Stavudine in first-line antiretroviral regimens in resource-limited settings: time for a better solution

摘要

By the end of 2007, an estimated 3 million HIV-infected individuals had received antiretroviral treatment (ART) in resource-limited settings (RLS) . This represents a remarkable achievement through the cooperative efforts of international donors, such as the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the WHO, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, in-country Ministries of Health, and non-governmental organizations. The benefits of ART in RLS are clear with dramatic improvements in survival and fewer HIV-associated complications. Despite these heroic efforts, many HIV-infected persons do not have access to ART; WHO estimates that in late 2007 approximately 30% of HIV-infected persons in need globally were actually receiving ART.