Elimination of HIV prevention sector under consideration by the Trump administration

That's the Trump administration It is reportedly In another move targeting government spending and HIV care, we consider eliminating the HIV prevention sector, which is part of the CDC.¹ The move could take place by the end of the week, but it is likely that the move will take some time to release.

The Trump administration has previously made moves to hinder the progress of the HIV epidemic, including scrubbing CDC websites on several pages related to HIV prevention.¹ Efforts to close the previous Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Agency for International Development (USAID). These behaviors against Pepfar and USAID can have a significant impact on HIV outcomes Worldwide Even before the potential removal of CDC splits on HIV prevention.²

Removal of CDC's HIV Prevention Division, PREP | Image Credit: wladimir1804 -stock.adobe.com

This split of the CDC is tasked with tracking HIV infections in the US, promoting testing and prevention, and conducting research centered on HIV. According to CDCthe department will improve access to HIV care and treatment in HIV affected populations, including those at high risk for HIV and those at high risk for HIV death.³ Elimination in this sector could focus less on those at the highest risk of HIV and increase the incidence and spread of HIV in vulnerable groups.

The division of HIV prevention also addresses encouraging the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP), a drug that can prevent the infection of HIV in at-risk groups. This is possible if the division is eliminated It will affect the manufacturer Create a variety of prep shapes, such as Gilead and Merck.⁴ Gilead is waiting for approval of Lenacapavir, a long-acting version of the preparation for FDA decisions, so this decision will not hinder or break the manufacturer when it comes to business related to preparations. this year.⁴

According to a statement from HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon, HHS “follows the administration's leadership, and is looking carefully at all sectors and see where it can be streamlined to support the President's broader efforts to rebuild the federal government.”¹ No final decision has been made regarding the removal of the department.

HIV treatment has come a long way since the first case was reported in the US in 1981, but there are still ways to eliminate the virus completely. There are about 1.2 million people living with HIV in the United States, but about 13% don't know about the diagnosis. In 2022, 31,800 people won HIV, and it is estimated that men who have sex with racial and ethnic minorities are at the highest risk of acquiring the virus. People living in the south are at the highest risk of infection compared to others Census Region.⁵

The elimination of the department on HIV prevention at the CDC will make HIV prevention work more difficult in the country, allowing for the reversal of progress made across the country in terms of reducing the number of cases and increasing the use of PREP in the most at-risk people. These services will be provided in the same capabilities as if the department were caught in different parts of the HHS, making the Trump administration's decisions important for the future of HIV prevention in the United States.

reference

1. The Lovelace Jr B. Trump administration is considering plans to eliminate the CDC's HIV prevention unit. NBC News. March 18, 2025. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/trump-administration-considers-plan-eliminate-cdcs-hiv-prevention-divi-rcna196946
2. Bonavitacola J. cuts into pep fur to harmful HIV outcomes in South Africa. February 13th, 2025. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://www.ajmc.com/view/cuts-to-pepfar-spell-detrimental-hiv out in-south-africa
3. About the division of HIV prevention. CDC. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/divisions/hiv-prevention.html
4. Manalak T. Trump's eyes reduce steep slopes to the CDC HIV prevention program. Biological space. March 19, 2025. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://www.biospace.com/policy/trump-eyes-teep-cuts-to-cdc-hiv-prevention-program
5. US statistics. HIV.GOV. Updated on February 21, 2025. Accessed March 19, 2025. https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics