In developed countries, drug therapy has turned HIV infection into a chronic disease. More is known about viral replication and new, easily tolerated drugs will enter the marketplace in 2007 and 2008. For the majority of patients who suffer neither resistance nor intolerance, older molecules are combined in the same pill. Very effective triple therapy, combining efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir in one pill (Atripla - Gilead) is already available in the United States and will become the standard of therapy in 2007. Since the eradication of the virus remains impossible even under effective antiretroviral therapy, the scheduled treatment interruptions as well as simplified maintenance therapies represent still a topic of interest for well selected patients, with an aim of reducing the costs and toxicities.