The main driver of AIDS‐related mortality and AIDS occurrence reduction are, on one hand, the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy and, on the other hand, the achievement of a full immunological recovery with values of CD4+ T‐cell count > 500 cells/mm3 and a CD4+/CD8+ ratio ≥ 1.11, 12, 13, 14. The gene discussed is CD8A; the disease is AIDS.