HIV and AIDS are a huge problem around the world. HIV/AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease that attacks the immune system. Many people around the world do not even know that they have the HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS was a huge epidemic back in 1981 and people thought it was just limited to the gay community, but now in 2010, it is a pandemic between all genders and is not as big as a deal as it used to be. The HIV/AIDS virus has changed a lot from 1981 to now. In 1981, HIV/AIDS was considered a huge epidemic that would kill someone once they got it. According to Thomas Treadwell, MD author of “Physician Focus: HIV/AIDS, then and now,” in 1981, people had no idea what was causing the disease and most patients who got it would think they would die
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Treadwell’s article also discusses current trends in HIV/AIDS. He explains that there are many drugs that patients can take to expand their life when they have HIV/AIDS. “Throughout the next decade, medical advances continued, and today, more than 20 drugs existed to treat HIV” (Thomas Treadwell, M.D.). This quote shows that there are a lot of medications that people can take to slow down the spread of the disease. Most medications, people only take one pill once a day. People who take this medication live a full life capacity (70 years of age or higher). There are no cures for HIV/AIDS yet, but doctors and researchers are pushing for a cure. The infographic and article “infographic: HIV/AIDS- Then and Now” also notes that the HIV/AIDS virus is no longer a death sentence. Also, the cost is now manageable to support the disease with medications, fundraisers, and more research. “You should know that biopharmaceutical research companies continue to work more than 70 potential new medications and vaccines. These potential treatments will continue to forge a path toward hope and progress the great battle against disease” (Jennifer Wall). This quote means that doctors and researchers everyday are figuring out new medications and new ways to try to stop the disease. The vox.com article “This is what it’s like to have HIV in 2014” by German Lopez discusses the stories of eight very different people who are HIV positive in 2014. One of the eight people in the article named Tommy Luckett found a federal program that helps low-income people obtain antiretroviral medication. Tommy is now on a medication for his HIV/AIDS disease and lives his life like a normal person. While, his antiretroviral medication slows down the spread of the disease through his body. Another patient that had the HIV/AIDS virus was a young boy named Rawl. He didn’t feel comfortable telling people about his condition, so he did not tell anyone. No one even knew he had it. This is what many people
Treadwell’s article also discusses current trends in HIV/AIDS. He explains that there are many drugs that patients can take to expand their life when they have HIV/AIDS. “Throughout the next decade, medical advances continued, and today, more than 20 drugs existed to treat HIV” (Thomas Treadwell, M.D.). This quote shows that there are a lot of medications that people can take to slow down the spread of the disease. Most medications, people only take one pill once a day. People who take this medication live a full life capacity (70 years of age or higher). There are no cures for HIV/AIDS yet, but doctors and researchers are pushing for a cure. The infographic and article “infographic: HIV/AIDS- Then and Now” also notes that the HIV/AIDS virus is no longer a death sentence. Also, the cost is now manageable to support the disease with medications, fundraisers, and more research. “You should know that biopharmaceutical research companies continue to work more than 70 potential new medications and vaccines. These potential treatments will continue to forge a path toward hope and progress the great battle against disease” (Jennifer Wall). This quote means that doctors and researchers everyday are figuring out new medications and new ways to try to stop the disease. The vox.com article “This is what it’s like to have HIV in 2014” by German Lopez discusses the stories of eight very different people who are HIV positive in 2014. One of the eight people in the article named Tommy Luckett found a federal program that helps low-income people obtain antiretroviral medication. Tommy is now on a medication for his HIV/AIDS disease and lives his life like a normal person. While, his antiretroviral medication slows down the spread of the disease through his body. Another patient that had the HIV/AIDS virus was a young boy named Rawl. He didn’t feel comfortable telling people about his condition, so he did not tell anyone. No one even knew he had it. This is what many people