BAN study: Giving ART to mothers or ARV prophylaxis to infants during breastfeeding equally effective at reducing HIV transmission

"Maternal antiretroviral therapy (ART) or infant prophylaxis during the time of breastfeeding are equally safe and effective in reducing post-natal mother-to-child transmission of HIV, Dr Charles Chasela of the University of North Carolina Project in Lilongwe, Malawi, reported to the Fifth International AIDS Society conference on Wednesday.

"He presented the findings of the Breastfeeding, Antiretroviral and Nutrition (BAN) Study as a late-breaker at IAS 2009 in Cape Town - making it the fifth major study at the conference evaluating ways to make it possible for an HIV-infected mother to breastfeed her infant without passing on HIV."

Read more in Aidsmap, July 24, 2009.