HIV Medication Access Act
This bill, titled the HIV Medication Access Act, would amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to change how the United States funds and defines HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment activities. The key shifts are: (1) designating certain HIV/AIDS prevention activities as core, life-saving humanitarian assistance; (2) adding HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications to the list of prevention options funded by foreign assistance; and (3) broadening the definition of at-risk populations to include those identified through a World Health Organization–designated, science-based analysis. The overall aim is to expand access to HIV prevention and treatment in U.S.-funded programs, particularly in humanitarian or emergency settings, by elevating PrEP and broader at-risk populations within core assistance criteria. In practical terms, the bill would likely make PrEP funding a standard part of eligible HIV/AIDS programs abroad, treat certain prevention activities as core assistance (potentially affecting prioritization and funding), and reference WHO guidance to determine which populations should be prioritized for prevention efforts.
Key Points
- 1HIV PrEP medications would be added to the list of prevention activities eligible for foreign assistance funding.
- 2Several HIV/AIDS prevention activities would be reclassified as core life-saving humanitarian assistance, elevating their priority in funding decisions.
- 3The bill requires that at-risk populations be identified in line with a scientific-based analysis designated by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- 4The language expands the scope of prevention activities to include broader strategies (including enhancements to prevention efforts beyond existing provisions; exact wording references “pre- and …” prophylaxis in the text).
- 5The measure is titled the “HIV Medication Access Act” and would amend Section 104A(d) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to implement these changes.