Antiretroviral therapy in HIV infection: are we using resources appropriately and cost effectively?

The provision of antiretroviral therapy to HIV-positive patients attending the Department of Genitourinary Medicine at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh was assessed, to examine whether clinicians were offering treatment in line with the departmental protocol. A total of 195 patients attended in 1998, of whom 169 fulfilled the protocol criteria for treatment. Although only 115 of these were on therapy, no patient who fulfilled treatment criteria and wished to be treated was denied treatment. Of the 26 patients not fulfilling any treatment criteria, 9 had transferred in from another unit already on treatment. The remaining 17 were not on treatment.