HIV-positive people have a high level of interest in participating in HIV cure research, the risks notwithstanding, aidsmap reports. Researchers conducted an online survey of 982 people living with HIV, two-thirds of whom were residents of the United Kingdom. They presented their findings at the British HIV Association conference in Brighton, England.

Ninety-five percent of the respondents said they would participate in a cure study. Over 90 percent said that it was very desirable or extremely desirable that the development of a cure would mean ridding the body of the virus.

More than 95 percent of the respondents were very interested in a functional cure that meant there would be no risk of HIV-related health problems; over 90 percent were very interested if such a cure meant that there was no risk of transmitting the virus, even off treatment; and nearly 90 percent were very interested if a functional cure meant they did not have to take antiretrovirals (ARVs).

Over 60 percent of the respondents were interested in a cure if it meant they did not have to tell people they had HIV anymore, and 80 percent were interested if it meant they no longer had to go to doctor’s visits for regular monitoring.

More than half of the respondents were willing to participate in such research even if they risked their CD4 cells dropping below 200, their viral load being detectable for longer than six months, or experiencing severe side effects. Nearly two-thirds expressed willingness to interrupt their ARV treatment for such a study.

To read the aidsmap article, click here.