Work

59 Interrupting HIV treatment in cure research: scientific and ethical considerations

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: and websites.Analysis involved (1) multivariate hierarchical regression to identify factors associated with greater willingness to participate in trials and (2) non-parametric tests to identify participants' expectations regarding HIV cure.Results: Preliminary data analysis shows that not passing HIV to others and not being at risk of ill-health were the most desirable 'HIV Cure' outcomes reported.Approximately 80% indicated willingness to participate in a trial.However, this was reduced if respondents thought participation could result in greater unpredictability of viral load, increased risk of resistance to current antiretroviral treatment, or increased susceptibility to illness.Belief that an HIV Cure would be achieved within the respondent's lifetime was associated with greater willingness to participate in a trial.Conclusions: These findings suggest that many Australian PLHIV are open to participating in HIV Cure trials.However, concern about possible effects on treatment efficacy and viral suppression clearly influences willingness, pointing to the importance of high quality informed consent processes.Optimism for achieving an HIV Cure may also influence willingness to participate.This is a further ethical concern as unrealistic optimism may be associated with misunderstanding of the therapeutic benefits of trial participation.

Source: Journal of Virus Eradication

DOI: 10.1016/s2055-6640(20)31004-9