How has information about these new drugs affected behavior in at-risk populations?
Research suggests that some individuals are less concerned about becoming infected than in the past and may be inclined to take more risks. Moreover, some may assume that HIV-positive individuals taking protease inhibitors are not infectious. As a result, some people may believe there is no longer a need to avoid high-risk sex and drug use. CDC is concerned that people may be placing themselves at unnecessary risk because of these assumptions. Another concern, as mentioned above, is the transmission of resistant strains, which could undermine the benefits of treatment advances. Are the new drug therapies the key to controlling the HIV/AIDS epidemic? A wide range of behavioral and biomedical strategies are needed to control the epidemic. No medical advance, by itself, can succeed unless it is accompanied by appropriate behavior change. Even a vaccine does not stop a disease unless it is available and people have access to it. As researchers continue working to develop better treatment a
