• Posted March 20, 2025

Trump Administration May Cut CDC's HIV Prevention Division

The Trump administration is weighing elimination of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division on HIV Prevention, sparking concerns among public health experts.

If implemented, the move could shift HIV prevention efforts to another agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

A source familiar with the plan said discussions are still in the "very, very preliminary stages" and no final decision has been made, NBC News reported.

But a memo circulating among HIV prevention advocates suggests the change could take place soon.

Experts fear the move could weaken national HIV prevention efforts. 

“It would be devastating,” Jesse Milan, president and CEO of AIDS United, told NBC News. 

“Every new HIV transmission results in a person having a lifetime cost related to being HIV positive,” he added.

The CDC’s HIV Prevention Division tracks HIV infections, conducts research and promotes prevention strategies such as PrEP, a medication that reduces infection risk.

Recent data shows progress, with new HIV infections declining, especially among 13- to 24-year-olds. Even so, an estimated 31,800 new cases were reported nationwide in 2022.

The plan could move HIV prevention work from the CDC to HHS’s Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which now focuses mainly on treatment through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. 

Another proposal under consideration could slash up to $700 million from the CDC’s HIV division.

Public health advocates warn that reducing prevention funding could ultimately cost taxpayers millions in treatment expenses.

In an emailed statement, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said no final decision on streamlining CDC's HIV Prevention has been made.

"HHS is following the Administration’s guidance and taking a careful look at all divisions to see where there is overlap that could be streamlined to support the President’s broader efforts to restructure the federal government," Nixon said. 

"This is to ensure that HHS better serves the American people at the highest and most efficient standard," he added.

The CDC’s HIV prevention work dates to the 1980s, when the agency responded to the emerging AIDS crisis. Advocates argue that the division is critical. 

"The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program does not fill all the HIV gaps," Harold Phillips, deputy director for programs at NMAC, an advocacy group, said. "It only serves those with an HIV diagnosis."

More information

The Cleveland Clinic has more on HIV and AIDS.

SOURCE: NBC News, March 18, 2025