_"We’re at that point we’re at a really historical moment with this.” — Experts say HIV is no longer a terminal illness._ _According to the World Health Organization, 42.3 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the beginning of the epidemic. But medical science has brought an end to the worst ravages of the virus._ _People with HIV had a life expectancy of just 39 in 1996. In 2011, the life expectancy was 72 — the same as individuals without HIV._ _Today, people living with HIV who have access to treatment can expect to live as long as their peers who do not have HIV. For most patients, it's a chronic disease, much like diabetes or heart disease. “It means likely you can have a normal lifespan and have a similar life to someone who does not have HIV,” says Dr. Ray Martins, chief medical officer at Whitman-Walker Health in Washington._ _How did we achieve this? Antiretroviral therapy (ART) largly transformed HIV from a fatal infection into a chronic disease that can be managed. ART reduces the amount of HIV in the blood to undetectable levels, which also prevents the virus from being sexually transmitted._ _And while it is true that many people lack access to treatment, this is a political and social problem — sadly, not something that can be solved by the medical sciences. So while we still have a ways to go, scientists have done their very best. Now, it is up to those in power to ensure individuals have the necessary access._ Learn more: https://www.cnn.com/2013/12/01/health/hiv-today/index.html