NEW FUNDING FOR SCIENCE-BASED HIV PREVENTION


  • Reduce new HIV infections by investing at least $1 billion a year for science-based HIV prevention strategies through the CDC; ensure all HIV testing initiatives include a link to guaranteed HIV treatment and prevention services.

$1 billion a year in federal funding for science-based prevention strategies through the CDC would go a long way in reversing emerging trends in HIV infection rates, as would ensuring that expanded access to voluntary HIV testing includes counseling and linkage to guaranteed care.

The percentage of overall domestic HIV/AIDS spending dedicated to prevention has shrunk drastically over the past several years. In 1995, HIV-prevention funding accounted for 10% of overall HIV/AIDS domestic spending. By 2002, this proportion had fallen to 7% and by 2006 to around 4%.

It is difficult to surpass the success of holding ground at 40,000 new infections each year when the fiscal resources are not made available to invest in prevention. With a shifting epidemic that we are still trying to understand, AIDS-service organizations and other community-based groups are left to meet new and rising demands with fewer resources. The next President needs to reverse this trend.

The Centers for Disease Control is the largest implementer of HIV prevention programs in the nation. However, due to continued cuts in the CDC's budget over the past several years, they do not have the capacity to implement the HIV prevention strategies that have been proven effective, nor do they have the resources needed to develop new strategies.

These strategies are needed more now than ever, as initiatives to increase HIV testing will result in a greater need for prevention services for those who test negative and greater access to treatment and care for those who test positive.

Increasing the investment towards the CDC will improve the public health response to the domestic epidemic, will facilitate the establishment of linkages to prevention and treatment services following HIV testing, and will ensure that testing does not supplant other prevention activities.

Links and Resources

How Is Science Used in HIV Prevention?: http://www.caps.ucsf.edu/pubs/FS/usingscience.php

What works best in sex education? http://www.caps.ucsf.edu/pubs/FS/revsexed.php

AIDS education at school: http://www.avert.org/school.htm

HIV Interventions in Youth: http://www.fhi.org/en/HIVAIDS/pub/fact/hivinterven.htm

Breaking the Promise: The Politics of HIV Prevention: http://www.siecus.org/policy/SpecialReports/sr0002.html