Congress approves global AIDS bill which will save millions of lives

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) lauded the U.S. House of Representatives for passing legislation (today's House vote to concur on the Senate amended House PEPFAR bill: 303 to 115) re-authorizing PEPFAR (the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), the successful US global AIDS program.

Earlier today, the House took the Senate version of the bill as its own and passed the bill as is. (The Senate passed its bill last Thursday 60 to 13). PEPFAR will continue to prioritize lifesaving treatment through the Senate's restoration last week of a provision in the current law requiring that more than half of the funding be spent on treatment. As a result, five to seven million people worldwide may have access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment over the next five years via PEPFAR-backed programs. Currently, less than two million people are receiving treatment through PEPFAR.

"This bill will save millions of lives around the world. Congress is to be commended for swiftly adopting and ratifying the Senate version of the bill which preserves PEPFAR's priority on lifesaving treatment," said Michael Weinstein, President, AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "AHF worked tirelessly over the past several months to try and persuade legislators to restore the treatment focus in PEPFAR. This is truly a monumental day for those living with HIV/AIDS around the world-it will literally bring new life to millions-and is a landmark day for US foreign policy efforts."

The legislation approved by both the House and Senate also includes a requirement that PEPFAR providers work to deliver lifesaving treatment in a more efficient manner, and that any reductions in PEPFAR spending due to such efficiencies would trigger a corresponding increase in the goal of the number of those on treatment through the program.

"We are grateful to those legislators who worked to maintain the priority on treatment in PEPFAR. AHF considers this a great achievement because it confirms that treatment is-and should be-the primary focus of PEPFAR, and is the key to controlling the epidemic," said Tom Myers, AHF's Chief of Public Affairs.

PEPFAR was the result of President Bush's groundbreaking 2003 State of the Union pledge to bring two million HIV positive Africans and others into treatment and prevent seven million new HIV infections via a five-year, $15 billion US-funded program. It currently operates in 15 focus countries and claims to support antiretroviral treatment for 1.4 million people worldwide. PEPFAR has been one of the most successful global humanitarian programs in recent memory, providing medical care to millions of people with HIV/AIDS, it has given hope to the 33 million people with HIV/AIDS in the world.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the nation's largest non-profit HIV/AIDS healthcare provider. AHF currently provides medical care and/or services to more than 79,000 individuals in 20 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean and Asia.