Sweden offers excellent care for people living with HIV. Treatment is modern, completely free, and highly effective.
The System
Under the Communicable Diseases Act (Smittskyddslagen), all HIV treatment and monitoring is free of charge. Care is centralized at infectious disease clinics (infektionsmottagning) rather than primary care GPs.
- In Stockholm: Care is primarily at Karolinska (Huddinge or Solna) or Venhälsan at Södersjukhuset.
- Outside Stockholm: Care is handled by the regional infektionsmottagning.
Your Rights and Responsibilities
- Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U): Sweden officially recognizes U=U. If you are on effective treatment with an undetectable viral load, you are no longer legally required to disclose your status to sexual partners under Smittskyddslagen.
- Free Treatment: Your antiretroviral therapy (ART) and all related medical visits and blood tests are free.
- Confidentiality: Your HIV status is strictly confidential. Your employer does not have the right to know your status.
Support Services
- Noaks Ark: The leading national HIV organization offering counseling, legal advice, peer support, and social activities. (noaksark.org)
- Posithiva Gruppen (PG): A patient organization run by and for people living with HIV, providing strong community support, especially for gay and bisexual men. (posithivagruppen.se)
- RFSL: Provides general support and counseling for LGBTQ individuals.