Lebelonyane R, Bachanas P, Block L, et al. - Researchers here examined if simplified ART initiation with the offer of same-day treatment could improve uptake and decrease time from clinic linkage to treatment initiation among individuals who are living with HIV, while maintaining rates of retention in care and viral suppression. Using data from the Botswana Combination Prevention Project (BCPP), they conducted a quasi-experimental before and after study. Universal HIV-treatment and same-day ART with a dolutegravir-based regimen were offered at first clinic visit to participants in the 15 intervention clusters, who were HIV-positive and not already taking ART. Implementation of this rapid ART intervention was done mid-way through the trial on June 1, 2016, allowing the assessment of the effect of rapid ART guidelines on time to ART initiation and rates of retention in care and viral suppression at 1 year in the BCPP intervention group. They evaluated 1,717 adults associated with the study clinics before rapid ART introduction and 800 after rapid ART introduction. Before the introduction of rapid ART, ART initiation was observed in 163 individuals within 1 day of linkage, in 276 within 1 week, in 839 within 1 month, and 1,532 within 1 year. One year post ART initiation, 1,472 (90·5%, 87·4–92·8) of 1627 individuals who associated in the standard ART period were in care and had a viral load of less than 400 copies per mL, compared with 578 (91·6%, 88·1–94·1) of 631 in the rapid ART period. Outcomes yield evidence supporting the WHO recommendations for rapid ART initiation, and add to the increasing evidence indicating the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of rapid ART initiation in low-income and middle-income country settings.