More than half of people with HIV/AIDS have skipped or quit taking their medication, with some citing the drugs’ severe side effects as a reason, a survey by an HIV/AIDS civic service group showed.
The Taiwan Lourdes Association conducted a survey of 204 people with HIV/AIDS this year, of whom 83.2 percent take at least two types of medicine for treatment every day and 45.5 percent take them more than twice a day.
However, 52.6 percent of respondents said they have missed doses or stopped taking their medication for reasons including forgetting to do so because of work; losing track of time; severe side effects; eating at irregular times; and being afraid of being seen taking medication.
Yang Chia-jui (楊家瑞), an attending physician at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital’s Department of Infectious Diseases, said that about 10 to 20 percent of people with HIV/AIDS might suffer side effects — such as dizziness, headaches, diarrhea, fatigue and vomiting — from taking some commonly prescribed drugs.
The survey showed that 31.6 percent of respondents said the drugs’ side effects have affected their job performance, and 15.3 percent said they have been forced to leave or change jobs as a result.
Association secretary-general Paul Hsu (徐森杰) said that although not every person taking medication suffers from side effects, it has affected the daily lives of many who take them.
Some people with HIV/AIDS also worry that they will be discriminated against or stigmatized if people see them taking their medication, Hsu said.
Yang said that drugs for treating HIV/AIDS have been effective in controlling the virus, but if patients do not take them regularly or stop taking them altogether, their immune systems might become weaker and they might develop other complications.
Patients should discuss with their doctors if side effects from prescription drugs are intolerable, he said, adding that new first-line drugs approved since June cause fewer side effects.
Hsu suggested that patients use smartphone apps or specialized pill cases, or ask friends or relatives to help remind them to take their medication on time.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
Taiwan successfully defended its women’s 540 kilogram title and won its first-ever men’s 640 kg title at the 2026 World Indoor Tug of War Championships in Taipei yesterday. In the women’s event, Taiwan’s eight-person squad reached the final following a round-robin preliminary round and semifinals featuring teams from Ukraine, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Basque Country and South Korea. In the finals, they swept the Basque team 2-0, giving the team composed mainly of National Taiwan Normal University students and graduates its second championship in a row, and its fourth in five years. Team captain
RSS