HIV+Hep asks senators to inquire on HHS secretary nominee’s commitment to end HIV

Points to Previous Statements that AIDS Is Not Caused by HIV

Washington, D.C… The HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, a leading national HIV and hepatitis policy organization promoting quality and affordable healthcare for people living with or at risk for HIV, hepatitis, and other serious and chronic health conditions, is urging senators to ensure that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, will uphold a commitment to science, public health, and ending HIV through robust research, treatment, and prevention programs.

In letters to Senate HELP and Finance Committee members, the organization outlined the importance of addressing domestic HIV as President Trump did in his first term with his Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, and submitted potential questions focusing on whether the nominee still believes that AIDS is not caused by HIV but by environmental factors including poppers (amyl nitrite), as he has claimed in recent years. 

Additionally, the group is interested in learning of the nominee’s commitment to preventing HIV, including the role of PrEP, which are drugs that prevent HIV, and ensuring that preventive services remain covered by private insurers without cost-sharing. Finally, the group seeks to know if he will uphold a federal court decision that requires insurers and PBMs to count prescription drug copay assistance towards patient out-of-pockets costs.

The HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute will be closely monitoring this confirmation hearing and will also be submitting suggested questions for the nomination hearings of Dr. Mehmet Oz to be the CMS Administrator and Dr. David Weldon to be the CDC Director.  All these positions are central to programs preventing and providing healthcare for people with HIV, hepatitis, and other serious health conditions.

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The HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute is a national, non-profit organization whose mission is to promote quality and affordable healthcare for people living with or at risk of HIV, hepatitis, and other serious and chronic health conditions.