A coalition of employers, the US Business Action to End HIV, sent a letter to Congress outlining the continued need for support from the federal government.
This is the second in a series on the state of HIV today.
In late February, The US Business Action to End HIV, the largest coalition of employers dedicated to ending the HIV epidemic in the United States, sent a letter to Congress urging them to prioritize sustained federal funding for HIV prevention and treatment and underscoring the business sector’s commitment to advancing public health and ensuring progress in the fight against HIV.
“We have two goals, one to get people who are living with HIV on treatment, and two, to prevent new acquisition of HIV,” said Carl Schmid, Executive Director, HIV + Hepatitis Policy Institute.
The letter warns that funding freezes and grant delays could threaten hard-won progress, reversing declines in new HIV infections and exacerbating health disparities. Business leaders are calling on Congress to maintain investments in HIV research, prevention, and access to care, emphasizing that ending the epidemic is both a moral and economic imperative.
More specifically, the Coalition urges Congress to:
“We saw a pretty steady decrease in the number of new HIV infections in this country between 2018 and 2022 but this progress is fragile, and reductions in funding or rollbacks and policy efforts could really risk a resurgence in new HIV infections and in preventable deaths, which would undermine all of the hard won gains that we've made,” said Steven Levine co-founder and co-CEO of the US Business Action to End HIV.
This is part of an ongoing news series on HIV and looking at various elements around it including funding, prevention, and treatment.
Check out this article from the series:
HIV Prevention: Discussing PrEP, PEP, and Vaccine Development
In terms of the business sector and their role in addressing these issues, Levine says companies have an opportunity to create a comfortable environment, to be able to have employers communicate with their employees about HIV, as well as what types of health plans they offer.
“There is an opportunity for employers to share trusted information about HIV, including how to prevent infection. There's an opportunity for employers to create workplaces where employees feel comfortable talking about HIV, asking questions, and also workplaces where employees have access to the very best care and prevention,” Levine said. “Employers play a really important role in determining health care plans that employees are offered for employees who might not be covered by their insurer. They could also provide information to employees about how they can access the social safety net of services that are available.”
“The community can advocate for ourselves, but I think it's really helpful, particularly in this time period, to have additional voices, including those of the business community,” Schmid said. “They can go into congressional offices and places where perhaps the community doesn't have the same footing.”
