Implications for Europe of high prevalence of HIV drug resistance in the United States

Over 16 drugs are now available for use against HIV, broadly comprising three classes of agent. Their use, in combination, has had a dramatic impact in reducing disease progression. Successful treatment is increasingly defined as the maintenance of plasma viral RNA load at undetectable levels. Reasons for ‘virological failure’ (viral rebound) on treatment are many, but perhaps the single most important factor is suboptimal drug compliance.