The New AIDS

Only fifteen years ago, AIDS was one of the biggest threats to mankind, and the question was rather how, and not whether or not one should concern themselves with it. Having tested “positive” necessarily meant a serious confrontation with mortality. Too high were the chances that death was near.

Thankfully, times have changed. Since 1996, the antiretroviral combination therapy has proven to be tremendously successful /effective with many patients. The mortality rate has gone back drastically and the AIDS disease pattern has, to a great extent, declined. In the meanwhile, many HIV patients can enjoy a more or less undisturbed, healthy life. Sexologist Martin Dannecker started using the term “The New AIDS” in order to describe this transformation.

What is this new AIDS? Is it really as harmless as one is made to believe? Or did it just become less visible? We seek to explore different answers to these questions in our column »The New AIDS«. The latest article in this series was submitted by TAZ-Journalist Jan Feddersen, who asks »Was bloß ist Aids?« (This Article is only available in German).