Passive immunotherapy is a term for giving someone preformed antibodies.
Initial attempts at using passive immunotherapy for HIV infection, including the use of monoclonal antibodies, were not very successful. This may be in part because HIV mutates rapidly, and can quickly find it's way around antibodies. This may at least solve the first problem, though it remains to be seen whether even these antibodies will have much effect on established infection. For example, they might be used in health care workers after they have been stuck by needles containing HIV-infected blood to try to prevent HIV transmission. Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material.