Patients on AIDS drugs don't transmit virus: Swiss panel

AFP, January, 2008

GENEVA (AFP) — AIDS patients who take effective retroviral drugs do not pass on the virus even through unprotected sex, Switzerland's state commission on the disease claimed on Wednesday.

Couples were one partner is HIV positive do not need to use a condom to prevent transmitting the disease, as long as retroviral therapy is followed regularly and has suppressed the virus in the blood for at least six months, the Federal AIDS Commission said in a report.

The patient must also be free of any other sexually-transmitted disease.

"These findings come from four different studies," said Bernard Hirschel, co-author of the report and an HIV/AIDS specialist at Geneva's University Hospital.

The claim sparked concern against AIDS charities who noted that the scientific research is focused on heterosexual couples and vaginal rather than anal sex.

One of the research studies was carried out in Spain from ...