Another strategy is to attack HIV itself. Side effects, not taking the medication consistently and cost have limited the success of drug treatment. However, HIV-infected people are living longer lives and feeling better as a result of the drug therapy. Antiretroviral drugs prevent the virus from reproducing and thus decrease the amount of virus in the body. Low levels of HIV can be controlled by the immune system.
New treatments increase the immunity of the immune system.
Though still somewhat futuristic, gene therapy holds promise for fighting HIV infection. In gene therapy, they are introduced into a cell to alter cellular processes or production of proteins.