HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is one of the world’s most serious public health challenges. But there is a global commitment to stopping new HIV infections and ensuring that everyone with HIV has access to HIV treatment.

According to UNAIDSExit Disclaimer:

Number of People with HIV—There were approximately 38.4 million people across the globe with HIV in 2021. Of these, 36.7 million were adults and 1.7 million were children (<15 years old). In addition, 54% were women and girls.

New HIV Infections—An estimated 1.5 million individuals worldwide acquired HIV in 2021, marking a 32% decline in new HIV infections since 2010. New HIV infections, or “HIV incidence,” refers to the estimated number of people who newly acquired HIV during a given period such as a year, which is different from the number of people diagnosed with HIV during a year. (Some people may have HIV but not know it.) Of these

——1.5 million new HIV infections:

——1.3 million were among adults

——160,000 were among children (<15 years old)

AIDS-related Deaths—AIDS-related deaths have been reduced by 68% since the peak in 2004. In 2021, around 650,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses worldwide, compared to 2 million people in 2004 and 1.4 million in 2010.

Tenofovir, the HIV drug used in tenofovir-based microbicides, belongs to a class of HIV drugs called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). NRTIs block an HIV enzyme called reverse transcriptase. By blocking reverse transcriptase, NRTIs prevent HIV from multiplying and from spreading to other cells.

Diethyl (tosyloxy)methylphosphonate is an antiviral agent and a Tenofovir intermediate. Tenofovir is an acyclic phosphonate nucleotide analogue and reverse transcriptase inhibitor used as an anti-HIV agent.