What is the Partner 2 study?
Partner 2 is a continuation of the Partner 1 study in which serodifferent couples were monitored - one partner is HIV positive and the other negative - to assess the risk of HIV transmission in the case of an HIV positive person on ARV therapy. The Partner 2 study aimed to follow up more precisely the male-male couples who made up 38% of the respondents in the Partner study.
How many participants did the Partner 2 study have?
The study included 972 serodiverse male-male couples, who were monitored for 2.0 years (median).
What were the criteria for the participants in the Partner 2 study?
Some of the study criteria were: sex without using condoms and PrEP, performing regular laboratory tests, using ARV therapy by the HIV-positive partner, while maintaining viral suppression at <200 copies/mL of plasma.
What are the results of the Partner 2 study?
At the end of the study, 800 couples who met the prescribed criteria were analyzed. Over 76,000 unprotected sexual relations were reported. There was no HIV infection of any of the negative partners that could be linked to the HIV positive partner through phylogenetic testing.
The calculated estimate of the transmission rate over 100 years is 0.00 (0.00 – 0.23) for unprotected anal sex between men who have sex with men.
Why is the Partner 2 study important?
The Partner 2 study definitively confirmed that U=U and launched campaigns to raise awareness and fight against stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.