Aids is no longer exceptional. What happens now?

HIV has transitioned from being an exceptional issue to simply another public health concern. Despite the extraordinary political attention it once received, donor funding is shrinking while scientific advancements offer powerful new medications that could drastically reduce new HIV infections. This has sparked questions about whether the HIV movement needs to adapt its funding strategies, conference attendance, and outreach methods.

The 26th International AIDS Conference, a smaller gathering in comparison to its predecessors, saw delegates grapple with the same uncertainty amidst an unprecedented funding crisis. The United States, once the largest HIV donor, dramatically reduced its funding for HIV programs in developing countries, resulting in the closure of 1,714 HIV clinics and the loss of over 16,000 full-time staff.

Other wealthy nations have followed suit, causing donor funding for HIV to plummet to levels not seen since before 2008. Although a breakthrough HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir, has emerged, its effectiveness hinges on widespread adoption, which requires sufficient funding for its production, distribution, and implementation. The conference underscored the end of an era where AIDS commanded unique global attention and the question now is whether the political will remains to utilize existing tools to end AIDS.