1.

Early Initiation of Treatment: Clinical trials and observational studies have demonstrated the
benefits of early initiation of ART, even in asymptomatic individuals with HIV infection. Early
treatment initiation not only improves individual health outcomes by reducing the risk of HIV-
related complications and death but also reduces the risk of HIV transmission to sexual partners
and prevents the transmission of HIV from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, and
breastfeeding.

2. Prevention of Opportunistic Infections: ART has been highly effective in preventing

opportunistic infections and AIDS-defining illnesses among people living with HIV/AIDS. By
restoring immune function and reducing the viral load, ART helps prevent the development of
opportunistic infections, such as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP), cytomegalovirus
(CMV) retinitis, tuberculosis (TB), and certain types of cancers, which were common causes of
morbidity and mortality in the pre-ART era.

3. Treatment as Prevention (TasP): The concept of "treatment as prevention" (TasP) emphasizes

the role of ART in reducing the transmission of HIV to others. When used consistently and
correctly, ART can suppress viral replication to undetectable levels in the blood and genital fluids,
significantly reducing the risk of sexual transmission of HIV. This strategy, known as
"undetectable equals untransmittable" (U=U), has profound implications for HIV prevention
efforts and has been endorsed by leading public health organizations worldwide.