Same‐day and rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy in people living with HIV in Asia. How far have we come?

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to be a major public health issue, and the effectiveness of HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care varies, particularly in the Asia‐Pacific region. The rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is important to control the HIV epidemic and to optimize the health of people living with HIV; many guidelines now recommend ART initiation within 7 days of HIV diagnosis, with same‐day initiation for people diagnosed with HIV who feel ready. Many countries in the Asia‐Pacific region have already implemented or are moving towards implementation of rapid or same‐day ART initiation. However, there are many obstacles and challenges to its implementation, which vary substantially across the region. This article summarizes the latest evidence on rapid and same‐day ART initiation and discusses lessons learned and barriers to implementation in Asian countries, particularly focusing on Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, and the Republic of Korea.