For Immediate Release From HIV.Gov!
Forty years ago June 5th, five young men in Los Angeles were confirmed as the first known patients stricken with an illness that the world would later come to know as AIDS. In the decades since, more than 700,000 Americans and 32.7 million people worldwide have been lost to AIDS-related illnesses – a heartbreaking human toll that has disproportionately devastated LGBTQ+ communities, communities of color, and underserved and marginalized people around the world.
On the 40th year of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, we remember the lives that were cut short by this terrible disease – including so many whose pain went unacknowledged for far too long. We also celebrate the resilience and dignity of the over 38 million people worldwide, including approximately 1.2 million Americans, living with HIV.
Thanks to the tireless dedication of activists, scientific researchers, and medical professionals, we have made tremendous progress to advance HIV research, prevention, treatment, and care. And after years of neglect, discrimination, fear-mongering, and limited action by government officials and the public, America has grown to become a leading force in the fight to end the HIV crisis. Through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief – and as the largest donor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria – the U.S. has invested more than $85 billion since 2002 to support HIV programs around the world, including $250 million provided in my American Rescue Plan to address the impacts of COVID-19 on our progress in the fight against HIV. All told, these efforts are estimated to have saved more than 20 million lives globally. To help accelerate and strengthen our efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the United States, I have requested $670 million from Congress, an increase of $267 million over previous levels, to aggressively reduce new HIV cases by increasing access to treatment, expanding the use of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and ensuring equitable access to services free from stigma and discrimination.
Despite the progress we’ve made, our work is not yet finished. In honor of all those we have lost and all those living with the virus – and the selfless caregivers, advocates, and loved ones who have helped carry the burden of this crisis – we must rededicate ourselves to reducing HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths. We must continue empowering researchers, scientists, and health care providers to ensure equitable access to prevention, care, and treatment in every community – particularly for communities of color and the LGBTQ+ community. And we must provide moral leadership to eradicate the stigma and discrimination still faced by those living with HIV, rededicating ourselves to continuing the vital work of ending this epidemic once and for all.
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Ending the HIV Epidemic: Ready, Set, PrEP
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP) medications are prescription medications that people take daily to significantly reduce their risk of acquiring HIV through s*x. PrEP can stop HIV from taking hold and spreading throughout the body. Two medications are FDA-approved for use as PrEP: TRUVADA and DESCOVY. When taken daily, PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV from s*x.
The Ready, Set, PrEP program makes PrEP medication available at no cost for qualifying recipients. To receive PrEP medication through this program, you must:
Lack prescription drug coverage
Be tested for HIV with a negative result
Have a prescription for PrEP
Talk to your healthcare provider or find a provider at HIV.gov Locator to find out if PrEP is right for you.
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NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY:
First observed on June 27, 1995, National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) is a day to encourage people to get tested for HIV, know their status, and get linked to care and treatment.
The 2020 theme -- “Knowing” -- focuses on knowing’s one HIV status, and recognizes new ways to take an HIV test, and reflects that we can continue the momentum toward Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America.
“Knowing” can mean knowing about treatment options and understanding prevention options, including PrEP, which is available through the Ready Set PrEP Program.
This year self-testing is an option when facility-based services and in-person contact are limited.
Event-Planning Guide:
https://www.hiv.gov/events/awareness-days/... Social Media Kit:
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/awareness/... HIV Testing Sites/Locations:
https://locator.hiv.gov/
Posted By: agnes levine
Monday, June 7th 2021 at 12:44PM
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