Which statements are TRUE regarding the initiation of antiretroviral therapy?

The statement that it must combine agents from different classes is true because antiretroviral therapy (ART) is designed to suppress the HIV virus effectively while minimizing the risk of developing resistance. By using medications from different classes, the therapy can target multiple stages of the HIV life cycle, thereby enhancing its efficacy. This multi-class approach helps to ensure that if the virus develops resistance to one medication, the other medications in the regimen will still be effective.

In modern practice, the standard recommendation is usually to start treatment with a regimen that includes at least three antiretroviral medications: typically consisting of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) combined with a third agent, which may be an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), or a protease inhibitor (PI). This strategy not only safeguards against resistance but also ensures a comprehensive approach to viral suppression.

Regarding the other statements, they do not align with the established guidelines for initiating ART. Using only new drug combinations might miss out on effective older drugs that work well in combination. Including at least two of the same drug type is contrary to the objective of preventing resistance and achieving effective viral load suppression. Additionally