Study confirms no transmissions with undetectable HIV

The largest treatment-as-prevention study for gay and bisexual men confirms that people on antiretroviral therapy with undetectable viral load do not transmit HIV.

Results from the PARTNER2 study, which enrolled nearly 1,000 mixed-status gay male couples in 14 European countries, saw no genetically linked HIV transmissions when the positive partner was on effective treatment.

“PARTNER2 data provides robust evidence for gay men that the risk of HIV transmission with suppressive antiretroviral therapy is zero,” said lead investigator Dr. Alison Rodger of University College London.

Rodger presented the study results at the International AIDS Conference last summer in Amsterdam, as the Bay Area Reporter reported at the time, but their publication last week in the Lancet prompted a flurry of news coverage and some exaggerated claims, including the Guardian’s headline “End to AIDS in sight as huge study finds drugs stop HIV transmission.”

The study’s results are neither new nor surprising. Treatment as prevention, along with PrEP, is an essential part of the effort to halt new infections, but the end is not in sight. Many people living with HIV are not aware of their status, have not started treatment, or have not maintained viral suppression.

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During the Canada Post strike announced September 25, 2025, the following measures will be undertaken to minimize service disruption to BC-CfE clients and providers.

  • The BC-CfE Laboratory has transitioned to private courier for delivery of outgoing reports and documents. Results required urgently can be faxed upon request. (Lab Contact Information: Phone 604-806-8775; FAX 604-806-9463)
  • The BC-CfE Drug Treatment Program (DTP) will fax outgoing forms and documents to the provider’s office. (DTP Contact Information: Phone 604-806-8515; FAX 604-806-9044)
  • St. Paul’s Hospital Ambulatory Pharmacy has transitioned to private courier for delivery of medications. We recommend requesting medication at least 2 weeks in advance in case of delivery delays, particularly to rural/remote parts of BC. (Contact Information: Phone 1-800-547-3622; FAX 604-806-8675)

During the Canada Post strike, we recommend that documents be faxed or couriered to our sites, versus utilization of regular mail service

The BC-CfE Laboratory is streamlining reporting processes for certain tests in order to simplify distribution and record-keeping, and to ensure completeness of results. Beginning September 2, 2025, results for the ‘Resistance Analysis of HIV-1 Protease and Reverse Transcriptase’ (Protease-RT) and ‘HIV-1 Integrase Resistance Genotype’ tests will be combined into a single ‘HIV-1 Resistance Genotype Report’.
For more details and example reports, please click on the button below