HIV Quad Pill 'May Improve Care'

A new once-a-day pill which combines four HIV drugs into a single daily treatment is safe and effective, according to a US study. It is hoped the four-in-one "quad pill" will make it easier for patients to stick to their medication, improving the effects of their treatment. A study in the Lancet said it could be an "important new treatment option". A UK expert said the pill was "great news" and was part of a movement towards once-daily doses. HIV is incurable, but managing the infection requires combination therapy - multiple drugs used to control the virus. This can mean taking several pills at different times of the day - and missing them means the body can lose the fight against the virus. Researchers and drug companies have combined some drugs into single pills so that taking the correct medication at the right time of day is easier. The quad pill is the first to include a type of anti-HIV drug known as an integrase inhibitor, which stops the virus replicating.