HIV+Hep in the News

People of color could experience even greater risks of HIV as a debt ceiling deal between the Democrats and Republicans would possibly slash tens of billions of dollars from the public health sector which funds “testing, case investigation and treatment of HIV and other STDs.” Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute argues that all of these factors are exacerbating the crisis. “This will result in new infections, more people living with HIV, and the need to provide lifetime care and treatment,” Schmid said.

Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, warned that cuts to public health funding in a potential debt ceiling deal between the Biden administration and congressional Republicans could have dire consequences for HIV testing, case investigation, and treatment. “This will result in new infections, more people living with HIV and the need to provide lifetime care and treatment,” Schmid said.

“It appears that our investments in HIV prevention are providing some positive results, but the persistent high number of new diagnoses and the low usage of PrEP among the communities most impacted by HIV point to the need for increased resources, particularly for a national PrEP program,” Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, said in a statement. “While there have been some increases, they have not been at the level needed to put the U.S. on a path to end HIV.”

A yet-to-be-finalized debt ceiling deal between Democrats and Republicans could mean tens of billions of dollars of cuts to public health funding for testing, case investigation and treatment of HIV and other STDs. “This will result in new infections, more people living with HIV and the need to provide lifetime care and treatment,” warned Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute.