Abstract
In an era of complacency, concern exists that those who remain at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are not aware of methods of transmission and/or exposure. Awareness of the history of the epidemic is waning, and HIV has fallen off the radar of individuals and health care providers alike. Given that in some populations in the United States HIV infections are on the rise, educating individuals and health care providers on the continued risk is paramount. In addition to the many new treatments available, others are on the horizon through different levels of clinical trials. As such, this article addresses the history of HIV, the evolution of effective HIV treatments, the current treatment options available, and treatments in clinical trials.