The FDA could decide by early February whether to approve the first once-weekly pill for HIV prevention. It could offer an alternative to daily PrEP pills and long-acting injections that come with their own logistical and clinical considerations. positivelyaware.com/weekly-prep-pill

Lenacapavir, the twice-yearly injectable for HIV prevention, is being rolled out across low-income countries at unprecedented speed. But are supply, funding and transparency keeping pace with demand? @timmurphynycwriter.bsky.social reports for PA. positivelyaware.com/LEN-access-and-accountability

Said one of the protesters released after his arrest: “We wanted to have Rubio hear that people are still thinking about PEPFAR—and that people overseas are dying” because of the Trump administration’s dismantling of U.S. global health programs. positivelyaware.com/10-activists-arrested

Advocates are concerned that even though HIV meds are not impacted, the cuts could undermine adherence for Missourians with HIV. And with the state legislature adjourned for the year, a legislative solution is unlikely for now. positivelyaware.com/missouri-suspends-ryan-white-part-b

The budget provides $75 million for ADAP, maintains income eligibility at 400% of FPL and restores Biktarvy to the formulary, but no assistance for premium. Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign the budget bill into law. positivelyaware.com/new-florida-budget

The FDA has approved Idvynso, which combines two drugs made by Merck—doravirine (which has been available for several years under the brand name Pifeltro) + islatravir, the first of a new drug class, nucleoside reverse transcriptase translocation inhibitors. positivelyaware.com/fda-approves-idvynso

Immigration raids, funding cuts and fear are disrupting #HIV care for Latina/o communities. In a commentary for PA, Carlos Saldana Ochoa, MD, describes how missed appointments, detention and research instability threaten decades of HIV progress. www.positivelyaware.com/when-fear-disrupts-hiv-care

When we dismiss tools like PrEP or DoxyPEP because they don’t align with our personal beliefs, we’re not protecting anyone, writes public health advocate Jason Watler. Too often people disguise their antagonism to some sexual health interventions as morality. positivelyaware.com/in-prep-we-trust

An op-ed by PrEP4All’s Jeremiah Johnson as California’s state supreme court hears oral arguments in a lawsuit by 24,000 people living HIV, charging that Gilead Sciences delayed development of a safer version of tenofovir in order to protect profits. positivelyaware.com/tenofovir-lawsuit-arguments

Single-tablet regimens simplify HIV treatment, improve adherence and help prevent resistance and transmission. In a First Person commentary, policy advocate Scott Bertani notes that some cost-cutting efforts fail to take into accounts these benefits. www.positivelyaware.com/the-case-for-STRs

To see someone as the person they are is the beginning of respect. To see someone as the person they are is the beginning of compassion. To see someone as the person they are is the beginning. International Transgender Day of Visibility

“I knew how I wanted my hair, nails, outfit, coffin & what funeral home I wanted it to be at,” writes Kim Canady. “I have to remember that I’m here for a reason. I’m in a constant fight with myself to not just be alive but to actually live!” positivelyaware.com/first-person-kim-canady

After April 1, the U.S. post office will no longer ship bulk copies of magazines in bundles, so PA is switching to UPS. Now’s the time to update your shipping info—address, quantities and contact info. Or place your new order! Contact us: [email protected].

This is a stopgap measure in effect through June 30 as lawmakers work toward a new state budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year. positivelyaware.com/florida-adap-temporary-funding

The federal government no longer recognizes National HIV/AIDS Awareness Days. That’s why we the people need to stand up and call out how HIV impacts our communities. #NHAAD

The funding bill was presented to Gov. DeSantis on March 18; lawmakers expect it to be signed possibly within days, though no timeline has been confirmed. Gaps remind. Biktarvy is still off the #ADAP formulary; Descovy is subject to restricted use. positivelyaware.com/florida-adap-funding-bill

Watch actor-performer Keiynan Lonsdale talk with Positively Aware special correspondent Tony Morrison about exploring his sexuality and identity through creativity—and about being on PrEP. youtube.com/watch?v=weJjRYEx6ZU

“Talking about #HIV and prevention can feel uncomfortable,” says actor-performer Keiynan Lonsdale. “...I get tested to know my status. I understand my prevention options. And I’m choosing to speak up so others can too.” positivelyaware.com/keiynan-lonsdale-is-done-hiding

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a reminder that HIV uniquely affects women—every day. #NWGHAAD

Siloed leadership among HIV organizations is limiting collaboration and sidelining grassroots groups closest to communities most in need, says activist Von Biggs in a new First Person op-ed for Positively Aware. Read more here: positivelyaware.com/first-person-building-community

To change your plan, call the Marketplace Call Center at 800-318-2596 (TTY: 855-889-4325). Deadline to change plans is April 30. Details here: positivelyaware.com/special-enrollment-period

February 27 is National HIV Is Not A Crime Awareness Day. The Center for HIV Law and Policy released a new statement highlighting how HIV criminalization laws intersect with immigration enforcement and policing — and the broader public health impact. positivelyaware.com/hinac-day-2026

We've put together an initial report, on TheBodyPro, of federal HIV resources that have been removed and where alternative sources can be located. It's just a start, so tips and notes are welcome. Cheers to @larrybuhl.bsky.social for his initial reporting here! www.thebodypro.com/hiv/hiv-data...

“For years, I worked inside Florida’s public health system. I believed in the mission,” writes Tammy Cuyler in a First Person op-ed for Positively Aware. But sometimes the system asks you to be quiet when people need you to speak. Read what she has to say. positivelyaware.com/moral-failure

Whether we show up using our personal health stewardship or community organizing, through word-of-mouth networks or formal advocacy, we are asserting our right to health and dignity in all the ways that matter, writes HIV specialist Dr. Stella Safo. positivelyaware.com/why-advocacy-matters

The media gang’s all here at #CROI2026. With @raifderrazi.bsky.social, Enid (@posaware.bsky.social) & @rogerpebody.bsky.social.

A long-term survivor and advocate reflects on his 6 years as vice chair of the Broward County HIV Health Services Planning Council and cultivating a new generation of community leaders. Read Von Biggs’ First Person commentary here. positivelyaware.com/passing-the-torch

In a First Person op-ed for Positively Aware, long-term survivor Kamaria Laffrey writes her own “pre-obituary”—it’s an indictment against the proposed changes that would gut Florida’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program. www.positivelyaware.com/pre-obit

The public comment period is now open through March 4 for the cuts to Florida’s ADAP program proposed by the state’s Health Department. Florida legislators are working on state budget plans that would help fill a $120 million shortfall for the program. positivelyaware.com/florida-adap-public-comment

Florida #ADAP overview & update: Florida lawmakers are working on state budget plans to fill the $120 million shortfall in the program. The public comment period about the health department’s cuts is now open through March 4. Read more here. www.positivelyaware.com/florida-adap-efforts

The U.S. withdrawal from the @who.int has made Americans less safe, further damaged diplomatic relationships that the country relies on and will make us less healthy, writes @avac.org’s Mitchell Warren in a First Person op-ed. positivelyaware.com/us-retreats-from-who

“Clinics and case managers lose time scrambling, and that’s time taken from patient care,” says Florida HIV advocate Kevin Maloney about the uncertainty over changes coming to the state’s ADAP. www.positivelyaware.com/uncertainty-over-florida-adap

Starting March 1, Florida’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) will tighten its income eligibility requirements and no longer cover the HIV drug Biktarvy. positivelyaware.com/florida-guts-adap

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., warned that silence in the face of injustice is a choice. The fight against HIV is inseparable from the fight for civil rights—ending stigma, expanding access to care and ensuring that people with HIV are treated with humanity.

New Orleans has long ranked consistently near the top nationally for new and existing #HIV diagnoses: “HIV is not a fringe issue here,” writes Morris Singletary in a commentary for PA. “It is a defining public health challenge.”

PA wants to hear from you: What’s one thing that living with HIV has taught you that you’d want someone to know? Post your answer here. Select responses to appear in the next issue.

Comm. McDonald: “While influenza activity is elevated, there are simple steps New Yorkers can take to protect themselves & those around them, including getting vaccinated, staying home when sick & practicing everyday preventive measures.” health.ny.gov/press/releases/2025/2025-12-26_flu_cases.htm

Results from a phase 2 clinical trial evaluating once-weekly oral islatravir plus lenacapavir (ISL+LEN) show the combo to be statistically comparable to the popular once-daily pill Biktarvy through 48 weeks in people with HIV who are virally suppressed. www.positivelyaware.com/ISL-LEN-phase-2

Have you ever wanted to get PrEP but encountered resistance from your care provider, or had your HIV prevention medication rejected by insurance? PA is doing a story and wants to hear about your experience. Comment here or DM us.

The challenge now is translating historic firsts into sustained access, ensuring lenacapavir reaches not just thousands but millions and that communities most affected by HIV have both voice and agency as this prevention revolution unfolds. By Edith Magak. www.positivelyaware.com/lenacapavir-...

For World AIDS Day, a couple of friends who are also living with HIV joined PA editor Rick Guasco for a chat. You can see the fun they had hanging out. . positivelyaware.com/beto-terry-and-me

With so many options for HIV prevention at a time when HIV programs face massive cuts, education has never been more important—for health care providers and patients alike, says PrEP user Sean Leviashvili www.positivelyaware.com/prepping-health-care

PrEP is an effective—if not the most effective—HIV prevention modality. But the actions of this administration risk all the gains we’ve made, at a time when HIV rates are rising, say @jncherabiemd.bsky.social & Dr. Julia Rosebush. #SaveHIVFunding www.positivelyaware.com/hiv-prevention-on-the-brink

“...in 1990, my dad told me he was HIV positive,” writes pharmacist Rebecca Jackson. “...I didn’t care how or when he acquired HIV. All I cared about was being there for him, learning everything I could about this disease, and helping him live.” www.positivelyaware.com/my-why

The real promise of lenacapavir for PrEP goes beyond the drug itself, by offering more choice, more flexibility and a better chance that everyone can find an HIV prevention option that fits their life, writes @johnmeadejr.bsky.social. www.positivelyaware.com/from-promise-to-programs

“When we’ve exhausted all other methods for addressing a question, the non-human primate plays a critical role in helping [with] that last step before we go into clinical trials,” says the director of the Washington National Primate Research Center www.positivelyaware.com/cdc-primate-research-to-end

“...progress means nothing when the people who need it cannot access it. For Black women, barriers still show up everywhere,” writes Latonia Wilkins, BSW. “The science has moved forward, but the system surrounding it is not equitable.” www.positivelyaware.com/i-saw-myself

Results from the ARTISTRY-1 study show the new bictegravir-lenacapavir combo was statistically comparable to other existing pill regimens, although specific data were not disclosed. positivelyaware.com/bic-len-holds-promise

Despite plans to downsize and dismantle UNAIDS by the end of 2026, former program coordinating board member Christian Hui says the organization is uniquely positioned to lead the global fight against HIV. www.positivelyaware.com/articles/why...