LONDON — The virus that causes AIDS could theoretically be eliminated in a decade if all people living in countries with high rates were regularly tested and treated, a new mathematical model shows.
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But the plan is based on assumptions rather than data and is riddled with logistical problems. The research was published online Tuesday in the medical journal, The Lancet.
"In a relatively short amount of time, we could potentially knock the epidemic on its head,” said Charlie Gilks, an AIDS expert at the World Health Organization and one of the study’s authors.
In the model, people were voluntarily tested each year and immediately given drugs if they tested positive for HIV.
The strategy would cut the estimated number of AIDS deaths between 2008 and 2050 by about half, from about 8.7 million to 3.9 million, leaving only sporadic HIV cases.
Some experts questioned whether the strategy might infringe on patient’s rights. Once people test positive for HIV, they would be advised to start treatment, even if not sick.
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