Taking a Break

Can interrupting their treatment benefit HIV-infected people?

Four years ago, the new, multidrug regimens against the human immunodeficiency virus held out a tantalizing hope: a cure for AIDS. Now, however, complete eradication of the virus with these life-prolonging treatments seems improbable. To further complicate matters, some patients taking the drug combinations have developed serious—potentially fatal—side effects.

Up to 900,000 people in the United States are now living with HIV.