Increased HIV-Prevention Measures Could Reduce Projected Number of New Infections Over Next Decade, Study Says

Spending more money on HIV-prevention programs could help to reduce the projected number of new HIV infections globally between 2005 and 2015 from 60 million to 32 million and save donor countries money on treatment programs in the long run, according to a study published Thursday in Science, VOA News reports (Berman, VOA News, 2/2). Peter Ghys, UNAIDS head of epidemic monitoring, and colleagues found that expanded prevention programs would cost about $122 billion over a 10 year period. According to the study, the cost would amount to $3,900 for each new infection averted, but would save $4,700 in treatment and care expenses (Stover et al., Science, 2/2). Developing countries pay one-third of the cost of prevention, Ghys said, adding that wealthier countries should boost funding for prevention programs because "the poorest countries ... don't have room in their own national budgets to take this on by themselves" (VOA News, 2/2).