HIV

Drug use increases risk for getting or passing on viral infections because certain viruses can spread through blood or body fluids shared in drug use and related activity. This happens with men and women, primarily in two ways: (1) when people inject drugs and share needles or other drug equipment, and (2) when drugs impair judgment and people have unprotected sex with a person living with HIV. NIDA’s AIDS Research Program supports an innovative and multidisciplinary HIV/AIDS research portfolio.