In a surprising turn of events, the Trump administration has given the green light for the distribution of HIV medications to resume, at least for now. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the waiver on Tuesday, bringing relief to a global HIV treatment program that was abruptly paused last week. However, the future of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) remains uncertain. It’s unclear if the waiver covers preventive drugs or other essential services provided by PEPFAR.
If the program is halted again, over 20 million people, including 500, 000 children, could lose access to critical medications. Without treatment, millions of people with HIV in low-income countries face the risk of developing full-blown AIDS and potentially dying prematurely. Dr. Steve Deeks, an HIV expert from the University of California, San Francisco, warns that the pandemic could rapidly escalate, similar to the situation in the 1980s.
