TAG TREATMENT ACTION GROUP INC

SEE SCHEDULE OHIV PROGRAMACCORDING TO THE JULY 2025 UNAIDS GLOBAL AIDS REPORT, "40.8 MILLION [37.0 MILLION-45.6 MILLION] PEOPLE GLOBALLY WERE LIVING WITH HIV IN 2024. 1.3 MILLION [1 MILLION-1.7 MILLION] PEOPLE BECAME NEWLY INFECTED WITH HIV IN 2024. 630 000 [490 000-820 000] PEOPLE DIED FROM AIDS-RELATED ILLNESSES IN 2024. 31.6 MILLION PEOPLE [27.8-32.9 MILLION] WERE ACCESSING ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY IN 2024. 91.4 MILLION [73.4 MILLION-116.4 MILLION] PEOPLE HAVE BECOME INFECTED WITH HIV SINCE THE START OF THE EPIDEMIC. 44.1 MILLION [37.6 MILLION-53.4 MILLION] PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM AIDS-RELATED ILLNESSES SINCE THE START OF THE EPIDEMIC." ACCORDING TO THE U.S. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC) 2025 UPDATE, THERE WERE OVER 39,000 PEOPLE NEWLY DIAGNOSED WITH HIV, ALMOST 4,500 HIV-RELATED DEATHS, AND OVER 1,132,000 AMERICANS LIVING WITH HIV BY THE END OF 2023.TAG'S HIV PROGRAM WORKS TO MAXIMIZE EQUITABLE, AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO THE TOOLS, SERVICES, POLICIES, AND APPROACHES TO PREVENTION AND CARE THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE GOAL OF ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC DOMESTICALLY AND GLOBALLY. ADVOCACY FOCUSED ON ENDING THE EPIDEMIC (ETE, OR EHE) IS AT THE CORE OF THE HIV PROGRAM'S WORK, FROM DRIVING THE NATION'S FIRST ETE INITIATIVE IN NEW YORK TO LEADING THE ACT NOW: END AIDS (ANEA) COALITION'S SUPPORT FOR PARTNERS IN HEAVILY BURDENED JURISDICTIONS IN THE SOUTHERN U.S. TAG'S HIV AND POLICY TEAMS TACKLE ISSUES AROUND DRUG PRICING AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO EMERGING BIOMEDICAL INTERVENTIONS; FUNDING FOR EVIDENCE-BASED HIV PROGRAMMING; ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE; AND POLICIES THAT PROMOTE SAFE, INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE FREE OF STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION FOR PEOPLE TO SEEK PREVENTION AND CARE FOR HIV AND RELATED INFECTIONS, INCLUDING SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS.TAG'S HIV PROGRAM LEADS RESEARCH ACTIVISM AND PROMOTES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV EVERYWHERE HAVE MORE OPTIONS INCLUDING, ULTIMATELY, A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE HIV VACCINE AND A CURE THAT ARE SCALABLE, AFFORDABLE, AND CAN BE USED WORLDWIDE. TAG'S HIV PROGRAM RECOGNIZES THAT EVEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE EXISTING PREVENTION AND TREATMENT INTERVENTIONS HAVE SHORTCOMINGS. TO THIS END, TAG'S BASIC SCIENCE, VACCINE AND CURE PROJECT TRACKS THE ANTIRETROVIRAL, CURE, IMMUNE-BASED THERAPY, AND BIOMEDICAL PREVENTION PIPELINES AND PUBLISHES ANNUAL REPORTS SUMMARIZING THEIR CURRENT STATUS. TAG ALSO PLAYS A VITAL LEADERSHIP ROLE IN BASIC SCIENCE, VACCINES, AND CURE ADVOCACY, PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARDS AND ADMINISTERING AN EMAIL DISCUSSION LISTSERV FOR STAKEHOLDERS IN HIV CURE AND IMMUNE-BASED THERAPY RESEARCH. IN 2024, TAG CONTRIBUTED TO THE NEW U.S. NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH) STRATEGIC PLAN FOR HIV AND HIV-RELATED RESEARCH, COVERING 2026-2030. DURING THE PLANNING PROCESS, TAG'S HIV PROJECT STAFF SERVED ON THE NIH OFFICE OF AIDS RESEARCH BASIC BIOMEDICAL AND PRECLINICAL RESEARCH TASKFORCE. TAG'S HIV CURE-RELATED CLINICAL TRIALS WEBSITE LISTING, UPDATED MONTHLY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON STUDIES AND THEIR RESULTS, IS WIDELY CITED IN SCIENTIFIC PAPERS AND IN CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS. THE HIV PROGRAM ALSO ADVOCATES FOR APPROPRIATE INTERVENTIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO, DESPITE HIV TREATMENT, STILL HAVE POOR IMMUNE SYSTEM RECOVERY. CENTRAL TO THIS WORK IS ENSURING LEGISLATORS AND POLICY MAKERS UNDERSTAND THE ONGOING NEEDS FOR RESEARCH AND HIV-RELATED FUNDING, AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE.TAG STAFF CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE AS MEMBERS OF THE PREP IN BLACK AMERICA COALITION, A NETWORK OF ADVOCATES WORKING TO INCREASE EQUITABLE ACCESS AND UPTAKE OF PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS FOR HIV PREVENTION, WHICH IN APRIL 2024 HOSTED A RESEARCH-FOCUSED PRE-CONFERENCE AHEAD OF THE NMAC BIOMEDICAL HIV PREVENTION SUMMIT. TAG ALSO CONTINUES TO LEAD AND CO-ORGANIZE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ON HIV CURE RESEARCH, INCLUDING THE ANNUAL PRE-CROI COMMUNITY HIV CURE RESEARCH WORKSHOP, AND CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN THE ONLY KNOWN DATABASE MONITORING THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF PARTICIPANTS IN HIV CURE-FOCUSED CLINICAL TRIALS. ALL WEBINARS AND MATERIALS PRODUCED BY THE HIV PROGRAM ARE AVAILABLE ON TAG'S WEBSITE.IN 2024, TAG'S HIV PROGRAM CONDUCTED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ON THE TOPICS OF BIOMEDICAL HIV PREVENTION, ENHANCING PRIOR AND CURRENT PROGRAMMING THROUGH SEVERAL WEBINARS FOCUSED ON TOPICS SUCH IMPLEMENTATION OF LONG-ACTING INJECTABLE HIV TREATMENT AND PREVENTION, AS WELL AS COVERING HIV AWARENESS, SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE. EDUCATION AND HEALTH PROMOTION WAS ALSO ENHANCED BY TAG'S SOCIAL MEDIA AMBASSADORSHIP PROGRAM IN COLLABORATION WITH THE HIV VACCINE TRIALS NETWORK, AND SOUTHERN AIDS COALITION, COLLABORATION WITH THE PREP IN BLACK AMERICA COALITION; AND INCLUDING REAL-TIME COVERAGE OF SEVERAL IMPORTANT CONFERENCES, MEETINGS AND EVENTS ATTENDED BY HEAVILY AFFECTED COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS THE HIV VACCINE TRIALS NETWORK (HVTN) FULL GROUP MEETING, THE AIDS WALK NY, THE NATIVE SON AWARDS, THE SAVING OURSELVES SYMPOSIUM HOSTED BY SOUTHERN AIDS COALITION, AND THE U.S. CONFERENCE ON HIV AND AIDS, AMONG OTHERS. THE TAG HIV PROGRAM CULMINATED WITH A WORLD AIDS DAY TOWN HALL FORUM CO-HOSTED BY TAG IN COLLABORATION WITH SIRIUSXM. SINCE 2024, THE ACT NOW: END AIDS (ANEA) COALITION HAS CONTINUED TO ACHIEVE SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES IN ITS MISSION TO COMBAT HIV/AIDS AND PROMOTE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CARE, THROUGH STRATEGIC CONVENINGS, POLICY ENGAGEMENT, AND KNOWLEDGE-BUILDING INITIATIVES. IN 2024, ANEA HOSTED REGULAR COALITION MEETINGS TO ALIGN EFFORTS ACROSS THE SOUTH AND NATIONALLY, AND HELD A CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING ON THE ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC (EHE) INITIATIVE TO UPLIFT THE VOICES AND PRIORITIES OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV. WE PARTNERED WITH THE TEXAS STRIKE FORCE TO DELIVER A WEBINAR HIGHLIGHTING GRASSROOTS STRATEGIES FOR STATE-LEVEL ADVOCACY, AND DESIGNED MULTIPLE WORKSHOPS AT USCHA 2024, WHICH CULMINATED IN A PUBLISHED PAPER CENTERING BLACK WOMEN'S BODILY AUTONOMY IN THE CONTEXT OF HIV ADVOCACY. ADDITIONALLY, ANEA BEGAN WORKING WITH A PUBLICATION DESIGN CONSULTANT TO ADVANCE THE PRODUCTION OF A COMPREHENSIVE EHE READINESS ASSESSMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH PARTNER JURISDICTIONS, CONSISTING OF A DETAILED SURVEY AND KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS. THIS ASSESSMENT WILL PROVIDE KEY UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED IN UTILIZING EHE FUNDS TO REACH HIGHLY-IMPACTED COMMUNITIES. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, ANEA CONTINUES TO FOSTER LEADERSHIP, STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS, AND ADVANCE POLICY ROOTED IN LIVED EXPERIENCE.

SEE SCHEDULE OHEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) PROGRAMACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S GLOBAL HEPATITIS REPORT 2024, OF THE 50 MILLION PEOPLE ESTIMATED TO BE LIVING WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION, ONLY 36% WERE DIAGNOSED BETWEEN 2015 AND 2022, AND 20% RECEIVED TREATMENT. IN 2022 ALONE, ABOUT 1 MILLION NEW HCV INFECTIONS AND APPROXIMATELY 221 000 HCV-RELATED DEATHS WERE REGISTERED, MOSTLY FROM CIRRHOSIS AND HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA.[1] ABOUT 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE (6.2%) OF THE ESTIMATED 37.7 MILLION LIVING WITH HIV GLOBALLY IN 2020 HAD SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF PAST OR PRESENT HCV INFECTION.TAG'S HCV PROGRAM HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF A GLOBAL HCV EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY MOVEMENT, WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH AFFECTED COMMUNITIES, SCIENTISTS, GOVERNMENTS, AND DRUG COMPANIES TO MAKE LIFE-SAVING INFORMATION, HIGH QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE TESTING AND CURES, AND ENSURING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS UNIVERSALLY. THIS INCLUDES TRACKING THE PIPELINE FOR HCV INNOVATIONS, INCLUDING THE LATEST PANGENOTYPIC TREATMENTS, DIAGNOSTICS, AND LONG-ACTING INJECTABLES, AND INCREASING COMMUNITIES' DIAGNOSTICS AND TREATMENT LITERACY. GLOBALLY, TAG PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO BUILD LEADERSHIP CAPACITY FOR ADVANCING NATIONAL ELIMINATION CAMPAIGNS AND AMPLIFYING COMMUNITY VOICES-ESPECIALLY THOSE OF KEY POPULATIONS SUCH AS PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS, SEX WORKERS, PEOPLE IN INCARCERATION, MIGRANTS, AND MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN IN PLANNING AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT. TAG'S HCV PROGRAM WORKS TO OVERCOME BARRIERS TO HCV PREVENTION AND CARE, INCLUDING LIMITED DONOR FUNDING FOR HCV, RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY GOVERNMENTS AND PAYERS, PATENTS, PRICING BARRIERS, INEFFECTIVE VOLUNTARY LICENSING AND DELAYS IN DRUG REGISTRATION BY ORIGINATOR COMPANIES. THE HCV PROGRAM ADVOCATES FOR HARM REDUCTION AND DRUG DECRIMINALIZATION EFFORTS, INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR OVERDOSE PREVENTION AND SAFE CONSUMPTION SITES AS UNSAFE INJECTION DRUG USE IS A MAJOR ROUTE OF HCV TRANSMISSION.IN THE U.S., TAG'S POLICY TEAM WORKS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVELS: ADVOCATING FOR VIRAL HEPATITIS FUNDING, CHAMPIONING TREATMENT COVERAGE FOR PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS, PEOPLE WHO ARE UNSTABLY HOUSED AND INCARCERATED OR OTHERWISE MARGINALIZED PEOPLE, ENCOURAGING VOLUME-BASED PRICING DEALS FOR DAAS, STRENGTHENING NATIONAL SURVEILLANCE, AND SUPPORTING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. TAG'S ADVOCACY HELPED ADVANCE COVERAGE FOR UNIVERSAL ADULT HCV SCREENING AND DRIVE NEW YORK STATE'S COMMITMENT TO ELIMINATE HCV -- THE FIRST IN THE NATION! -- WITH TAG PARTICIPATING IN THE RESULTANT STATEWIDE HCV ELIMINATION TASK FORCE.