Charlie Sheen has had HIV for years but his position now is that he beat the disease because it's undetectable in his system.

According to TMZ,

Our sources say Charlie has known for more than 2 years that he was HIV positive ... and one source says he's known way longer than that. We're told Charlie was taking meds for the HIV and has had a series of blood tests, and over time, the virus has been "undetectable" in his system. 

We're told Charlie freely admits he's had scores of sexual partners
over the years, many of whom had intimate relations with him after his diagnosis. The implication here is clear ... Charlie is saying he didn't deceive anyone, since the blood tests did not reveal the presence of HIV. 

Doctors beg to differ and say once someone has HIV they have it for life, at least until medicine advances.

Charlie Sheen will reveal to the world that he's HIV positive this Tuesday on "Today." He had kept his HIV status under wraps, but everything unraveled when some former partners threatened him with lawsuits. Charlie had confided in several friends he thought were confidants that he had HIV only for them to turn on him and spread the word he was HIV positive.

That led to several of Charlie's former partners contacting him and threatening a lawsuit because they were unaware of his status when they had interaction with him. Charlie settled several of the cases and, in return for money, got confidentiality agreements. One of the settlements occurred late last month.

Sheen, one time the highest-paid actor on television, was fired from Two and a Half Men in 2011. His personal life has also made headlines, including reports about alcohol and drug abuse and marital problems, as well as allegations of domestic violence.