The HIV Epidemic in Trump’s America

Less than a month into his presidency, Donald Trump has already stirred controversy with a flurry of new executive orders, including attacks on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs and today’s closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) offices, which oversee foreign aid, HIV and AIDS care included.

Managed Healthcare Executive sat down with Jose Abrigo, Esq., HIV project director at Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund and Carl Schmid, executive director at the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., to find out what else may be in store over the next four years.

Abrigo said he is worried about a revival of the 1873 Comstock Act, named for the anti-vice crusader, Anthony Comstock. It prevents anything “obscene” from being sent in the mail. Abrigo said proponents’ priority is abortion but added that it could be used to target information about condoms or preexposure prophylaxis, both of which impact HIV care.

“HIV is so intertwined with racial justice and the LGBTQ community, and those are the two communities most at risk,” Abrigo said in the Managed Healthcare Executive interview. “An attack on people of color, especially Black women, and attacks on LGBTQ communities, especially the trans community, will disproportionately harm and hurt folks living with HIV.”

Schmid emphasized that his organization is working with the current administration to continue the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative, which was set up under Trump.

“You can't take away healthcare from people living with HIV,” Schmid said in the Managed Healthcare Executive interview. “It is a lifetime requirement, and unfortunately, we don't have the private insurance, adequate private insurance, adequate Medicaid programs to ensure that people have that care, treatment, and the support services, the case management to make sure people stay adherent to their medications.”