Time to Engage Young People in HIV Cure Research

Antiretroviral treatments successfully suppress and control HIV but cannot eliminate the virus. In recent years, much research has gone into developing a cure for HIV. This research comes with significant risks and limited clinical benefits to study participants. Little is known about the knowledge, willingness, motivations, and barriers of participating in HIV cure-related research. This is particularly true among young people living with HIV (YLWH), despite those <30 years having the highest HIV infection rates in the United States. YLWH have experienced a different phase of the HIV epidemic from their older counterparts. To guide HIV cure research development, more resources need to be directed toward understanding the perspectives of YLWH and meaningfully involving them in research. As the field of HIV cure research continues to grow and innovate, it is critical that we proactively engage YLWH as they will soon be at the forefront of decision making toward ending the HIV epidemic.