“HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute fully supports the PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2021 and urges Congress to swiftly pass it. It addresses many of the coverage and affordability issues responsible for low uptake of PrEP and will be essential as new PrEP drugs become available. While there are government programs for people living with HIV and other prevention programs, there isn’t a comprehensive nationwide program for PrEP,” said Carl Schmid, Executive Director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute.
Hopeful Signs of Progress in Ending HIV in the United States: New Biden Strategic Plan & Congressional Bills to Establish National PrEP Programs
“As we mark World AIDS Day on December 1st, despite all the recent setbacks due to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, there is hope on the horizon for ending HIV in the United States,” said Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute. “President Biden is set to release an updated National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan and several bills have been or are about to be introduced in Congress to establish a national PrEP program to prevent HIV. Additionally, Congress is poised to increase funding for domestic HIV programs for the year ahead. Taken together, these are hopeful signs. However, for these well-intentioned plans to be implemented, much work still needs to occur.”
Senate Appropriations leadership proposes significant increases for domestic HIV programs: Hepatitis programs left flat-funded
The leadership of the United States Senate Appropriations Committee is proposing to significantly increase funding to continue to ramp up efforts to end HIV in the United States. Like the House, the Senate bills include increased funding for the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative by at least $245 million for domestic HIV testing, prevention, treatment, and research programs. This matches the amount proposed in President Biden’s budget.
From the office of Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman: Reps. Watson Coleman, Barbara Lee, Schiff, Jones Reintroduce PrEP Assistance Program Act
“HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute fully supports this bill and urges Congress to swiftly pass it. While there are government programs for people living with HIV and other prevention programs, there isn’t a comprehensive nationwide program for PrEP,” said Executive Director Carl Schmid. “The PrEP Assistance Program Act would help fill that void by providing grants to states, community-based organizations, community health centers, and others to establish and support PrEP programs. Not only would these programs provide PrEP and associated medical services, but also much needed community and provider outreach programs.”
PrEP4All and the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute Lead National call to end ban on PrEP services spending with CDC grant funding
Today, PrEP4ALL with HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute submitted a letter of over 60 signatures of leading HIV organizations calling on the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) to request the CDC to reverse its decision to prohibit the use of CDC prevention funds to pay for the additional costs of PrEP, including provider visits, labs for screening and monitoring.