This article offers a socio-legal panorama of the prevention and treatment of HIV / AIDS in Colombia. After introducing the reader to the subject with a few basic concepts and information about the origins, history and the current situation of HIV / AIDS at the national and international level, and presenting the problem, objectives and methodology of the research, the authors expose the main regulations, jurisprudence and public policies that have faced this social phenomenon of high impact in the country since the early 1980s. Through an archival work, legal and case analysis, and semi-structured interviews, the research team presents the posture of the Colombian state -in its executive, legislative and judicial branches- on the prevention and treatment of HIV / AIDS and the position of national experts on the subject. This text closes with some conclusions and recommendations, among which are found the Colombian state interest to react more effectively to the needs of the general population in prevention, and the needs of the HIV population in treatment and life quality. Also, the structural factors, that are visible, and affect life quality of general population, such as inequality of wealth distribution, the access barriers and the deficient quality of a social security system in health, that is unresponsive to the patient needs, many of them with chronic and high cost diseases.