The international impact of US policies on HIV: news from AVAC’s Global Health Watch
29 November 2025. Related: Early access, Activism & advocacy.
Simon Collins, HIV i-Base
Every week, the US-based HIV prevention organisation AVAC publishes a review of the most important developments in global health linked to changes in US policy. [1]
This is essential reading. Often the policy changes are unpredictable and the analysis in this bulletin, aimed at activists and advocates, is one of the best ways to track the impact on HIV and related health programmes.
The summaries of these issues also link to important source documents and coverage in other press.
The bulletin is distributed free by email via this sign-up link:
https://avac.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe
Current issue: 28 November (issue 44)
- US policy changes exclude community input
US policy negotiations around government Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are deliberately excluding community organisations that would otherwise be included as key stakeholders. This includes funding agreements related to future PEPFAR awards.
The US is also demanding long-term access to both patient data and data on infections and other pathogens, potentially with plans to share it with US commercial companies, without standard safeguard policies.
This shift away from the previous PEPFAR community-based policies to sideline community engagement is a regressive step that could easily limit the effectiveness of the new services.
- Replenishment of funding for the Global Fund
Analysis of the implications of the shortfall in the $11 billion recent pledges to support the Global Fund shows it threatens the scale and rollout of long-acting HIV prevention, new malaria tools and improved TB treatments.
- Continued disruptions at the US CDC and NIH
Further changes at these two major scientific agencies include ending all non-human primate research which for years provided early data that led to the development of HIV PrEP.
Carl Dieffenbach, the long-time director of DAIDS (Division of AIDS) has also been removed from his post.
The US administration announced that it would not be commemorating World AIDS Day this year and that no government employees would be allowed to formally support any related activities.
The CDC website was changed by Health Secretary RFK Jr. to reverse the previous information stating that childhood vaccinations have no causal link to autism.
Previous issues
- 21 November 2025
Global Fund Replenishment, LEN for PrEP Arrives, HIV Funding Uncertain Post Gov’t Shutdown - 14 November 2025
Pandemic Accord, US MoU Pressure, LEN Progress & UK Global Fund Cuts - 7 November 2025
Zambia Approves LEN, What “America First” Means for Global Health, New Documentary on Impacts of Foreign Aid Freeze - 31 October 2025
South Africa Registers LEN for PrEP, US Global Health MoU, EU May Cut $ for Gavi + Global Fund, New Lancet SRH Series - 24 October 2025
Development Finance, Impact of Foreign Aid Cuts + New PrEP Resources to Track PrEP Access, Pricing and the Pipeline
AVAC was one of the first community organisations to challenge the US president in the US courts. [2]
References
- AVAC. Global Health Watch.
https://avac.org/global-health-watch - AVAC v. United States Department of State. (10 February 2025).
https://avac.org/avac-vs-dept-of-state