Can HIV/AIDS be cured?

HIV infection, the virus that causes AIDS, is currently not curable. However, with consistent and lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART), people living with HIV can achieve and maintain viral suppression—meaning the amount of virus in the blood (viral load) becomes undetectable by standard laboratory tests. When viral load remains undetectable for at least six months, the individual cannot sexually transmit HIV to others—a concept known as Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U). While ART does not eliminate the virus from reservoirs in the body (such as certain immune cells and tissues), it effectively halts disease progression, preserves immune function (as measured by CD4+ T-cell counts), and allows individuals to live long, healthy lives with near-normal life expectancy. Ongoing research into strategies such as latency-reversing agents, broadly neutralizing antibodies, gene editing (e.g., CRISPR-based approaches), and therapeutic vaccines continues to explore potential pathways toward a functional cure (long-term remission without ART) or a sterilizing cure (complete eradication of HIV). For now, early diagnosis and prompt, sustained adherence to ART remain the cornerstone of effective HIV management.