Stand Up Against HIV Funding Cuts: Protect American Lives

The United States has made remarkable strides in transforming HIV from a fatal disease into a manageable condition, similar to diabetes. Thanks to decades of research and investments in public health, antiretroviral therapy now enables individuals with HIV to live long, healthy lives and prevent transmission altogether by achieving undetectable viral loads (NIH, 2024). This progress represents one of our country’s greatest public health achievements. The CDC has played a central role in this success, funding testing, treatment access, and prevention programs across the nation. Between 2017 and 2022, these efforts helped avert an estimated 9,000 infections and saved billions in lifetime medical costs (KFF, 2025). The ripple effects of these programs are felt nationwide, helping communities reduce healthcare burdens and save lives. Cutting CDC HIV prevention funding now would unravel decades of bipartisan work. Reducing testing and prevention will inevitably lead to more undiagnosed cases, higher transmission rates, and worse health outcomes, especially in underserved communities (Politico, 2025). This would reverse our momentum toward the national goal of reducing new HIV infections by 90% by 2030. I urge you to protect this vital funding. Maintaining the CDC’s HIV prevention programs safeguards public health, strengthens our economy by avoiding preventable medical costs, and reaffirms America’s leadership in global health innovation. This is a moment for all parties to come together and defend one of our nation’s most significant public health victories.