Biden is proposing a $46 million increase to the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Programs and $20 million for HUD’s Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program. However, no increases were planned for hepatitis programs.
After watching the swift success story of COVID-19 vaccines, researchers and advocates are hopeful renewed funding and vaccine advances might finally lead to an end to the devastating 40-year-old AIDS epidemic.
Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, said in a statement Biden is “demonstrating his commitment to ending HIV in the United States” in [his FY2022] budget request to Congress.
President Joe Biden has requested Congress spend an additional $670 million on measures to fight HIV in the U.S., including access to PrEP and treatment.
“If we are to implement the national strategic plan to eliminate hepatitis and do it by 2030, as the president supports, we are going to need a significant commitment of resources and the leadership to make it happen,” said Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, in a press release. “Unfortunately, that is not going to happen with this budget proposal.”