Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 6:00 pm
Challenges of ART(anti retroviral treatment)Monitoring in Developing Countries
Dr. Aurelio Gomes, Research Assistant Professor
Division of Infectious Diseases, International HIV/AIDS Division
Rm 109, Barco Law Building, University of Pittsburgh School of Law
Thanks to the existence of large donations, poor countries in various parts of the world have seen an increase in the use of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to treat HIV infection. Successful treatment of HIV depends upon ART recipients maintaining a compliance rate of 95% or higher because the 1st line regimen (containing nevirapine) easily acquires resistance with low compliance. Wide spread resistance will lead to a need for costly 2nd line regimens that can reverse the gains in ART therapy in those limited resource countries. Suitable systems to ensure patient compliance are neccesary as ART therapy become widespread especially in rural areas
Sponsored by: , Global Solutions Education Fund and Global Studies Program at the University Center for International Studies at the University of Pittsburgh