You have options for treatment.
HIV treatments help you take charge of your health and support others to do the same. Treatments can be as simple as one pill per day or one long-acting injection. You can live a long healthy life and not pass HIV to your sexual partners.
What if I test positive for HIV?
If you are diagnosed with HIV, you will have a lot of questions about what having HIV means for you, your partner(s) and for your loved ones.
Ontario has a network of community-based HIV organizations that provide information, support and referrals for people diagnosed with or affected by HIV.
They can help guide you to thoughtful care that is right for you.
How effective is HIV treatment?
Although there is not yet a cure for HIV, a great deal of progress has been made to make HIV manageable.
Effective treatment suppresses the virus, so it can’t attack the person’s immune system, and it cannot be transmitted to sexual partners. This treatment can be safely taken by people living with HIV during pregnancy and when they are taking gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy. There are often few or no side effects. In Ontario, the HIV virus is effectively suppressed in 98% of people who live with HIV and who are on treatment.
The earlier HIV is diagnosed and treated, the longer and healthier a person with HIV can live.
How do I get HIV treatment if I do not have health care coverage in Ontario?
If you don’t have healthcare coverage in Ontario, there are still options for you. Some providers in the province offer free treatment and support, which you can find at the links below. If someone needs to be on HIV treatment but does not have insurance, laboratory testing and medication can be made available through a variety of means.