Socio-Economic Impact of Antiretroviral Treatment in HIV patients. An Economic Review of Cost Savings after Introduction of HAART

Star celebrities such as Rock Hudson, Freddie Mercury, Magic Johnson, and Isaac Asimov have unfortunatelysomething in common: they were all victims of the HIV global pandemic.Since then HIV infection has become considered a pandemic disease, and it is regarded as a priorityin healthcare worldwide. It is ranked as the first cause of death among young people in industrializedcountries, and it is recognized as a public healthcare problem due to its human, social, mass media,and economic impact.Incorporation of new and highly active antiretroviral treatment, available since 1996 for HIV/AIDS treatment,has provoked a radical change in the disease pattern, as well as in the impact on patient survival andquality of life. The pharmaceutical industry’s contribution, based on the research for more active newdrugs, has been pivotal. Mortality rates have decreased significantly in 20 years by 50% and now AIDSis considered a chronic and controlled disease. In this review we have studied the impact of HAARTtreatment on infected patients, allowing them to maintain their status as active workers and thedecreased absenteeism from work derived from this, contributing ultimately to overall social wealthand, thus, to economic growth. Furthermore, an analysis of the impact on healthcare costs, quality oflife per year, life per year gained, cost economic savings and cost opportunity among other parametershas shown that society and governments are gaining major benefits from the inclusion of antiretroviraltherapies in HIV/AIDS patients.