Convenience and Daily Life
Whether to choose pills or injections for your HIV treatment largely comes down to personal preference, says Dr. Chow. “Some people don’t like needles, so in those cases [injections] wouldn’t be a good fit,” he says. “And there are people who have a phobia of pills, and that pushes them toward the injectable.”
Convenience and daily life habits play a significant role for people when they’re deciding between the treatment options.
“There are patients who have been waiting their entire lives to not have to take a daily pill for HIV,” says Jill Blumenthal, MD, an infectious disease specialist with UC San Diego Health. For some people, switching to injectables provides a greater sense of freedom and fewer reminders of their HIV status.
“So even if it means they have other medications they’re taking every day, the idea of getting rid of one of those, or more than one, is such a bonus for them.”
For other people, daily pills are more convenient because they don’t need to show up at a clinic, which can be more difficult if you have an unpredictable schedule, a long commute, or stigma-related concerns about being seen in an HIV clinic.
“These aren’t injections that can be done at home,” Dr. Blumenthal says. “So it means being able to say, ‘Yes, I can go to the clinic 6 to 12 times a year,’ and stay within the dosing window.” The best option for you is the one you can maintain consistently without skipping pills or injections.
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