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[link removed] April 27, 2026
** What the Latest PEPFAR Data Reveal and Why It Matters
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Dear Advocate,
Newly released data from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) were meant to reassure, but a deeper look tells a more concerning story. AVAC’s latest blog post ([link removed]) and graphics provide a more nuanced analysis: “Reduced prevention today means higher HIV incidence in the future. That effect is not yet visible in the current data, but it is a well-understood dynamic in public health.”
Independent reviews and analyses of the data show consistent declines across testing, diagnoses and prevention, including steep drops in PrEP, the DREAMS program for adolescent girls and young women and key population programs. Notably, KFF’s analysis ([link removed]) provides comparisons across five years of data, providing critical context on PEPFAR performance over time.
See the AVAC resources below that put this all into context.
NEW INFOGRAPHIC
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** Steep Decline in PEPFAR PrEP Initiations
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PEPFAR-supported PrEP initiations are down by 41% in one year, with men and non-pregnant or breastfeeding women seeing drops exceeding 50% — and key populations absent from the data altogether. These trends reflect broader disruptions across the prevention cascade: fewer people are being tested, diagnosed and connected to prevention.
EXPLORE THE GRAPHIC ([link removed])
NEW BLOG POST
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** A Warning, Not Reassurance
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AVAC Policy Director Suraj Madoori ([link removed]) and Executive Director Mitchell Warren ([link removed]) unpack what the new PEPFAR data mean for the future of HIV prevention. “PEPFAR’s success has long depended on a continuous flow: people are tested for HIV, diagnosed and then linked to treatment if they are living with HIV or offered prevention if not,” they write. “When testing declines, as it is under PEPFAR right now, the entire cascade is disrupted.” None of this diminishes PEPFAR’s extraordinary achievements. On the contrary, it underscores what is at stake. The path forward requires a more balanced reading of the evidence.
READ THE BLOG POST ([link removed])
UPDATED RESOURCE
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** What this Means for the Rollout of New HIV Prevention Innovations
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The data come at an especially heartbreaking moment of scientific promise: highly effective long-acting prevention options like injectable lenacapavir for HIV PrEP ([link removed]) (LEN) are finally available and offer the potential to transform how HIV is prevented. But innovations depend on strong delivery systems—robust testing, community engagement, and functioning prevention programs, along with strong data systems, to ensure innovation has impact.
For the latest on PrEP use and initiations, explore AVAC’s PrEPWatch Global PrEP Tracker ([link removed]) . And for in-depth look at the situation in South Africa, check out this article from Bhekisisa: Our anti-HIV jab will be rolled out in 6 weeks. But funding cuts hollowed out the system needed to deliver it. ([link removed])
VIEW THE PREP TRACKER ([link removed])
AVAC's IMPACT TRACKER
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** Prevention Disrupted: The Impact of the PEPFAR Stop-Work Orders on PrEP
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Since January 2025, AVAC has tracked the severe impact of the PEPFAR stop-work orders on PrEP, with many countries suspending or significantly reducing their ability to provide PrEP services.
View the latest from AVAC’s Impact Tracker ([link removed]) , now updated with the recent PEPFAR data release.
VIEW AVAC'S IMPACT TRACKER ([link removed])
These resources point to a clear conclusion: the current moment is not one of stability—it is one of risk. PEPFAR’s extraordinary legacy shows what is possible when prevention, treatment, data, and community leadership work together. But the front end is weakening. Without urgent action to restore prevention, ensure transparency in data, and prioritize key populations, the global HIV response risks backsliding—just as new tools are poised to make progress possible.
In solidarity,
AVAC
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AVAC Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention
+1 212 796 6423
[email protected] (mailto:
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