The Trump administration has been weighing the idea of cutting federal funding for HIV prevention, in a departure from his first term. According to the CDC, as of 2022, around 1.2 million people in the United States have HIV, and 31,800 people were newly diagnosed. These numbers represent the continuing decline of HIV cases in the 21st century. Since 2018, the amount of people diagnosed has dropped by 12% or 4,400 estimated annual cases.
While it is treatable, HIV is near impossible to cure, meaning those who contract it often live with the virus for the rest of their lives. NPR notes that only seven people have been cured of HIV.
An HIV diagnosis can often be devastating for individuals. A study by the National Library of Medicine reveals people with HIV, on average, spend $33,921 or more annually on medical expenses than individuals without HIV. The CDC also reports that people with HIV experience social stigma due to their condition.
Since President Donald Trump has taken office, many federal jobs and programs have been partially or heavily cut back. One of the programs proposed to be cut is the CDC’s division on HIV prevention. This division oversees diagnoses, prevention and treatment for HIV cases by collecting data on the disease and investing in community organizations.
One such organization, Texas Health Action, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides medical services to individuals with HIV through clinics in Central Texas, has actively spoken out against any form of cuts to HIV funding.
In a recent statement released by Texas Health Action, the organization says, “tThe proposed cuts to federal funding for HIV prevention and the elimination of the CDC’s HIV Prevention Division are reckless and dangerous. These changes would undo decades of progress in the fight against HIV, directly increasing new infections and putting countless lives at risk—especially here in Texas, where our state leads the nation in new HIV diagnoses. HIV prevention is a proven, cost-effective public health strategy. Reducing funding doesn’t save money—it leads to more infections and higher long-term healthcare costs. Nearly 5,000 Texans were diagnosed with HIV in 2022 alone. Cutting these essential programs now would be catastrophic for communities that rely on them.”
NBC News reports the CDC’s HIV program could transfer to the Health and Human Services department. However, the CEO of AIDS United Jesse Milan notes that the HHS primarily deals with the treatment of HIV rather than the actual prevention of it.
This proposal marks a significant departure from Trump’s approach to addressing HIV in his first term. In his 2019 State of the Union, Trump expressed his desire to “eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years.” He promptly launched the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative, which sought to reduce new HIV infections from 75% to 90% by 2030.
Cuts to funding for prevention would significantly impact Texas. As reported by CDC, 4,896 Texans were diagnosed with HIV in 2022, making it the state with the highest number of new cases that year.
Much worse, while new cases for HIV had generally decreased, Hispanic/ Latino communities saw a 17% increase between 2018 and 2022. Hispanic people diagnosed with HIV have also received the least amount of care for the disease. In addition, Hispanic and African American populations accounted for 70% of new HIV cases while only representing approximately 30% of the U.S. population.
Details continue to unfold for what the cuts to HIV prevention or transfer from the CDC to HHS could look like. In a continuation of their statement, Texas Health Action “remain[s] steadfast in [their] mission to provide affirming healthcare, including HIV prevention, testing and treatment” and “urge[s] our elected officials to reject these cuts and protect the vital programs that keep our communities healthy.”
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