A Community Statement on Access to HIV Treatment and Prevention

August 2, 2016

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Eight HIV/AIDS advocacy organizations have teamed up to release a consensus statement on the importance and proper use of HIV meds as both treatment and prevention, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The statement can be read and signed at hivt4p.org.

Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention (AVAC), European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG), Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF), Global Network of People Living With HIV (GNP+), HIV i-Base, International HIV/AIDS Alliance (The Alliance), International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) and NAM/aidsmap launched the Community Consensus Statement on Access to HIV Treatment and its Use for Prevention to coincide with the 2016 International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016), held recently in Durban, South Africa.

The statement outlines how to use HIV meds to prevent transmission and emphasizes HIV-positive people’s right to antiretroviral therapy (ART, also known as ARV). The statement claims to be based on the viewpoints of people living with HIV and of those at risk of infection.

The report states:

• This statement is a summary of safeguards for our health and well-being.
• It demands that all people living with HIV should have access to ART.
• It also stresses that using ART is an individual choice, not a duty.

The statement is then broken up into several aspects surrounding ART:

• The right to ART for people who are HIV positive
• Access to ART for people who are HIV positive
• Preventing HIV transmission
• PrEP for people who are HIV negative
• Prevention policies for all

As of August 1, the statement has gathered 916 supporters.

To read the consensus statement, visit hivt4p.org.

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