New Drug Could End HIV Pandemic as Study Finds It Prevents Transmission of the Virus

An person lights candles forming the shape of a ribbon as part of World AIDS Day in Siliguri, West Bengal, India, on Dec. 1, 2018. Diptendu Dutta/AFP/Getty Images

A landmark study may have made a major breakthrough in the battle to end the AIDS epidemic, as it found treatment can prevent those already HIV positive from sexually transmitting the virus to a partner.

A Europe-wide study examined almost 1,000 male couples, where one was HIV positive and receiving antiretroviral therapy. Over a period of eight years, there were no cases of the infection being sexually transmitted without a condom to the HIV-negative partner.