An international trialA clinical trial is a research study to answer specific questions about vaccines or new therapies or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people. Trials are in four phases: Phase I tests a new drug or treatment in a small group; Phase II expands the study to a larger group of people; Phase III expands the study to an even larger group of people; and Phase IV takes place after the drug or treatment has been licensed and marketed. that has just started enrollingThe act of signing up participants into a study. Generally this process involves evaluating a participant with respect to the eligibility criteria of the study and going through the informed consent process. in Australia aims to determine whether it is better to start treatment earlier, when T-cell counts are above 500, or when they drop to 350 as per the current recommendations.
With certain exceptions, treating earlier than the 350 mark is not currently recommended for a number of reasons. Taking pills for longer may mean more side effects. It’s more likely you’ll get tired of taking pills, miss doses and develop resistanceHIV which has mutated and is less susceptible to the effects of one or more anti-HIV drugs is said to be resistant.. It’s more expensive.
However, there’s data to suggest that treating earlier is better. Recent studies compared treaters with non-treaters at identical cell counts and found that the risk of developing AIDS-defining conditions were higher for the non-treaters, even when their counts were well above 500 cells/mm3.
Those not on treatment developed cancer and other illnesses affecting the heart, liverA large organ, located in the upper right abdomen, which assists in digestion by metabolising carbohydrates, fats and proteins, stores vitamins and minerals, produces amino acids, bile and cholesterol, and removes toxins from the blood., or kidneys at higher rates than usual even at higher CD4+ cell counts.
On the other hand some HIV treatments are associated with an increased
risk of some problems including heart attacks.
There are pros and cons on both sides. This five-year study is an important step towards finding where the balance lies.
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