Avac Event

PrEP and the Role of HIV Self-Testing

HIV self-testing (HIVST) is a safe, accurate, and effective alternative to provider-administered testing that many users prefer for its convenience and confidentiality. At IAS 2023, WHO issued a new recommendation to offer HIVST for PrEP initiation and continuation as an innovative way to increase PrEP access and coverage and further simplify PrEP delivery. However, many implementers still have questions on how to effectively roll out and scale up this important self-care intervention.

On May 23, AVAC and WHO hosted a webinar to learn more about WHO guidance on use of HIVST and to hear directly from a panel of experts on their experiencing rolling out HIVST for PrEP, guidance on procurement and costing, and more.

Recording / Slides

PxPulse: The Advocacy Chronicles with APHA’s Yvette Raphael 

Our debut episode of the Advocacy Chronicles features Yvette Raphael, the Executive Director of Advocacy for Prevention of HIV and AIDS (APHA) in South Africa, and a leader in the development of The Choice Manifesto, supported from start to finish by CASPR.

As co-chair of the African Women Prevention Community Accountability Board (AWPCAB), Yvette and other board members launched the manifesto in Kampala, in September 2023, calling for choice in HIV prevention options for women — such as oral and injectable cabotegravir for PrEP, the dapivirine vaginal ring and the Dual Prevention Pill — and a commitment to expanding access to them. A call heard by UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, who was on hand at the launch to endorse the manifesto.  

Yvette, who is also a 2014 AVAC Advocacy Fellow and celebrated as one of South Africa’s leading human rights activists, lays out why The Choice Manifesto matters and how advocates are leveraging it. 

Resources

For Us by Us: PrEP in Black America – A Master Plan for HIV Prevention in Black America

In the spirit of seeking change to ameliorate the devastating impact of HIV in Black communities through biomedical HIV prevention, Black leaders convened the “PrEP in Black America (PIBA) Summit” virtually and in person on September 13, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia. Attendees have included Black activists, researchers, scientists, providers, and policymakers from across the country representing more than 50 organizations. Following the event, PIBA generated a report summarizing the event and key recommendations entitled, “For Us by Us: PrEP in Black America – A Master Plan for HIV Prevention in Black America.”

Read the full report, “For Us by Us: PrEP in Black America – A Master Plan for HIV Prevention in Black America” here.

Avac Event

The Importance of HPV Vaccination Among People Living with HIV

HPV vaccination prevents 6 types of cancer and genital warts, including cervical cancer. Women living with HIV are up to six times more likely to develop invasive cervical cancer than their HIV-negative peers, but HPV immunization rates among this population remain low. During World Immunization Week, AVAC and TogetHER for Health co-hosted a discussion to learn more about the science behind and implementation challenges specific to expanding access to HPV vaccination for people living with HIV.

  • Mandisa Dukashe, HIV Survivors and Partners Network
  • Dr. Betty Njoroge, Kenya Medical Research Institute
  • Dr. Christopher Morgan, Jhpiego

This webinar was co-hosted with TogetHER for Health

Recording / Mandisa Dukashe Slides / Dr. Betty Njoroge Slides / Dr. Christopher Morgan Slides

Announcing the 2024/25 AVAC Advocacy Fellows

We are pleased to announce our 13th class of the flagship AVAC Advocacy Fellows Program for 2024-2025! This group of seven advocates will participate in an 18-month program that supports their advocacy efforts, invests in the further development of their skills, shapes the agenda for HIV prevention research, and influences how quickly new interventions move into policy and programs in their communities and countries. 

These Fellows were selected from a pool of 200+ applicants from seventeen countries to pursue evidence-based advocacy on a range of issues related to HIV prevention. The 2024/25 Advocacy Fellows and their host organizations include: 

Congratulations to our new class of Fellows and thank you to all the applicants and their proposed host organizations for the time and effort put into the application process, and to the independent review committee of advocates, scientists and former Fellows and hosts who guided our decision-making. 

About AVAC’s Advocacy Fellows Program

Achieving successful HIV prevention relies on programs and research shaped by communities and grounded by their needs and priorities. Skilled and informed community advocates drive this process.  AVAC’s Advocacy Fellows Program expands and strengthens the capacity of civil society advocates and organizations to monitor, support and help shape HIV prevention research and rapid rollout of new effective interventions in low- and middle-income countries facing substantial HIV burdens. 

The program provides intensive support to emerging and mid-career advocates to execute advocacy projects addressing locally identified gaps and priorities. Fellows receive comprehensive training, financial backing, and technical assistance to strategize and execute a targeted 18-month project hosted by an organization within their country. 

In its 15-year history, nearly 100 advocates working with 70+ partner organizations across 15 countries have participated in the program. They have influenced policy, championed community perspectives, strengthened healthcare systems, demystified HIV prevention research, advocated for fairness and transparency on local, regional, and global scales and now lead many national and regional organizations. Discover more about the program’s impact here. And view video reflections from Alumni Fellows both here and here. 

AVAC Response to Uganda’s Constitutional Court Ruling on the Anti-Homosexuality Act

AVAC is gravely concerned with the Constitutional Court of Uganda’s recent decision to uphold the core provisions of the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023 (AHA) that was signed into law nearly one year ago. AVAC stands in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community in Uganda, and globally, in calling out this dangerous law.

April Webinars!

This month we will host six webinars on a wide range of important issues, including choice in HIV prevention, PrEP in cisgender women, criminalization and HIV, syphilis in the US and DoxyPEP. Scroll down for what’s coming up later this week and later this month.

The More We Know: Evolving our understanding of PrEP for cisgender women
April 5, 9:00 – 10:30 am EST

Science and real-world experience continue to demand a re-assessment of our collective understanding of the safety and effectiveness of PrEP options for women, including oral, vaginal ring, and injectable options. Join us, Jeanne Marrazzo of NIAID, Joyce Ng’ang’a of WACI Health and Raniyah Copeland of Equity & Impact Solutions for a conversation with The Choice Agenda.

Register

Watching the Watcher: Intersections of surveillance and criminalization in HIV and reproductive health care
April 9, 10:00 – 11:30 am EST

Positive Women’s Network-USA and The Choice Agenda invite you to join us for a webinar featuring leaders in digital technology, HIV advocacy, and abortion criminalization to examine the existential threat of our ongoing blurred boundaries between public health and policing. 

Register

STI Awareness Week is April 14 – 20!

Join us for two webinars focused on syphilis and DoxyPEP. These webinars are intended for health care providers, civil society organizations, public health officials, and others working in the STI/HIV fields. 

Register

Discussing Early Results from the SEARCH Dynamic Choice Study
April 23, 10:00 – 11:30 am EST 

Join AVAC and Professor Moses Kamya of Makerere University to find out why the early results of the SEARCH Dynamic Choice study were some of the most exciting to come out of CROI in 2024.

Conducted in Kenya and Uganda, the study offered oral PrEP, PEP or injectable cabotegravir to both men and women, and an option to switch products.

Register

We Can’t End HIV in the United States Without Equitable PrEP Access: strategies for success
April 26, 1:00 – 2:30 pm EST

Join HIVMA, PrEP4All and The Choice Agenda, as we assess some of the key challenges to delivering PrEP in the United States equitably, including cost, the complexities of our health care system, and other factors that inhibit uptake amongst the most vulnerable communities. Strategies to address these challenges will be offered, with lots of time for QA, discussion and much-needed debate. Please join us!

Register

Avac Event

We Can’t End HIV in the United States Without Equitable PrEP Access: Strategies for success

A collaboration between HIVMA, PrEP4All and The Choice Agenda, this webinar assessed some of the key challenges to delivering PrEP in the United States equitably, including cost, the complexities of our health care system, and other factors that inhibit uptake amongst the most vulnerable communities. Strategies to address these challenges were offered included a Q&A, discussion and much-needed debate.

Speakers:
• Dr. Lorraine Dean, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Epidemiology 
• Dr. Rupa Patel, Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Dr. Patrick Sullivan, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University 

Moderator:
Dr. Greg Millet, amfAR

Recording / Slides / Resources

New Podcast Episode: Decolonizing Global Health

Dear Advocate,  

Investing in the long-term success of African leadership is essential to breaking cycles that perpetuate inequity and that stall progress in the HIV response. In our newest episode of PxPulse, we explore why and how the decisions that shape global health must be made by those facing the greatest risks. As the world evaluates the pandemic response and debates on decolonizing global health gain momentum, equity in global health has never been more urgent.   

For more than seven years, COMPASS Africa, a civil society coalition of 29 organizations working in three countries as well as regionally and globally, has used data-driven advocacy to improve the HIV response with high-impact campaigns. In January, the coalition underwent a major transition, with Pangaea Zimbabwe assuming the role of secretariat (previously held by AVAC), marking a historic milestone in the development of innovative models for power-sharing in coalition and an important step toward decolonizing global health. These changes in COMPASS come as other efforts, such as negotiations on the Pandemic Accord, are struggling to advance, uphold or safeguard equity. 

Now is the time to test new models. In Decolonizing Global Health: Dr. Madhukar Pai and COMPASS Africa Tell Us Why and How, we explore what it takes to invest in equity and power sharing.

New Episode of PxPulse!

This episode of PxPulse features global health leader, Dr. Madhukar Pai, along with two leaders of COMPASS Africa, Francis Luwole and Barbra Ncube, talking about new models of power-sharing.

Listen now!

Tune in to Hear

Join the Conversation

To continue the conversation, register for the March 26 Choice Agenda webinar, Decolonizing Global Public Health: Exploring the how, from now, til as long as it takes.  

Press Release

Funding for HIV Survives Extreme Cuts Proposed By House Republicans

Final FY24 Bill Includes Calls for HHS/CDC to Increase PrEP Access

21 March 2024 – PrEP4All, AVAC, HIVMA, and the PrEP in Black America coalition celebrate Congress’ decision to both fund domestic HIV programs at the same level as last year and to lift up calls for a National PrEP Program. The final 2024 Health and Human Services bill rejects extreme cuts to HIV funding proposed by House Republicans in July of last year. The organizations have led the charge on the #SaveHIVFunding campaign following efforts to eliminate $767M in critical funds to end HIV as an epidemic. We additionally thank House and Senate LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee leaders Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Representatives Robert Aderholt (R-AL) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) for working to ensure an effective and ultimately bipartisan outcome.

“Our movement for a National PrEP Program and to end HIV as an epidemic remains strong,” says PrEP4All Executive Director Jeremiah Johnson. “The final bill ultimately shows strong bipartisan support for HIV funding, including PrEP, and rejects the flawed effort by some House Republicans to zero out the Ending the HIV Epidemic Program. We created the #SaveHIVFunding campaign in collaboration with AVAC, HIVMA, and PrEP in Black America knowing that everyone in Congress needed to hear from community advocates in order to be successful in fighting these unnecessary deep cuts. Without this work and the concerted and brilliant efforts of so many HIV organizations within the Federal AIDS Policy Partnership, this win would not have been possible.”

The outcome means that a previous $25M increase going toward CDC’s efforts to improve equitable PrEP access will be preserved, which is critical as advocates continue to engage with CDC on ways to establish a foundation for a National PrEP Program using existing funds. Congress also included final report language directing CDC to increase access to PrEP and cited previous calls from the Senate to establish the “building blocks of a national program to increase awareness of PrEP, increase access to PrEP medication, [and] laboratory services…”

“This outcome is a win for Black communities across the nation who are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Making life-saving treatment and prevention a reality for Black Americans is a possibility because of our relentless advocacy work to #SaveHIVFunding,” says Raniyah Copeland, Founding member of the PrEP in Black America Coalition and Founder of Equity Impact Solutions. 

“This has been a long process, and we are grateful to have an outcome that leaves us on firm footing to realize the vision of a National PrEP Program,” says Andrea Weddle of HIVMA. “However, the fight for FY25 is already upon us following this prolonged budget process; meaning that advocates will have to remain vigilant, fight to protect our existing funding, and continue to ensure a clear, immediate, and fully funded pathway toward equitable PrEP access.”

“This is very encouraging news for PrEP advocates, especially following the President’s reintroduction of his proposal for a National PrEP Program last week.” Explains John Meade, Senior Program Manager for Policy at AVAC . “Combined with HIV/AIDS housing advocates’ victory in achieving an FY24 funding increase, I am so proud of our movement and our ability to rally in the face of these threats.”

A National PrEP Program would be a cost effective means to achieve our national goal of Ending the HIV Epidemic by 2030. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a 99% effective use of medication to prevent HIV. Unfortunately 64% of people who could benefit from PrEP do not have access to it. A new study shows that states with the highest PrEP coverage showed an annual percentage decrease in HIV diagnoses of 8% from 2012 – 2021. In contrast, states with low PrEP coverage increased 2% annually. A National PrEP Program will increase access among people who could benefit and address major disparities in access related to race, gender and geographic location.  “In the current political environment, this Congressional action is especially noteworthy. But we must never confuse this progress with success; our fights for funding, equity and impact in treating and preventing this epidemic must continue, and funding and implementing a national PrEP program at scale and with urgency remains a huge priority,” said Mitchell Warren, Executive Director of AVAC.

Read the full press release here.