PEPFAR Funding Freeze Could Cause Tens Of Thousands Of HIV Infections, Deaths In Sub-Saharan Africa, Study Finds

American Journal of Managed Care (7/8, Bonavitacola) reports a study found that the Trump Administration’s freeze in President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding “could result in tens of thousands of deaths in sub-Saharan Africa based on a simulated model, displaying the impact that such funding can have in areas that need it most.” Utilizing the STDSIM model, researchers projected a full implementation of the executive order in two groups “where the proportional scenario estimated the number of people on antiretroviral therapy (ART) affected is proportional to the PEPFAR share of the total HIV budget, and the realistic scenario focuses on the critical components of PEPFAR funds in the treatment delivery system.” Researchers observed that “the mortality related to HIV was estimated to be 36,000 by 2030 in the scenario where funding is not paused. The realistic scenario related to the executive order estimated 44,000 deaths, and the proportional scenario estimated 42,000 deaths.” The study was published in eClinicalMedicine.