Several Milestones Made In Battle Against HIV

KYW Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- We have made many advances in the battle against HIV.

Back in the mid-eighties, a diagnosis of HIV almost surely led to aids and certain deaths. But scientific research and development led to antiviral medications that started to help control the virus. The latest information is even better.

Since 1996, the life expectancy of HIV patients with good access to medical care rose dramatically. In 1996, a 20-year-old patient with HIV, and enrolled in a large care organization, could expect an additional 19 years of life. By the end of 2011, that had risen to 53 years as treatment for HIV improved.

The report from Kaiser stresses the need for continued efforts to prevent the spread of the disease but acknowledges how much progress has been made.