Clinical Trials, U.S.: AIDS-Related Conditions

AIDS is the acronym for acquired immune deficiency syndrome and represents the most advanced stage of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection affecting about 34 million people worldwide. AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease that can also be acquired through blood contact or saliva.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1,144,500 people age 13 and older are living today with HIV infection. The past decade has witnessed an increase of this number, although the incidence of the disease has remained stable in recent years, at about 50,000 new infection cases per year.

HIV targets the immune system and damages the function of immune cells, consequently undermining the body’s ability to fight disease. Eventually, infection leads to the development of AIDS, ...