zpostcode
President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
Apr 26, 2025 12:24 AM

  President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), public health initiative launched by the United States in 2003 to coordinate an international response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), authorized by U.S. Pres. George W. Bush, marked a major step forward in global efforts to prevent HIV infection and to provide treatment to persons living with HIV/AIDS. The effort proved highly successful; by September 2023 some 20.5 million persons with HIV/AIDS had received antiretroviral treatment via the PEPFAR program. More than 32 million men and boys in eastern and southern Africa voluntarily underwent circumcision—a procedure that has been found to reduce risk of HIV infection—and rates of new HIV diagnoses have declined among adolescent girls and young women worldwide.

  Development and success In the 1990s and 2000s the incidence of HIV/AIDS was increasing worldwide and particularly in Africa. When Bush was elected, addressing issues in Africa was not a priority. However, as awareness about HIV/AIDS increased in the United States and globally, Colin Powell, who was then secretary of state, brought the AIDS epidemic to Bush’s attention, describing it as a pressing problem for the new administration. In addition, Christian conservatives, who made up a large share of Bush’s political base, started adopting the cause.

  Bush sent Tommy Thompson, then health and human services secretary, and Anthony Fauci, who was advising the administration on AIDS issues, to Africa in 2002, with the request that they develop a proposal for bringing the HIV/AIDS pandemic under control. Based on their conclusions, Bush announced plans for an AIDS program his 2003 State of the Union address. Legislation was passed that year, setting aside $15 billion for the program. Bush appointed Randall Tobias, a former pharmaceutical executive, to run PEPFAR out of the White House; the program was later transferred to the State Department. PEPFAR was reauthorized by Congress in 2008, 2013, and 2018. Rules were added and removed in different funding cycles—for instance, the original authorization required that one-third of funding be spent on abstinence-until-marriage programs; this requirement was removed in the 2008 reauthorization.

  In the years following its implementation and reauthorizations, the program’s success grew. By 2012, for example, PEPFAR had supplied antiretroviral drugs to more than 5 million persons with HIV/AIDS, an increase from 1.7 million in 2008. Also by 2012 almost 50 million people had undergone testing for HIV infection, and an estimated 1 million infants had been protected against HIV transmission from infected mothers. In Uganda, one of the first countries to benefit from PEPFAR, nearly 500,000 HIV infections had been prevented and more than 600,000 lives had been saved by 2023.

  Conservative backlash In 2023, however, PEPFAR, which was again up for reauthorization, came under attack from conservative groups. A report issued by the Heritage Foundation in the spring of that year charged that U.S. Pres. Joe Biden’s administration had leveraged the program to promote a radical social agenda, claiming in particular that PEPFAR funds had been given to nonprofit organizations that also support abortion. PEPFAR supporters pointed out, however, that the program does not fund abortion. The Heritage Foundation also reported that the vast majority of political donations made by employees of organizations that receive PEPFAR funds were in support of Democratic candidates and causes, alleging possible “political discrimination” and questioning whether the program could be trusted to operate in a nonpartisan manner. As a consequence of these claims, some conservative organizations demanded a change to the program that would block it from funding any group that supported abortions; such organizations threatened to consider a vote to reauthorize PEPFAR as a vote for abortion rights in their political scorecards rating members of Congress.

  In October 2023 Congress declined to renew funding for PEPFAR. The Republican-majority House approved a one-year extension, instead of the standard five-year extension, which would have created an opportunity to make changes under a potential Republican administration in 2025. PEPFAR was able to continue operating in the short-term, though the longevity of the program’s remaining funds was unclear.

  Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now

Comments
Welcome to zpostcode comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Recommend >
Anne Lamott
  Anne Lamott American author Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anne-Lamott Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anne-Lamott Written by Laura Payne Laura Payne is a freelance writer whose work covers many topics. She is a former Wayne State University linguistics instructor. Laura Payne Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's...
Google Gemini
  Google Gemini generative AI Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/technology/Google-Gemini Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/technology/Google-Gemini Also known as: Google Bard Written by Frannie Comstock Frannie Comstock is a writer based in Chicago. Frannie Comstock Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they...
...
Ted Koppel
  Ted Koppel American journalist and news broadcaster Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ted-Koppel Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ted-Koppel Also known as: Edward James Martin Koppel Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of...
Information Recommendation
Anna Meares
  Anna Meares Australian cyclist Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anna-Meares Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anna-Meares Also known as: Anna Maree Devenish Meares Written by Joan Hibler Joan Hibler is a senior editor at Encyclopædia Britannica. Joan Hibler Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas...
Naval Battle of Campeche
  Naval Battle of Campeche Mexican history [1843] Actions Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X...
Consumer staples sector: Investing in stocks that provide the basics for living
     Some things you just can’t live without. Consumer staples are products that are essential or that you’re likely to purchase regardless of your personal finances or how the economy is performing. Food, drinks (including alcoholic beverages), tobacco, and household and personal care items are all considered consumer staples.   The sector comprises a broad swath of companies that make, market,...
Leslie Jones
  Leslie Jones American actress Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leslie-Jones Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leslie-Jones Also known as: Annette Leslie Jones Written by Leigh Goldstein Leigh Goldstein is a feminist media researcher based in Montreal. Leigh Goldstein Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas...
Industrials sector: Investing in big companies that do big things
     When envisioning the pillars of American industry, numerous products and services come to mind: heavy machinery for transportation, farming, and defense; building products, electrical equipment, and machine parts; and an array of functions, from supply chain consulting to basic facility services, like plumbing and janitorial duties.   What is the industrials sector?The industrials sector comprises companies that produce capital goods—products...
spot price
  also called:cash priceSpot price is the current price at which you can buy or sell an asset for immediate delivery and settlement. Also called the cash price, spot prices typically fluctuate throughout the day due to changing supply, demand, and expectations. The spot price of physical goods will also vary by region due to local supply and demand as well...
Consumer discretionary sector: Investing in companies that make life a bit sweeter
     You have material needs in life—and also desires and wants. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector of the stock market make products that you may intensely covet but not need. For that reason, companies that offer goods and services subject to discretionary spending can (and do) see dramatic changes in demand, unlike the consumer staples sector.   Investing in the...
The Tête à Tête
  The Tête à Tête painting by William Hogarth Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Tete-a-Tete Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Tete-a-Tete Also known as: “Marriage A-la-Mode: 2, The Tête à Tête”, “Shortly After the Marriage” Written by Ana Finel Honigman Ana Finel Honigman is a New York- and London-based critic, curator, and...