Consolidated Guidelines on the Use of Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating and Preventing HIV Infection - Second Edition - Public Health Approach

Oct 4, 2026

Consolidated guidelines provide WHO recommendations for treating and preventing HIV infection using antiretroviral drugs, framed for a public health approach. The second edition emphasizes “treat-all,” removing eligibility limits for antiretroviral therapy across populations and age groups, including pregnant women and children. It supports service delivery expansion to reach people living with HIV, improve treatment quality, and strengthen integrated community-centred care. Guidance also addresses simplified regimens and operational improvements such as closer-to-home services, faster test result reporting, and closer integration with antenatal care, tuberculosis, drug dependence, and other relevant services.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages480

Reading Time20 h 10 min

AccessFree to download

Foreword

Universal access and “treat-all” approach

Service delivery expansion and integration

Operational guidance and sustainability

GUIDELINES CONSOLIDATED GUIDELINES ON THE USE OF ANTIRETROVIRAL DRUGS FOR TREATING AND PREVENTING HIV INFECTION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH SECOND EDITION 2016 CONSOLIDATED GUIDELINES ON THE USE OF ANTIRETROVIRAL DRUGS FOR TREATING AND PREVENTING HIV INFECTION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH SECOND EDITION This Guidelines contains content that was previously published in the following two documents: “Guideline on when to start antiretroviral therapy and on pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV: Early Release” Published in September 2015 “Consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection: what’s new” Policy brief-Published in November 2015; disseminated in December 2015. WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection: recommendations for a public health approach – 2nd ed. 1. HIV Infections – drug therapy. 2. HIV Infections – prevention and control. 3.Anti-Retroviral Agents – therapeutic use. 4.Guideline. I.World Health Organization. ISBN 978 92 4 154968 4 (NLM classification: WC 503. 2) © World Health Organization 2016 All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization are available on the WHO website ([www.who.int](www.who.int)) or can be purchased from WHO Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland (tel. : +41 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 4857; [e-mail: bookorders@who.int](e-mail: bookorders@who.int)) . Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications –whether for sale or for non-commercial distribution– should be addressed to WHO Press through the WHO website ([www.who.int/about/licensing/copyright_form/en/index.html](www.who.int/about/licensing/copyright_form/en/index.html)). The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters. All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use. Layout L’IV Com Sàrl, Villars-sous-Yens, Switzerland. Printed by the WHO Document Production Services, Geneva, Switzerland. FOREWORD With this update of the consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection, WHO, for the first time, recommends that all people living with HIV be provided with antiretroviral therapy (ART) . This will bring us one step closer to achieving universal access to HIV treatment and care and ending AIDS as a public health threat. These guidelines also make service delivery recommendations on how we can expand coverage of HIV treatment to reach the 37 million people living with HIV. Key recommendations aim to improve the quality of HIV treatment and bring us closer to the universal health coverage ideals of integrated services, community-centred and communityled health care approaches, and shared respons

FAQs

What is the main purpose of these consolidated WHO guidelines?

They consolidate recommendations for using antiretroviral drugs to treat and prevent HIV infection within a public health approach.

What does the “treat-all” recommendation change?

It removes limitations on eligibility for antiretroviral therapy among people living with HIV, making all populations and age groups eligible, including pregnant women and children.

Which service delivery actions are highlighted to expand coverage?

The guidelines recommend expanding coverage through integrated, community-centred approaches, improving the quality of HIV treatment, delivering services closer to people’s homes, expediting reporting of test results, and integrating HIV treatment with antenatal, tuberculosis, and other services.

Oct 4, 2026

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