Abstract

HIV/AIDS (acquired immune deficient syndrome), a human infectious disease was once listed as the No. 1 disease killer in US (1993). After the invention of antiviral drug cocktails-high active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), most HIV-infected patients can survive much longer than with single antiviral drugs or vaccines alone. However, it turns out to be a chronic disease owing to being incapable to eradicate HIV from infectious patients. Furthermore, potential newly outbreak of HIV epidemics caused by widespread drug-resistance or viral mutations is still looming over the globe. In order to counteract these drawbacks and possibilities of HAART, many hurdles must be passed. More creative and revolutionary ideas and worldwide cooperation efforts among academics, drug developers and governmental funding bodies must be encouraged and promoted. In this perspective, many important drawbacks and weaknesses relating to HIV/AIDS therapies are outlined and possible future solutions are highlighted.

Keywords: AIDS, animal model, antiviral drug patent, antiviral therapy, drug toxicity, drug resistance, HAART, HIV, HIV infection, human genome, human immunity, medicinal chemistry, traditional Chinese medicine, vaccine, viral pathology, virus therapy.

Graphical Abstract