Can drug-resistance tests help?
Drug-resistance tests are proving to be useful and are now being used by most, if not all, providers in terms of helping their patients switch to effective regimens. The use of drug-resistance testing is supported by two major medical organizations in the United States that oversee HIV healthcare policy: the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the International AIDS Society-USA (IAS-USA). According to official guidelines published by both organizations, drug-resistance testing should be used in the following circumstances: • Before starting HIV drug treatment for the first time (this may help determine if the person was infected with a drug-resistant form of HIV and, if so, which drugs are least likely to be effective); • When viral load rebounds while on HIV combination therapy; or • When viral load fails to go below 400 within six months of starting a new HIV drug combination. To learn more about HIV drug resistance and drug-resistance testing, check out
