Issue Briefs
amfAR’s public policy office in Washington, D.C., educates policy makers, the media, and the public about evidence-based policies to address HIV/AIDS in the U.S. and around the world.
Harm Reduction/Syringe Services Programs
The Case for Supervised Consumption Services
June 2017
To save
lives, there is a pronounced need to implement scientifically
validated harm reduction programs, which reduce the risks
associated with drug use and facilitate access to addiction
treatment and medical care. Among the newest and most
innovative interventions to reduce overdoses are supervised
consumption services.
Preventing HIV and Hepatitis C Among People Who Inject Drugs: Public Funding for Syringe Services Programs Makes the Difference
April 2017
Public funding of SSPs reduces HIV incidence and maintains already low levels of incidence among people who inject drugs, benefiting entire communities in turn.
A Clear Case for Supporting Syringe Services Programs: New Study Shows Relationship Between Public Funding and Lower HIV Incidence
May 2015
A new study, conducted by Bramson et al. at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in New York City, shows a relationship between public funding of syringe services programs, reducing HIV incidence (the number of new infections in a given year), and maintaining already low HIV incidence among people who inject drugs.
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Federal Funding for Syringe Services Programs: Saving Money, Promoting Public Safety, and Improving Public HealthMarch 2013
According to an overwhelming body of evidence, needle and syringe exchange programs not only reduce the spread of HIV, but also save money, encourage the safe disposal of syringes, minimize the risk of needlestick injuries to law enforcement officials, and help link chemically dependent individuals to vital drug treatment services.
Key Populations
PrEP Acceptability Among Female Sex Workers in Thailand: Key Research Findings
March 2017
Female sex workers (FSW) in Thailand experience high rates of HIV infection. A possible means of reducing infection rates is through expanded access to pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, a once daily preventive dose of antiretroviral medications. But until recently, little research had been conducted to assess FSW interest in PrEP in Thailand or in Southeast Asia.
Women and HIV/AIDS in the United States: Fast-Tracking the End of an Epidemic
March 2015
270,000 women out of a total of 1.2 million Americans are living with HIV and women account for 20% of all new infections.
Women and HIV/AIDS Worldwide: Fast-Tracking the End of an Epidemic
March 2015
Women comprise half of all adults living with HIV across the globe and represent an even greater proportion of the epidemic in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa (58%) and the Caribbean (53%).
HIV and the Black Community: Do #Black(Gay) lives Matter?
February 2015
Our nation’s inability to effectively address HIV infections among Black gay men
while making major progress among other heavily impacted populations in the Black community is one of the greatest failures of the U.S. HIV/AIDS response.
Tackling HIV/AIDS Among Key Populations: Essential to Achieving an AIDS-Free Generation
August 2013
Ending the AIDS epidemic will not be possible without greatly increased efforts to reduce new infections and prevent AIDS-related deaths among key populations at highest risk of HIV acquisition and transmission.
Treatment Access
Trans-Pacific Partnership: Curbing Access to Medicines Now and in the Future
May 2015
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a free trade agreement currently being negotiated
among 12 Pacific Rim countries. It is anticipated
that the agreement will expand existing intellectual property (IP)
protections on pharmaceutical products, which will ultimately
impede access to affordable generic medicines for diseases
such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, and hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C and Drug Pricing: The Need for a Better Balance
February 2015
Despite important price reductions for low- and middle-income countries, the astronomical prices being charged for new drugs to treat hepatitis C will inevitably limit access to the drugs, leading to unnecessary loss of life.
Trans Populations and HIV: Time to End the Neglect
April 2014
Evidence suggests that trans populations may be the most heavily burdened by HIV worldwide. Failure of the global HIV response to meet the needs of this at-risk group is largely the result of widespread stigma, neglect, and institutionalized discrimination.
Research Funding
The Costs of Flat Funding for Biomedical Research
August 2013
Although the U.S. has long been recognized as the world leader in biomedical research, stagnant funding (which translates into actual funding reductions when adjusted for inflation) imperils U.S. leadership and jeopardizes future life-saving research advances.