South Australia to Offer Free HIV Treatment from July 2025
Adelaide, SA – From July 1, 2025, antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV will be available at no cost from public hospital pharmacies in South Australia, regardless of a patient's Medicare status. The state government will spend approximately $213,000 annually to fund the program, a key step in the national goal to eliminate HIV transmission by 2030.
"Access to treatment should not depend on financial status."
— SA Health Minister Blair Boyer
Background
- ART emerged in 1996 and stops HIV from replicating, allowing people to live longer, healthier lives.
- Over 30,000 Australians live with HIV, almost all of whom take ART.
- ART is already free in most of Australia; previously, South Australians paid up to $30 per month for the medication.
Voices from the Community
Kath Leane, diagnosed with HIV in 1987 and president of Positive Life SA, noted that inability to afford medication has prevented some from adhering to treatment.
SA Health Minister Blair Boyer stated that stigma may have previously delayed free access, but that the new policy reflects a clear principle: access to treatment should not depend on financial status.
Holley Skene, CEO of SHINE SA, described the science behind the policy as a "prevention revolution," citing the evidence that an undetectable viral load prevents transmission to sexual partners and during pregnancy.
Clinical Context
ART reduces viral load to undetectable levels, which effectively eliminates the risk of transmitting HIV to sexual partners or during pregnancy.
Important note: The policy currently applies only to public hospital pharmacies. Community pharmacy access is expected within 12 months.