Pete Buttigieg on HIV Getting to Zero

Buttigieg would "revitalize" the Office of National AIDS Policy, which works to reduce and spread awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic across the U.S. (Since January 2017, President Trump has failed to appoint a new director of ONAP after its previous director, Amy Lansky, left that month. Several other staff members have resigned.

Buttigieg does not support universal health care, and says he instead, would "strengthen the Affordable Care Act."

Buttigieg would re-establish the White House Office of National AIDS Policy.

Buttigieg would expand access to HIV testing in clinical and non-clinical settings and would fully fund the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program.

Buttigieg would pursue aggressive price negotiations against any pharmaceutical companies refusing to sell PrEP at an affordable rate. If this failed, he would “consider” exercising eminent domain on PrEP-related patents.

Buttigieg would guarantee funding to expand access to condoms and HIV prevention programs.

Buttigieg would expand funding for programs like PEPFAR and the Global Fund which prioritize vulnerable populations in its effort to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission.

Buttigieg’s ONAP strategy would restore civil rights protections for those with HIV in health care settings, "address the stigma" for those who face challenges in obtaining preventative and general care for HIV, and provide access to PrEP for those determined "at risk" by ensuring that all costs are covered by insurance plans. Alternatively, if this fails, his administration would "take over" drug company patents and lower prices.

Buttiegieg promises to “end the HIV/AIDS epidemic” by 2030.

Buttigieg, in his first six months in office, would update the National HIV/AIDS strategy to ensure that undetectable means untransmittable and would ensure universal access to PrEP.

Buttigieg promises to ensure access to PrEP for everyone who needs it through his Medicare for All Who Want It plan. He would require all insurance plans to cover PrEP and related screening and monitoring services without cost sharing and would provide federal funding to ensure access to PrEP drugs and related services for those who are un- or underinsured.

Buttigeig would commit to restoring funding for domestic HIV/AIDS research.

Buttigieg would decriminalize HIV transmission, and would restore the Affordable Care Act’s civil rights protections to everyone at risk for HIV.

“We cannot think about ending the AIDS epidemic without addressing directly the substance use disorder (SUD) epidemic in the United States. While opioids have fueled the immediate epidemic of overdose deaths and new HIV infections as a result of needle sharing, we should treat this as a SUD epidemic — whether through opioids, fentanyl or methamphetamine. The HIV outbreak in Scott County, IN was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of communities at risk. I saw at close range the price that is paid by not having comprehensive harm reduction and SUD treatment services.”

2020 Presidential Candidate Questionnaire
AIDS United, 2019 | Pete Buttigieg