through sexual contact of bodily fluids (blood, semen) with mucus membranes (oral, vaginal, anal), and the introduction of infected blood products into the bloodstream (commonly sharing intravenous needles, less commonly blood transfusions).