HIV

VA is on a mission to end the HIV epidemic. Together with other federal agencies, community partners, and local facility staff, we're working on the Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America whole of society initiative. This initiative aims to reduce new HIV infections in the U.S. by 75% by 2025 and by 90% by 2030. We can do this, but we need your help.

World AIDS Day is the perfect time to reflect on how far we have come and what we still need to do to end HIV once and for all. This year's theme, Ending the HIV Epidemic: Equitable Access, Everyone's Voice, reminds us that equity must be addressed as part of our work. VA is currently working on three core steps: Test, Prevent, Treat. Check out this video we created on these three steps and how you can get involved:

Test: Everyone should be tested for HIV at least once and, for those with higher risk, at least annually. Veterans can ask their VA provider about testing at their next appointment. Veterans who test positive should be linked to care immediately. Veterans who are aware of their positive HIV status are less likely to transmit the virus to others. If a Veteran tests negative, VA has tools to help them stay negative.

Prevent: We have some great tools to prevent HIV, including Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis or PrEP. PrEP is a daily pill that is very effective at preventing HIV and it is available at VA. Other ways to prevent HIV include practicing safer sex and not sharing injection drug equipment. Veterans can ask their VA provider for a prescription for condoms or information about PrEP or syringe services programs nearby.

Treat: Treatments for HIV are incredibly effective. Treatments help people with HIV suppress the virus (reduce the amount of HIV virus in their blood). This not only helps keep them healthy, it also helps prevent the virus for being passed to others. Veterans who are living with HIV and use VA for their care have access to the latest treatments. We are committed to helping them get and stay on treatment.

So this World AIDS Day, we're asking our Veterans for their help in getting tested, practicing prevention, and, if you are living with HIV, getting and staying on treatment. That's it: Test, Prevent, Treat. With these three things, we can end HIV but only if we do it together.

Read, print and share the resources below to help us promote World AIDS Day.

HIV Testing Fact Sheet Audience: Veterans 1 page, 8.5" x 11" PDF
PrEP: Overview for Patients Audience: Veterans 1 page, 8.5" x 11" PDF
HIV Testing Fact Sheet Audience: Providers 1 page, 8.5" x 11" PDF

See also:

• VA HIV Testing Campaign
  Includes fact sheets, posters and brochures. VA recommends that every Veteran patient be tested for HIV at least once in their lifetime. Routine voluntary HIV testing is now official VA policy. HIV testing saves lives.
• HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
  Includes clinician and patient resources. In the U.S., about 50,000 people are newly infected with HIV every year. PrEP is one tool for reducing the risk of getting infected with HIV.