Sheen did a second interview with Lauer, but this time he brought his personal physician, who confirmed that the actor does not have AIDS and that he was an undetectable level of HIV in his body. “I have a responsibility now to better myself and to help a lot of other people, and hopefully with whatI’m doing today, others may come forward and say, ‘Thanks, thanks, Charlie.”
An HIV-positive person can achieve undetectable levels after undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART). This means that a person’s HIV viral load makes them less likely to transmit the disease. An undetectable load reduces the likelihood of transmission by 96%. If a person continues to monitor their undetectable status and take their medications, it’s possible for the person to remain at this level. During the 4 years that Sheen has known about his diagnosis, he has never missed taking a dose of his medication. He even admitted to not doing drugs anymore, even though he still drinks alcohol.
Sheen’s diagnosis created a massive response on Twitter and many were attacking the actor and making jokes. Many came to his defense and defended the actor arguing that HIV is not something to joke about. It’s definitely sparked a debate and hopefully his diagnosis will make an impact on others who are at risk for contracting the disease.