Trump Halts Disbursement of Global HIV Treatment Funds

By: DLHA Staff Writer

President DJ Trum showcasing a signed executive order. Credit: US State Dept.

TUESDAY, Jan. 27, 2025 – In following through with the campaign promise of President Trump, the Trump administration has paused funding for a crucial HIV treatment program in Africa and other developing countries for 90 days, according to a memo obtained by The New York Times.

The directive stems from President Trump's executive order on foreign aid, in which all government divisions with foreign development assistance programs have been ordered to stop disbursing funds. Initial review of foreign aid is intended to be completed within 85 days; however, final decisions might take up to 180 days.

Unsurprisingly, following considerable pushback from public health experts and commentators in the United States and worldwide, The Trump administration has made some concessions to the halt placed on distributions of global HIV treatments via the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), according to The New York Times.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the waiver on Tuesday, Jan 28. Details of what the waiver covers remains unclear.

The New York Times reports that while the waiver allows for the resumption of distribution of HIV medications, the freeze on other services, including the distribution of preventive drugs, is still thought to be in place.

The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a $7.5 billion program under the governance of the State Department, was due for a five-year reauthorization in 2023. After avoiding a Republican effort to end the program, it was renewed for one year, according to The Times.

Many public health and development experts are dismayed at this hold on funding.

"Any prolonged pause in funding could disrupt HIV treatment programs, leading to treatment interruptions, rise of drug-resistant HIV," Jirair Ratevosian, Ph.D., who served as chief of staff for PEPFAR during the Biden administration, told The Times. "That's playing with fire, risking progress that we've made over decades to control the HIV epidemic." Ratevosian added that resistant strains of the virus that may emerge in other nations would also be of great concern to Americans.

Updated to reflect information on a concessionary partial waiver of the halt issued by the US Secretary of State, Sen. Marco Rubio. 

Sources:

New York Times

HealthDay

Published: January 27, 2025

Updated: January 30, 2025

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