Advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) have transformed HIV into a manageable chronic condition with near-normal life expectancy. Swiss AIDS advocacy highlights that, with effective treatment, people living with HIV have the same life expectancy as people without HIV, and that sustained viral suppression makes HIV non-transmissible, in line with the “U=U” principle, which means that an undetectable viral load cannot transmit HIV. Building on global momentum to end AIDS, UNAIDS has set ambitious targets for 2030, aiming for 95% of people with HIV to be diagnosed, 95% of those diagnosed to receive treatment, and 95% of those treated to achieve viral suppression. Similarly, Switzerland’s Federal Council has adopted a national strategy with the goal of zero new HIV transmissions by 2030.
However, funding cuts announced at the beginning of 2025 have forced the Federal Office of Public Health to scale back several activities, putting progress toward these goals at risk. At present, Switzerland lacks an up-to-date and comprehensive cost analysis of HIV. The most recent detailed estimate, based on data from 1998, placed the annual social cost—including direct medical and indirect costs—at approximately 443 million CHF, with drug costs accounting for the largest share. This analysis, however, is more than two decades old and predates many modern therapies and care practices. Recent international studies show that each new HIV infection generates substantial lifetime costs, with a median estimate of around 378,000 USD in high-income settings, and that insufficient prevention leads to high cumulative expenditures. There is therefore a clear need for an updated, Swiss-specific economic assessment to inform future HIV resource allocation.
This project will conduct a comprehensive cost-of-illness analysis to quantify the economic burden of HIV in Switzerland, addressing the following questions:
Prof. Dr. Alexander Geissler, Dr. Irene Salvi, Enqi Fu
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GILEAD Sciences Switzerland Sàrl
October 2025 – June 2026