People living with HIV will be allowed to enlist in Britain’s army if they no longer carry a detectable amount of the virus.
In an announcement on World AIDS Day on 1 December, the Ministry of Defence said it also plans to change the fact that those who have the virus in the army are classed as not fully fit.
Under current rules, people with HIV cannot join the armed forces and those diagnosed with the virus while serving are no longer viewed as “fully fit” and therefore banned from certain military operations.
From early 2022, serving military personnel in Britain who no longer carry a detectable viral load will be classified as fully fit and therefore able to partake in military operations.
In the past, anyone taking regular medication has typically been prohibited from joining Britain’s armed forces, but those taking drugs to lower the risk of contracting HIV, such as PrEP, will now be included in the exceptions to this rule.
Leo Docherty, Minister for Defence People and Veterans, said: “Drug treatment has revolutionised the lives and outcomes of people diagnosed with HIV. As a modern and inclusive employer, it is only right that we recognise and act on the latest scientific evidence.”
When someone living with the virus takes the right treatment, the amount of HIV in their blood can be lowered to such a level that it is undetectable and therefore untransmittable.
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