Ending the HIV Epidemic Newsletter
NASTAD, in collaboration with the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), and the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD), distributes a monthly newsletter to Phase 1 Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America (EHE) jurisdictions. The newsletter informs recipients of EHE-related policy updates, communications from federal partners, success stories, and other related EHE information. As the CDC PS19-1906 National Partner and HRSA-20-089 Systems Coordinator Provider recipients, NASTAD also launched an EHE website to house programmatic updates, share strategies and outcomes from Phase 1 jurisdictions, and connect health departments with the community. For questions, comments, or content contributions, please contact Mike Weir.
Hill Happenings
FY2024 Appropriations
On November 14, Congress approved a second continuing resolution (CR) (H.R.6363) that extends fiscal year 2023 (FY2023) funding and averted a government shutdown. President Biden signed the CR into law on November 17, officially extending funding for health programs in a “laddered” timeline: some federal agencies and programs face a January 19 funding deadline, but larger agencies, including those funded through the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill, will face a February 2 deadline.
Lawmakers must work quickly to build bipartisan agreement on FY2024 topline spending numbers once Congress returns from recess on January 9. Democrats insist that topline spending levels were already negotiated during the June 2023 debt ceiling compromise, but some Republicans are calling for deeper spending cuts, including elimination of key HIV prevention programs like Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative. Additionally, Speaker Johnson (R-LA-04) suggested the possibility of a full-year CR as a back-up plan, which was rebuked as a non-starter by the Senate Appropriations Chair, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA). However, in a Dear Colleague Letter sent December 7, Speaker Johnson clarified his goal of adhering to the topline spending agreement and pass a bona fide FY2024 spending package by the dates established in the current CR.
NASTAD will continue to monitor the congressional appropriations process and advocate for the highest possible funding for HIV, hepatitis, and drug user health programs.
Congress Passes Bipartisan Bill to Boost Xylazine, Fentanyl Research
On December 4, the House of Representatives passed the Senate-approved TRANQ Research Act of 2023 (H.R. 1734). The TRANQ Research Act would direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), housed under the US Department of Commerce, to support research that improves national capacity to detect and handle xylazine, a veterinary sedative increasingly found in the illicit opioid supply that is linked to opioid overdose deaths and can cause severe wounds. In April of 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration declared opioids contaminated with fentanyl and xylazine as an emerging threat. The TRANQ Research Act would also direct NIST to build capacity for the detection of novel synthetic opioids and psychoactive drugs.
Senate Confirms New Director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Monica Bertagnolli
On November 7, the Senate voted to confirm Dr. Monica Bertagnolli to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nation’s medical research agency, filling the vacant Director role after nearly two years. Bertagnolli formerly led the NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI) since October of 2022 and will now oversee NIH programs and activities across all of its 27 Institutes and Centers, including the Office of AIDS Research (OAR).
Administration Activities
CDC Vital Signs: U.S. Syphilis Cases in Newborns Continue to Increase: A 10-Times Increase Over a Decade
New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data reveal that more than 3,700 babies were born with syphilis in 2022, which was more than 10 times the number in 2012. The increase in newborn syphilis follows rising syphilis cases among women of reproductive age combined with social and economic factors that create barriers to high-quality prenatal care and ongoing declines in the prevention infrastructure and resources.
CDC is recommending concerted action to stop the increase of newborn syphilis cases and continues to sound the alarm about the consequences of a rapidly accelerating epidemic of sexually transmitted infections in the United States. Syphilis during pregnancy can cause tragic outcomes, like miscarriage, stillbirth, infant death, and lifelong medical issues. Newborn syphilis occurs when mothers do not receive timely testing and treatment during pregnancy.
FDA Grants Marketing Authorization for First At-Home Diagnostic Test for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea
On November 15, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted marketing authorization for the first-ever self-test diagnostic for chlamydia and gonorrhea. The test, Simple 2 Test manufactured by LetsGetChecked, is an over-the-counter diagnostic that can detect chlamydia and gonorrhea bacteria using vaginal swabs or urine specimens in an at-home setting. Notably, the FDA is leveraging the Simple 2 Test approval to establish a new regulatory classification under the FDA 510(k) premarket review process, simplifying the marketing approval process for subsequent devices of the same type with the same intended use.
White House, CDC Observe World AIDS Day
On December 1, the White House and CDC observed Worlds AIDS Day, a global event to raise awareness of HIV and sustain commitments to improving the lives of PLWH and end the HIV epidemic. President Biden issued a Proclamation on November 30 highlighting the Administration’s goal of eliminating the public health threat of HIV worldwide by 2030 and the work accomplished under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the nation’s global HIV prevention and treatment program. However, future funding for global HIV programming is uncertain after House Republicans targeted PEPFAR funding during appropriations discussions, claiming that PEPFAR funds were used to support abortion access and LGBTQ programming abroad. Click here to read a White House fact sheet highlighting the Administration’s efforts to end HIV and read statements from Harold Phillips, Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy, and ADM Rachel Levine, Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Health.
HRSA Releases 2022 RWHAP Client-Level Data Report
On December 1, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released the 2022 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) Client-Level Data Report. The report data show that RWHAP participants achieve and sustain viral suppression at a greater rate than the national average, with nine out of ten RWHAP clients achieving viral suppression. Despite its success, RWHAP funding was the subject of right-wing attacks in the FY2024 House LHHS appropriations hearing, including a proposal to eliminate funding for the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative and RWHAP Part F programming, which funds dental care for PLWH.
Administration Release Inaugural SDOH Playbook
On November 21, the White House and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CMS announced the release of the first-ever U.S. Playbook to Address Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). The Playbook highlights ongoing and new actions that federal agencies, including HHS, Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are taking to support health by improving the social circumstances of individuals. Additionally, HHS released a Call to Action to Address Health Related Social Needs and a Medicaid and CHIP Health-Related Social Needs Framework to further delineate the agency’s SDOH health goals and activities.
NASTAD Submits Comment in Support of SOGI Data Collection in the American Community Survey
On November 20, NASTAD joined a coalition of over 185 organizations and signed onto comments supporting the U.S. Census Bureau’s proposal to conduct a test of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) measures on the American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is a yearly survey that collects population level data to help inform policymaking and federal spending. The coalition applauded the US Census Bureau for taking steps to ensure that federal data collection efforts consistently include measures that can identify the unique needs and experiences of LGBTQI+ people. The inclusion of SOGI data collection in the ACS will support federal efforts to advance equitable policies for LGBTQI+ people and enforce civil rights laws.
NASTAD Submits Comments Opposing FDA’s Proposal to Phase Out General Enforcement Discretion for Laboratory Developed Tests
On November 17, NASTAD submitted comments raising concerns regarding the FDA’s proposal to phase out general enforcement discretion for laboratory developed tests (LDT), which would increase the administrative burden required to collect in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) manufactured by a laboratory, such as HIV and hepatitis diagnostics. In particular, phasing out general enforcement discretion for LDTs would make it substantially more difficult to use alternative or additional sample types, or modify existing tests to meet urgent and emerging public health needs, such as dried blood spot testing and some self-testing methods for HIV. Although the proposal would not impact IVD testing conducts through public health surveillance, the changes would prove to be an administrative and financial burden to many community-based organizations. As such, NASTAD strongly recommends that FDA continue enforcement discretion for HIV, viral hepatitis, STI, and related IVDs offered as LDTs when conducted in conjunction with public health prevention and control programs.
USPSTF Posts Draft Research Plan on Screening for HIV
On November 30, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) posted a draft research plan for HIV screening and opened public comment through January 3, 2024. The research plan will probe the benefits, potential harms, and yield of new diagnoses that would result from updated screening recommendations for asymptomatic, nonpregnant adolescents and adults and pregnant persons for HIV. Additionally, USPSTF is proposing to collect data on the benefits and harms associated with current antiretroviral therapy recommendations for PLWH.
GAO Report on Public Health Preparedness
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a new report on building and maintaining the U.S. public health infrastructure beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The report identified several challenges the CDC must embrace to be sufficiently prepared to respond to a public health threat. These challenges include funding challenges that come with a pattern of increased federal funding for an emergency response, followed by a decrease in funding after that emergency ends; the varying levels of funding different jurisdictions provide for preparedness and response; and the need to build a permanent public health workforce that is not disbanded after the emergency ends due to lack of long-term funding.
Resources
AHEAD Dashboard: Redesigned and Improved
HIV.gov has “redesigned and improved America’s HIV Epidemic Analysis Dashboard (AHEAD), driven by a commitment to enhancing user experience and data availability for diverse members of our HIV community.”
AHEAD is an online data visualization tool showing national and jurisdictional data on the six indicators being used to monitor progress toward achieving the goals of EHE. The dashboard provides the 57 EHE jurisdictions, the federal government, and other stakeholders the most up-to-date information available about EHE progress.
Toolkit: Systems, Partnerships, and Financing Strategies to Build and Expand Rapid Start
NASTAD is pleased to release its new toolkit, Systems, Partnerships, and Financing Strategies to Build and Expand Rapid Start. This toolkit was developed as part of NASTAD’s EHE Systems Coordination Provider cooperative agreement with the HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau. The resource complements the growing compendium of Rapid Start resources and zeroes in on the financing and system coordination considerations for Rapid Start. The purpose of the resource is to support Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) recipients – particularly those receiving EHE funding – to make efficient and creative decisions as they develop a funding plan to increase Rapid Start access in their jurisdictions.
CAI’s Technical Assistance Provider-innovation network (TAP-in): Rapid ART Resource Now Available in Spanish! Digital Marketing Webinar Recording Available
Developed by CAI’s Technical Assistance Provider-innovation network (TAP-in), Rapid ART: An Essential Strategy for Ending the HIV Epidemic is now available in Spanish as well as English. This resource outlines what HIV care providers need to do to strengthen or develop a rapid ART program that will provide antiretroviral therapy to patients quickly—ideally on the same day they receive their HIV diagnosis. Discover steps to take, protocols to modify and use, and other tasks that are necessary to put a program in place.
On October 12th, TAP-in delivered the national webinar, Digital Marketing Strategies to End the HIV Epidemic. This webinar discussed the importance of digital marketing to help advance programmatic goals for ending the HIV epidemic. If you missed it, the webinar recording and slide deck are available on TargetHIV.
To request TA from TAP-in to support your HRSA EHE program or be added to the listserv to receive more information on future programming, please contact tap-in@caiglobal.org.
Join CAI’s TAP-in EHE Community of Practice for EHE Managers and Coordinators
We welcome EHE managers and coordinators to join the monthly virtual Community of Practice (CoP) meetings which are a space to connect with your peers across the 47 HRSA-funded EHE jurisdictions that are working towards ending the HIV epidemic. CAI has completed five sessions so far with two more CoP sessions scheduled in Year 4 of EHE, on January 17th and February 14th, from 12:00 to 1:30 PM ET. Our next topics are Monitoring EHE Strategies and Status Neutral Frameworks. If you have any questions or would like to receive a registration link for future CoP sessions, please email us at tap-in@caiglobal.org and include “Community of Practice” in the subject line.
NACCHO EHE Superhero Blog
ICYMI: Check out NACCHO’s new blog series highlighting collaborative work between health departments and community partners in jurisdictions working to improve community health and inequities through the national Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Initiative. Visit the links below to learn more about an innovative art project that raises HIV awareness in Houston or a housing program that is changing the lives of women in Detroit.
- EHE Superstars: Building Women’s Life and Leadership Capacity through Housing in Detroit - NACCHO
- EHE Superstars: Using Art to Improve Youth HIV Awareness in Houston - NACCHO
Want to be featured in an upcoming EHE Superstars blog? Tell us about your Ending the HIV Epidemic activities at hiv@naccho.org!
NACCHO’s 2024 Model Practice Awards
Every year, the Model Practices Program honors and recognizes outstanding local public health practices. By submitting a practice, local health departments contribute to the overall improvement of public health through effective evidence-based initiatives. The 2024 Model Practice Applications are NOW OPEN! The application deadline is December 31, 2023, at 11:59 PM PT. The winners will be announced later this spring and honored at the 2024 NACCHO360 Conference, July 23–26 in Detroit, MI.
To learn more about the award and the application cycle, click the following link. Apply today by clicking the following link.
NASTAD/NVHR: Unlocking HCV Care in Key Settings (Summary Report)
The National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) and NASTAD hosted a free two-day virtual convening on September 12th and 13th, 2023. The convening included moderated sessions with presentations and discussions showcasing promising models and best practices for integrating Hepatitis C testing and treatment into four key settings: programs providing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), state correctional facilities, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), and syringe services programs (SSPs).
HHS OIG: One Quarter of Medicaid Enrollees with HIV May Not Have Received Critical Services in 2021
“In 2021: 72,391 enrollees (27 percent) may not have received one of three services critical for achieving viral suppression—a medical visit, viral load test, or antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescription. 11,316 enrollees (4 percent) may not have received any of the three services. This is particularly concerning because missing these services may mean that these enrollees were at greater risk of negative impacts on their overall health and greater risk of transmitting HIV.”
White House: 2023 Interim Action Report - National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States 2022-2025
The report shows a continued decline in new HIV infections and increased uptake of PREP among priority populations, despite persisting racial, ethnic, and gender disparities in access to HIV prevention and treatment services and health outcomes.
Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy: Advancing Hepatitis C Elimination: Implementation Strategy for the Proposed National Program
“In collaboration with stakeholders and experts, the Duke-Margolis Center developed a strategic framework for a national hepatitis C elimination program with the goal of informing an implementation pathway for the Administration’s proposal. The framework reflected learnings from a broad range of successful local and regional programs as described above, including “test to treat” initiatives embedded in community-based primary care models; effective management of COVID-19 and other respiratory pathogens resulting from improved diagnostic technologies and public health analytics; and provider payment reforms with greater accountability for important population health outcomes.”
Health Affairs: PrEP Coverage Should Follow Clinical Guidelines, Not Pharmaceutical Agenda: A Response To Hughes
“In short, it is not the USPSTF’s job to set payer policy. To do this, the USPSTF’s charge and expertise would necessarily need to include economic analysis as well as valuation methodology. If the author wants to advocate adding these factors to USPSTF review, we would stand behind him to support it.”
GU O’Neill Institute: Seizing the Moment: Elevating Black Women in the HIV Response
“In recent years, significant progress has been made in lowering rates of HIV transmission among U.S. women, including U.S. Black women. This progress is now at risk. It is crucial to take more focused and strategic actions to protect and enhance this progress by recognizing and empowering Black women as visible and valuable partners in the fight to end the HIV epidemic.”
Colorado Division of Insurance: 2024 Colorado Division of Insurance HIV Prevention and Treatment Coverage Guide
“The Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI), part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), has created a guide on insurance coverage of prescription medications to prevent and treat HIV, a virus that attacks the body's immune system that can lead to AIDS if left untreated. The tables in the guide summarize medication coverage for each health insurance company offering individual plans (meaning coverage not through an employer) and small group plans (for small employers with less than 100 employees) for 2024. It can be used to review the coverage and drug lists of HIV prevention and treatment medications by each insurance company. These tables do not review each plan from the insurance companies, nor all formularies offered by each company, so it is important for consumers to review plans to confirm coverage. The guide lists medications individually by treatment category, as well as by the most commonly prescribed medications by providers for consumers, as specified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).”
NACCHO’s Marketing and Communications Survey
NACCHO and KFF are interested in understanding how health departments are currently leading with marketing and communications work and what health departments are interested in learning more about to help better inform their communications efforts. Please have a team member who is familiar with your digital communications respond to this short survey!
Generic Daily HIV Prevention Pill for Young Men Who Have Sex with Men Could Save Lives, Lower Costs, NIH-funded Study Suggests
“Compared to annual HIV screening alone, generic daily oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with HIV screening every three months would result in fewer HIV acquisitions, longer life expectancy, and fewer HIV-associated costs among young men who have sex with men in the United States. Researchers applied an established simulation modelExit Disclaimer to better understand the costs and benefits associated with the PrEP strategy among young men considered at elevated risk of acquiring HIV. The study was primarily funded by NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Additional support was provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The findings appear in Clinical Infectious Diseases.”
Geographic Variation in Qualified Health Plan Coverage and Prior Authorization Requirements for HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis
“McManus et al assessed commercial determinants of PrEP access within the health care sector from 2018 through 2020, including insurance coverage, prior authorization requirements, and specialty tiering of PrEP medications in qualified health plans (i.e., those certified by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) Health Insurance Marketplace). The authors investigated these policies for the two available formulations of oral PrEP. Emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate was approved for use as daily oral PrEP in 2012 in all populations; in 2019, emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide was approved for use as daily oral PrEP among men and transgender women who have sex with men, the only populations in which its efficacy was studied. The two medications were priced at over $20,000 annually per person during the study period, making coverage essential for those accessing PrEP through insurance plans.”
Invited commentary on this research can be found here.
JAMA:
Hepatitis C in Black Individuals in the US: A Review
“In the US, the prevalence of HCV is higher in people who are Black than in people who are not Black. Point-of-care HCV tests, patient navigation, electronic health record prompts, and unrestricted access to HCV treatment in community-based settings have potential to increase diagnosis and treatment of HCV and improve outcomes in people who are Black.”
“HDV infection affects approximately 12 million to 72 million people worldwide and is associated with more rapid progression to cirrhosis and liver failure and higher rates of hepatocellular carcinoma than infection with HBV alone. Bulevirtide was recently approved for HDV in Europe, whereas pegylated interferon alfa is the only treatment available in most countries.”
Overdose Prevention Centers, Crime, and Disorder in New York City
“In this difference-in-differences cohort study, the first 2 government-sanctioned OPCs in the US were not associated with significant changes in measures of crime or disorder. These observations suggest the expansion of OPCs can be managed without negative crime or disorder outcomes.”
University of Pennsylvania Survey: PrEP Use Across EHE Jurisdictions
The Social Action Lab at the University of Pennsylvania is inviting health departments across the EHE jurisdictions to participate in a research study. The purpose of the study is to explore strategies to improve PrEP use across EHE jurisdictions. Through a survey link, the research team is looking to collect data on structural determinants of PrEP use and policy implementation factors in your EHE state/county. Participants will be invited to a PrEP promotion conference fully sponsored by the team at the University of Pennsylvania and to participate in research publications resulting from the project.
If you are interested in participating, please contact Bita Fayaz Farkhad at bitaf@upenn.edu to learn more and to receive the link to the survey. We hope you will consider participating.
Please contact Natalie Cramer or Kristina Santana with questions.
NASTAD and RAISE Webinar Series
The Research Alliance in Implementation Science to End HIV (RAISE) Hub aims to advance the implementation of EHE initiatives through evidence-based interventions. NASTAD is proud to collaborate with The University of Washington/Fred Hutch Center for AIDS Research on the RAISE Hub on this initiative which includes a monthly webinar series. To learn more about RAISE and view previous webinars, click here.
HIV Cluster Detection and Response Learning Collaborative: Apply Now
CAI’s Technical Assistance Provider – innovation network (TAP-in), together with the New York State AIDS Institute’s Center for Quality Improvement and Innovation (CQII), is launching an HIV Cluster Detection and Response Learning Collaborative. This Collaborative aims to improve HIV cluster detection and response efforts to reduce the number of new HIV diagnoses and better link people newly diagnosed with HIV to care. Join other EHE jurisdictions funded by HRSA to participate in a 15-month learning collaborative that will build community partnerships, share lessons learned from other jurisdictions, discover the latest evidence-based practices, and provide strategies for updating HIV cluster and detection plans. For more information and to apply.
CSTE Infectious Disease Peer-to-Peer TA Consultancy Form - HIV
The CSTE Infectious Disease Program is pleased to offer coordination of peer-to-peer technical assistance. CSTE's HIV peer-to-peer technical assistance will be conducted virtually at this time. To give or receive peer-to-peer technical assistance, please complete the CSTE Infectious Disease Peer-to-Peer TA Consultancy Form. If you have any questions regarding HIV peer-to-peer technical assistance, please reach out to Symone Richardson at srichardson@cste.org. If you have any questions about completing the consultancy form, please reach out to Akila Simmons at asimmons@cste.org.
EHE Community of Practice (CoP) on NASTAD’s Online Technical Assistance Platform (OnTAP)
NASTAD and NACCHO manage a virtual Community of Practice (CoP) to support peer-to-peer learning and mentorship for EHE jurisdictions. The EHE CoP is housed on NASTAD’s online technical assistance platform (OnTAP) for those leading their jurisdictions' EHE efforts at local and state health departments to share resources and news, discuss challenges and successes, access notes from monthly EHE Office Hours calls, and request technical assistance (TA). If you need access to OnTAP, please contact Krupa Mehta.
Ending the HIV Epidemic Jurisdictional Directory
NASTAD maintains an Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Jurisdictional Directory. NASTAD has recently updated the EHE Jurisdictional Directory, which lists local and state points of contact for all EHE Phase 1 jurisdictional activities. This directory is used to communicate with EHE Phase 1 jurisdictions, disseminate resources, and gather information. Health department staff members are encouraged to update their jurisdiction’s information using this brief form.
Jurisdictional Map of Phase 1 EHE Final Plans
NASTAD released a resource that provides access to Phase 1 EHE websites and plans. Please email Krupa Mehta additional Phase 1 EHE plans for inclusion in this resource, as well as any changes to existing plans.
News Bulletin
From testing to dental care, HIV programs in the crosshairs
“Maryland’s largest city was one of 57 jurisdictions picked in 2019 for an initiative started under former President Trump to end the HIV epidemic by 2030. The program started with these locations because they accounted for more than half of new diagnoses in 2016 and 2017. The goal was to bring resources to the jurisdictions to increase diagnosis, treatment, and viral suppression. But these dollars could be stripped away under the House funding bill for the Health and Human Services Department that could go to the floor this week. And with the country trying to combat other health problems, like rising cases of syphilis and the opioid crisis, Agwu said slashing dollars could strain public health.” - National Journal
How CDC’s new director is trying to regain trust shattered by covid
“Installed at the CDC by the White House in July, Cohen is tasked with restoring staff morale and public credibility at a time of extreme political divisions and fading trust in government — and in science. The 12,000-person Atlanta-based agency has become a target in Congress and on the campaign trail: Republican presidential candidates such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy have vowed to gut the CDC if elected next year, insisting that the agency’s covid-19 guidance was too cautious and led to unreasonably long school shutdowns, rising mental health woes and other social problems.” – Washington Post
US to Cover HIV Prevention Drugs for Older Americans to Stem Spread of the Virus
“A proposed federal policy aims to protect older Americans from contracting HIV by offering free preventive medication, the latest effort to catch up to much of Europe and Africa in stemming the spread of the virus. Under the plan from the Biden administration, Medicare would cover patients’ full cost of preexposure prophylaxis drugs, which prevent HIV transmission. The drugs, known by the shorthand “PrEP,” would be free in pill form and — for the first time — as long-acting injectables through the government insurance program designed for those 65 and older. Those 50 and over make up half of all people in the U.S. already living with HIV.” – KFF News
Syphilis cases in US newborns skyrocketed in 2022. Health officials suggest more testing
“Alarmed by yet another jump in syphilis cases in newborns, U.S. health officials are calling for stepped-up prevention measures, including encouraging millions of women of childbearing age and their partners to get tested for the sexually transmitted disease.
More than 3,700 babies were born with congenital syphilis in 2022 — 10 times more than a decade ago and a 32% increase from 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. Syphilis caused 282 stillbirth and infant deaths, nearly 16 times more than the 2012 deaths.” – AP News