HIV i-Base: Stopping ART safely if your clinic is closed or runs out of meds: a practical guide

HIV i-Base released a practical guide for an emergency situation in case some people living with HIV have to stop treatment. For example, if the HIV clinic is closed or runs out of medicines.

Since January 2025, changes to US international funding forced HIV clinics in many countries to close overnight. Some people had to stop treatment without even seeing a health worker. This is a crisis that none of us expected.

It might take some countries time to find new ways to provide ART. Also, even when some grants are saved, HIV services might still be disrupted for a while.

For anyone currently on ART, the idea of having to stop treatment is very stressful. We know it is important to be on ART. We take this seriously. We know that we need to not miss doses. This is for our own health and also protects our partners if they are HIV negative.

Although these things are all true, and it would be better to stay on treatment, stopping ART for a short time will only be a low risk for many people.

This guide explains the different risks involved for different people. It includes why stopping ART will sometimes be safe and sometimes a high risk.

The information in this guide might be needed now or in a future emergency. For example, if your clinic runs out of meds, or needs to change your meds, or if your government takes a few months to organise funding.

It also includes information about how to safely stop ART and how to restart. How to know whether this might be a high or low risk. Also, options for how to make HIV meds last longer.

Although it is not ideal, many people are working hard to find ways to make sure that any break in ART will just be for a short time.

Access the practical guide here.