Coordinated by the Treatment Activists Group (GAT) and the Ser+ association, the ‘Transmissible’ campaign aims to break myths and prejudices about the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, as stated by the organizations in a press release issued today.
The campaign features five real stories recorded on video, highlighting “the importance of knowledge about the non-transmission of HIV when the diagnosed person is under treatment and has an undetectable viral load.”
The Stigma Index 2.0 Report, promoted by the HIV and AIDS Anti-Discrimination Center (CAD), reports that stigma still frequently affects people living with HIV, and data shows that 38% of participants revealed having been targets of social discrimination.
For João Brito, CAD coordinator and President of GAT’s Board, this campaign “is a crucial step to educate society and end unfounded stigmas associated with HIV,” which was estimated to affect 45,532 people in Portugal in 2021, according to the latest official data.
“We want to show that, with effective treatment, people with HIV can live long and healthy lives without transmitting the virus. It’s time to break down the barriers that still exist regarding the understanding of this infection,” emphasizes João Brito, quoted in the press release.
Ana Duarte, CAD coordinator and head of training, says that training and empowering communities living with HIV, health professionals, and the general population is “essential to eradicate discriminatory contexts.”
The organizations remind that, over the last 20 years, scientific studies have proven that people with HIV, using effective treatment and with an undetectable viral load, cannot transmit the virus to others.
Despite scientific advances, myths persist that the campaign aims to deconstruct, including that people with HIV always have the risk of transmitting the virus, or that they must use condoms to prevent transmission. The campaign clarifies that if a person is diagnosed and on effective treatment for more than six months with an undetectable viral load, the virus will not be transmitted with or without condom use, in any sexual practice.
“People with HIV have the responsibility to end transmission” is another myth, as “the virus is transmitted by people who are unaware they are living with the virus.”
The campaign emphasizes that prevention is everyone’s responsibility, and it’s “crucial that people who don’t know their HIV status get tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections regularly.”
There’s also the myth that those living with the infection always look sick, which is also false: Most are perfectly healthy and, with antiretroviral treatment, can live a long and healthy life.
“It’s everyone’s responsibility to learn more about the virus and help end stigma and discrimination. On the other hand, prevention is a duty of the whole society, and adopting safer sex practices with the use of condoms and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis,” emphasize the campaign promoters, which received support from ViiV Healthcare and the Directorate-General of Health.
