Released on October 24, 2019
To the principals of Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America: (Thomas J. Engels; Anthony S. Fauci, MD; Admiral Brett P. Giroir, MD; Robert R. Redfield, MD; and Rear Admiral Michael D. Weahkee),
As a diverse group of HIV thoughtleaders representing all aspects of the HIV response, who are committed to women living with and vulnerable to HIV, we are writing to express our concerns that the administration's Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America (EHE) does not adequately address the needs of women, inclusive of trans women.
While we applaud the decision to undertake the effort to end HIV as an epidemic in the United States, it is crucial to the plan's success that women's unique needs are prioritized, particularly those of cis and trans women of color. We request a meeting by mid-November to discuss these concerns and to learn more about how the EHE intends to include women in these efforts. We respect your time and recognize this is a short-notice request, but it is imperative that we develop a meaningful partnership to work together to create a multi-dimensional plan that includes women at all levels of the EHE.
While federal policies exist to ensure the inclusion of women, including in clinical research, women continue to be left behind more than 30 years into the epidemic. Just this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved what is only the second drug for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with zero studies having been conducted in cis women. The recent FDA approval means that we now have a two-tiered prevention approach entitling cis women to fewer options than men.
The Well Project's 16th annual convening of the Women's Research Initiative on HIV/AIDS (WRI)1 in 2019 concluded that EHE plans to date have not sufficiently integrated women. In order to do so, EHE must consider the needs and experiences of women living with and vulnerable to HIV across all programming, from prevention and testing campaigns, to research development, to mental health and social support, to clinical care. Ultimately, it is vital that the EHE explicitly retains a commitment to and is held accountable for the survival and well-being of women living with HIV during its implementation.
Women represent 23 percent of all people living with HIV in the United States. African-American women, while only representing 14 percent of the female population, make up more than 61 percent of new HIV infections among women. Trans women are 49 times more likely to get HIV than the general population. Yet, somehow, the notion persists that women do not deserve focus in the HIV sphere, which has effectively rendered them and their experiences invisible. When women are left out of HIV research and programming efforts, it has a detrimental effect on everyone living with HIV. This is unacceptable. As researchers, policymakers, advocates, providers, and women living with HIV, we know that only by addressing all populations, including women, will we succeed in ending HIV as an epidemic.
With input from all relevant stakeholders, we believe that EHE has the potential to be the framework that ends the battle we have fought for more than three decades. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss how we can all work together to ensure that EHE is successful in ending HIV as an epidemic for all populations and ensuring access to quality healthcare and social support for all people living with HIV. Please have your staff contact Jenna Conley at jconley@thewellproject.org to schedule the requested meeting.
Sincerely,
Click here to sign onto the letter (list will be updated regularly)
(as of December 1, 2019)
Organizations
- The Well Project
- HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA)
- SisterLove
- Positive Women's Network-USA (PWN-USA)
- Women's HIV Program at the University of California, San Francisco
- PleasePrEPMe
- Christie's Place
- Prevention Access Campaign
- Transgender Law Center
- AIDS Alliance for Women, Infants, Children, Youth & Families
- Transgender Strategy Center
- ETR
- Arianna's Center
- Iris House
- Ribbon Consulting Group
- HIVE
- iknowAwareness LLC
- www.openlypositive.com
- Chicago Women's AIDS Project
- HIV Dental Alliance
- TCC Group
- The Afiya Center
- Coalition of Women Living with HIV and AIDS
- National Working Positive Coalition
- LAAN
- Living in 3-D
- Oasis Outreach Group Shreveport
- Capacity Builders
- A Family Affair
- The 6:52 Project Foundation, Inc.
- The Center for HIV Law and Policy
- Young Women Empowerment Network (YWEN)
- HIV Modernization Movement-Indiana
- Sero Project, Inc.
- NMAC
- Southern AIDS Coalition
- Positive People Network
- Pozitively Alecia Miami
- LKAPS
- Unique Solutionz
- South Florida Transgender Medical Consortium
- Sembrando Flores Inc
- AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition (ATAC)
- Shanti Project
- Movimiento en Respuesta al VIH
- Sankofa Collaborative
- Fundación Arcoíris por el Respeto a la Diversidad Sexual
- Let's Kick ASS (AIDS Survivor Syndrome) Palm Springs
- New York Harm Reduction Educators
- Pensacola Osteopaths, LLC
- HEROES, INC
- Living With HIV - ISRAEL
- BAHAM Foundation
- The Family Center
- Gilead Advocacy Network
- The Reunion Project
- Poz Haven Foundation
- Legal Action Center
- SLO Bangers Syringe Exchange and Overdose Prevention Program
- PWN-NYC Chapter
- Seres (con) viver com o VIH
- First Presbyterian/Columbus, IN/Social Justice Committee
- Women Organized to Respond to Life-threatening Diseases (WORLD)
- Wellness Services Inc.
- Latino Commission on AIDS
- Coalición Cero VIH Puerto Rico
- Pacientes de SIDA pro Política Sana
- Hispanic Health Network
- AVAC
- TruEvolution, Inc.
- Until There's A Cure Foundation
- Progressive Gospel Ministries, LLC
- UNIFIED-HIV Health and Beyond
- AIDS United
- Southeastern Michigan HIV/AIDS Council (SEMHAC)
- Greaterworks Inc.
- Sharon Lee Family Health Care
- Retro Viral Foundation dba Sinai Grace Specialty Care
- African American Health Alliance
- Africans Deserve Reparations Now!
- Rainbow Community Center
- Honoring Our Experience
- California-Hawaii State Conference of the NAACP
- American Academy of HIV Medicine
- Nuii Waav
- Allen Temple Health & Social Services
- Washtenaw County Health Department
- BU Wellness Network
- Blossoming In Red, Inc.
- You Can Live Outreach Program
Individuals
- Jenna Conley
- Krista Martel
- Karine Dubé, DrPH
- Phyllis Tien, MD
- Judith Auerbach, PhD
- Adaora Adimora, MD, MPH
- Dawn Averitt
- Edward Machtinger, MD
- Tiommi Luckett
- Arianna Lint
- Ingrid Floyd
- Masonia Traylor
- Deborah Cohan, MD, MPH
- Shyronn Jones
- Karishma Oza
- Thamicha Isaac
- Tresca Wilson
- Carla Martinez
- DeAnna Jackson
- Marci Egel-Guzowski
- Jeffery Parks
- Catherine Christeller
- Margaret Brockman
- David Reznik
- Chunnika Hodges
- Shakeema Bacchus
- Danielle Campbell, MPH
- Shannon Weber
- Carol Cantor
- Mina Kazemi
- Elizabeth Wilson
- Marsha Jones
- Donna Futterman, MD
- Freda Griggs
- Zina Starr
- Priscilla Jones
- Deneen Robinson
- Jennifer Jako
- Edna Tembo
- Soraya Pares
- Theresa Nowlin
- Cynthia Taylor
- Emily Brady
- Randal Lucero
- Mark Misrok
- Mary Bishop
- Susan Mull
- Bonetta Spratley
- Johnny Guaylupo
- Judy Pedraza
- Virg Parks
- Oni Blackstock
- Shelley Martin
- Amy Raspatello
- Pat Kelly
- Warren O'Meara-Dates
- Murray Penner
- Catherine Hanssens
- Lilian Lee
- Julia Marcus
- Sophia Meza
- JD Davids
- Dr. Carrie Foote
- Tranisha Arzah
- Lynette Campbell
- Malcolm Brown
- Donna Faria
- Moisés Agosto-Rosario
- Douglas Krakower
- Alecia Tramel
- Lillibeth Gonzalez
- Julie Moskovitz
- Danielle Altavilla
- Michael Luciano
- Evelyn Ullah
- Leisha McKinley-Beach
- Jodi Reichman
- Nancy García-Tidwell
- Rosanna Phillips
- Yolanda Kellam-Carter
- Neena Bankhead
- Olga Irwin
- Marlene McNeese
- Meta Smith-Davis
- Jennifer Lee
- Magdalena Rivera
- Nadia Dowshen MD, MSHP
- Randall Furrow
- Derrick Mapp
- Cynthia Carey-Grant
- Marco Castro-Bojorquez
- Charles Barnwell
- Carlos Carmona
- Zeke Garcia
- Jacqueline Coleman
- Marc Cohen
- Dianne Michelle Trinidad Ramos
- Kim Moon
- Gloria Careaga
- Andrea Jefferson-Saboor
- Nancy Duncan
- Arlene Diaz
- Sharon Bosley
- Jeannette Mathews
- Caroline Ruggles
- Heidi Hatter
- Allison Edwards
- Alexys Hillman
- Heather Edwards
- Curtis Macomber
- Ariel Bailey
- Monica Johnson
- Natalia Pabon
- Kristen Hamilton
- Alicia Diggs
- Candi Cordero
- Michelle Harris
- Avinof Frumer
- Anna Fowlkes
- Gail Wyatt
- Racheal Hart Peterson
- Charles Small
- Tammy Helton
- Patty Smail
- Rani Bushra
- Kathleen Griffith
- Sheryl Johnson
- Connie Shearer
- Vincent Crisostomo
- Aalia Cox
- Rochelle Walensky
- Waheedah Shabazz-El
- Davina Otalor
- Nina Fulmer
- Robin Charney
- Robin Frumovitz
- Rhonda Wright
- Janice Price
- Tracie M. Gardner
- Lo Petty
- Russelle Miller-Hill
- Deborah Helm
- Antionettea Etienne
- Melissa Major
- Sam Fulmer
- Robert Goldstein
- Tonia Poteat
- Melissa Parker
- Shellye Jones
- Laki Angela
- Maria Mejia
- Joanne Lindsay
- Ann Jones
- Stephanie Vasquez
- Janet Arno
- Joan Duwve
- Deborah Baron
- Annie Oberfield
- Meredith Short
- Cagney Gladin
- Krishna Stone
- Mark Anthony Hughes
- Ebony Chappel
- Valerie Battle
- Carla Dillard Smith
- Brian Minalga
- Kate Starr
- LaWanda Wilkerson
- Tana Pradia
- Alora Gale-Schreck
- Allysha Maragh-Bass
- Joni Kint
- Elizabeth Connick, MD
- Cheryl Fetterhoff
- Luis Scaccabarrozzi
- Mitchell Warren
- Anna Forbes
- Denisha DeLane
- Kisha Holden
- Alison Otis
- Marguerita Lightfoot, PhD
- Sofia Tobar
- Sharon Diston
- Gabriel Maldonado
- Judith Shaw
- Andrea Smith
- Nora Hanna
- Lafayette Bickham
- Sarah Quiroga
- Cheryl Burrison
- Heidi Werbel
- Chris Johnson
- Enricka Norwood-Scott
- Marcus McPherson
- Bishop Hartsel Shirley
- Akilah Benton
- David Landay
- Anandi Sheth
- Mildred Williamson
- William McColl
- Michelle Young
- Creola Hampton
- Rebecca Denison
- Gail Brumitt
- Jane Maxwell
- Sharon Lee
- Cyndy Schalter-Salsido
- Evelyn Postell-Franklin
- Quintin Stroud
- Jahahara Amen-RA Alkebulan-Ma'at
- Judy Eliachar
- Wendolyn Dorsey
- Daphnee Valdez
- Gregg Cassin
- Famika Edmond
- Lisette Gonzalez
- Celeste Callender
- TeNiece Dobbins
- LeSherri James
- Lisa Taton-Murphy
- Lisa Pickruhn
- Trelawney Jenkins
- Jay Theden
- Heather Vaquera
- Penny DeNoble
- Chris Wade
- Lealah Pollock
- Pamela Tassin
- Carolyn Chu
- Cynthia Washington
- Monica Gandhi
- Terri Young
- Christian Ramers
- Jessica Sales
- Hulda Brown
- Paige Rawl
- Terri Lynn Haggins
- Diane Denby
- Sonda Thomas
- Michelle Kohler
- Tiffany Newsome
- Beatrice Ogutu
- Fenicia Rosario
- Penny James
- Donna Robbs MSED
- Holly Huth
- Eileen Lowerre
- Cheryl Radeloff
- Joel Goldman
- Lilieth Conolly
- Rocquel Conolly
--
1 The WRI is a multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral think tank consisting of thoughtleaders in HIV and women. It was founded in 2003 by The Well Project, a non-profit organization whose mission is to change the course of the HIV/AIDS pandemic through a unique and comprehensive focus on women and girls.
