The 2026 Landscape
Where HIV in America stands as of August 2026 — the science that's advancing, the coverage that's shifting, and the policy fights that will shape the next year.
Twice-yearly PrEP is here
On June 18, 2025, the FDA approved Yeztugo (lenacapavir) — the first PrEP option requiring only two injections a year. CDC issued clinical guidance in September 2025. Trials showed 100% efficacy in cisgender women and 96% in a primarily male population.[16] A once-weekly oral formulation has an FDA action date of February 2, 2027.[17]
All 4 PrEP options →Long-acting treatment expands
Long-acting injectable Cabenuva (cabotegravir + rilpivirine) is now widely used, and in April 2026 the FDA approved IDVYNSO — the first once-daily fixed-dose islatravir combination pill — as a treatment option for people already virally suppressed on another regimen.[18] Phase 3 trials of once-weekly oral combinations are reading out in 2026.
The full pipeline →Progress, but uneven
CDC's 2024 surveillance report shows 69% of people with diagnosed HIV achieved viral suppression — up from 67% in 2023, but still short of the 95% national goal.[3] Ryan White clients did far better: 91.4% viral suppression in 2024, showing what happens when the safety net is fully funded.[19]
Ryan White's model →PEPFAR: authorized in law, in limbo in practice
PEPFAR's most recent short-term reauthorization expired March 25, 2025. Because most of PEPFAR sits in permanent U.S. law, the program continues as long as Congress appropriates funding — and Congress has, at level funding. But eight time-bound provisions lapsed, and a federal foreign-aid review has slowed program delivery.[20]
PEPFAR's story →ADAP, Medicaid, and HHS in flux
Ryan White's AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) covers people who fall between private insurance and Medicaid. Florida's ADAP navigated coverage changes in 2025 that have since been substantially restored. Broader HHS coverage rules continue to shift — track ADAP and Medicaid policy at the state level, not just nationally.[21]
National ADAP changes →How anyone gets free or low-cost HIV medication
The federal Ready-Set-PrEP program ended July 18, 2025, but the manufacturer and foundation pathways it once fed into are still very much open. Gilead Advancing Access provides free Descovy and Yeztugo to uninsured people at ≤500% FPL (undocumented residents eligible, no SSN required), ViiV Healthcare PAP covers Apretude and Cabenuva, and independent foundations like TotalAssist and HealthWell cover Medicare copays. Florida ADAP was restored to 400% FPL on July 1, 2026, and FL PrEPAP is a distinct program for PrEP access.
Medication assistance hub →Where Florida stands
Florida remains one of the states with the highest HIV burden in the country, with the South carrying 17.7 diagnoses per 100,000 in 2024 — well above the national rate of 13.3.[4] Miami-Dade, Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, Orange, Palm Beach, and Pinellas remain the state's Ending the HIV Epidemic priority counties.[7]
Rural Florida realities →Looking Ahead: 2027 and Beyond
The pipeline, the funding cliffs, and the political calendar that will shape HIV in America over the next two years — with plain answers for what actually matters.
What's in trials right now
The near-term pipeline: once-weekly oral Yeztugo (FDA action date Feb 2, 2027),[17] once-weekly islatravir + lenacapavir as long-acting treatment (Phase 3 readouts at AIDS 2026),[22] and continued broadly neutralizing antibody (bNAb) combinations under study for both prevention and treatment. Cure research remains early — no candidate is close to approval, but multiple approaches are in active trials.
The 2026 pipeline in full →FY27 appropriations
The federal fiscal year 2027 begins October 1, 2026 — right as this hub launches. Ryan White, HOPWA (housing), CDC HIV prevention, and PEPFAR all depend on annual appropriations. Continuing resolutions have kept programs level, but sustained flat funding against real cost growth is a real cut. Watch KFF and AIDS United for appropriations tracking.[21]
Policy tracker →The midterms
Every House seat, one-third of the Senate, and 36 governorships are on the ballot in November 2026. Congressional composition determines FY27 and FY28 HIV appropriations, PEPFAR's next authorization vehicle, and Medicaid policy. Governors decide state Medicaid expansion, Ryan White integration, and the ADAP formulary. Track your state's ballot at the same time you track federal races.
Detailed voter registration deadlines and state-by-state coverage information will live on the Policy page.
What to watch overseas
The WHO 2025 guidelines recommending twice-yearly lenacapavir for HIV prevention set the stage for a 2026-2027 global rollout — but only where funding and generics reach. Whether PEPFAR receives its next long-term authorization, and whether the Global Fund maintains its trajectory, will shape whether the 2030 UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets are within reach.
UNAIDS 2030 targets →HIV Basics
The essential facts about HIV — what it is, how it spreads, how to prevent it, and how to know your status.
How to Talk About HIV
Words shape how people living with HIV are seen — and how safe they feel getting tested, starting treatment, and telling the people they trust.
See the full HIV Language guide and the trilingual pocket guide (English · Spanish · Haitian Creole) for the complete list of preferred terms and what to avoid.
When we cite statistics — from CDC, HIV.gov, HRSA, UNAIDS, KFF, AIDSVu, or others — we do so to show where the healthcare system is falling short, not to describe who anyone is. Behind every number on this page is a person: a neighbor, a partner, a parent, a friend.
We disaggregate data by race, gender, region, and age when the primary source does, because that is how inequities become visible and addressable. We name the source and reporting year for every major figure, and we use person-first language even inside the statistic — for example, "Black communities make up 12% of the U.S. population and 38% of people newly diagnosed with HIV in 2023," not "38% of new infections are Black."
This mirrors the Denver Principles (1983) — people living with HIV are not victims, patients, or statistics. Read the full editorial standards on our disclaimer page.
Language around HIV carries decades of stigma, and stigma keeps people from testing, from care, and from living openly. Person-first language puts the person before the diagnosis and avoids words that blame or shame. This approach follows the UNAIDS Terminology Guidelines[9] and the CDC's Health Equity Guiding Principles for Inclusive Communication[10], both of which recommend language that is accurate, non-judgmental, and centers the person rather than the virus.
| ✅ Say This | ❌ Not This |
|---|---|
| "Person living with HIV" or "PLHIV" | "HIV victim," "HIV-infected," "AIDS patient" |
| "Acquired HIV" | "Caught" or "contracted" HIV, "infected with" HIV |
| "HIV-negative" or "HIV status unknown" | "Clean" (implies the opposite is "dirty") |
| "Person who injects drugs" | "Junkie," "addict," "IV drug user" |
| "Condomless sex" | "Unsafe sex" or "unprotected sex" — in the era of U=U and PrEP, condomless sex is not automatically unsafe |
| "Died of an AIDS-related illness" | "Died of AIDS" — AIDS itself is a diagnosis stage, not the cause of death |
| "Undetectable = Untransmittable" or "has an undetectable viral load" | "Clean" or "safe" used as a stand-in for undetectable |
| "Sex worker" | "Prostitute" |
U=U & Treatment
Undetectable = Untransmittable. The science that changed everything — and what modern HIV treatment actually looks like.
HIV Care Continuum
From diagnosis to viral suppression — the five steps of the care cascade, and why people fall through the gaps at every one of them.
Women & HIV
Women account for about 18–19% of new HIV diagnoses in the US[13] — and are among the most underserved in HIV prevention, research, and care.
Communities
HIV does not affect all communities equally. These deep dives center the communities carrying the greatest burden of the epidemic.
HIV & MSM
Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men accounted for 65% of new HIV diagnoses in 2024. What treatment, PrEP, and U=U mean specifically for this community — with dignity and without stigma.
Read the full guide →HIV & the South
The South carries the highest HIV burden of any U.S. region: 17.7 diagnoses per 100,000 in 2024, more than a third above the national rate. Structural drivers include Medicaid gaps, provider deserts, and criminalization laws.
Read the full guide →HIV & Indigenous Communities
Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native communities are underrepresented in surveillance data and overrepresented in poor outcomes. What tribal health services, IHS, and culturally-grounded care look like.
Read the full guide →HIV & Military Service
The 2022 Harrison v. Austin decision opened new pathways for service members with HIV. What DoD policy allows, how VA care works, and rights you keep during and after service.
Read the full guide →HIV & Sex Work
Sex workers face disproportionate HIV risk driven by criminalization, not by the work itself. WHO recognizes sex workers as a key population. Harm reduction, PrEP access, and legal protections that actually help.
Read the full guide →History & Activism
Understanding where we've been is inseparable from understanding where we are. The HIV epidemic was shaped by science, by community, by grief — and by people who refused to be silent.
Know Your Rights
People living with HIV have strong legal protections under federal law. Knowing your rights is part of staying healthy — and knowing when those rights are being violated.
HIV policy is changing fast.
For ADAP, Ryan White, HIV criminalization, EHE, PrEP coverage, and ACA updates — including the Florida ADAP crisis and how to take action — visit the Policy Hub.
Go to Policy Hub →HIV Myths vs. Facts
Twenty things people believe about HIV that aren't true — and what the evidence actually says. Tap any card to flip it.
👇 Tap or click any card to flip it and reveal the fact • Cards flip back when you tap again • Every card links to a deeper article
"You can get HIV from hugging, toilet seats, or sharing food."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
HIV is transmitted only through specific bodily fluids: blood, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal fluids, and breast milk. Casual contact cannot transmit HIV. Not hugging. Not toilet seats. Not shared food. Not mosquitoes. Not tears or sweat.1
Read: HIV transmission basics →
👆 Tap to flip back
"Someone with HIV can still spread it even if they're undetectable."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U). When someone on treatment has an undetectable viral load, they have zero risk of sexually transmitting HIV. Confirmed by the PARTNER, PARTNER2, and Opposites Attract studies. CDC, NIH, and HIV.gov all endorse U=U.2
Read: What U=U actually means →
👆 Tap to flip back
"HIV only affects gay men."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
HIV affects people of every gender, sexual orientation, age, race, and background. In 2024, women accounted for about 18% of new U.S. diagnoses, and heterosexual transmission remains the primary global driver. Trans women, cis women, and heterosexual men are all part of this epidemic.3
👆 Tap to flip back
"People with HIV did something wrong or deserve what they got."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
HIV is a virus. Viruses don't discriminate, and having HIV is not a moral failing. Stigma is what keeps people from testing, care, and living openly. No one deserves HIV.
Read: Shame, stigma, and HIV →
👆 Tap to flip back
"Having sex while HIV-positive is automatically a crime in Florida."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
Florida's HIV criminalization laws are outdated and scientifically inaccurate — they don't account for U=U or modern treatment. They discourage testing and cause real harm. The law has not caught up with the science, and reform efforts are ongoing.4
Read: HIV criminalization in Florida →
👆 Tap to flip back
"There's already a cure for HIV — pharma is hiding it."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
There is no approved HIV cure as of August 2026. Seven people have been functionally cured through stem-cell transplants for cancer, but that procedure is too dangerous and costly to use as a general cure. Real cure research is active — bNAbs, gene therapy, latency reversal — and it's public, not hidden.5
👆 Tap to flip back
"HIV came from someone having sex with a monkey."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
This is a racist trope, not science. HIV-1 crossed to humans from chimpanzees in central Africa in the early 20th century — most likely through bushmeat hunting and butchering, the same route as many other zoonotic viruses. Nothing sexual, and nothing to do with any specific community.6
Read: HIV origins and the "Patient Zero" myth →
👆 Tap to flip back
"You have to tell your employer you have HIV."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
In almost all cases, no. HIV is a protected disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. You cannot be legally fired for having HIV, and disclosure is your choice — not your obligation. Federal law protects your medical privacy at work.7
Read: Disclosure, stigma, and your rights →
👆 Tap to flip back
"PrEP is only for gay men."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
It isn't. PrEP is FDA-approved and CDC-recommended for anyone at risk of HIV — cisgender women, trans people, people who inject drugs, mixed-status partners, sex workers. Yeztugo (twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir) was approved in 2025 and is a major access shift.8
Read: All 4 FDA-approved PrEP options →
👆 Tap to flip back
"HIV meds always cancel out hormonal birth control."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
Mostly not anymore. Modern integrase-inhibitor regimens (Biktarvy, Dovato, Triumeq) generally do not reduce hormonal contraception effectiveness. Older efavirenz-based regimens had interactions, but those aren't standard care today. Talk to your prescriber about your specific regimen.9
👆 Tap to flip back
"PEP is just PrEP taken after sex."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
No — different drugs, different timing, different purpose. PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) must start within 72 hours of a possible exposure and is taken for 28 days. PrEP is ongoing prevention — daily pills or long-acting shots. If you may have been exposed, get to an ER or clinic now, not tomorrow.10
Read: PrEP, PEP, and the full prevention stack →
👆 Tap to flip back
"Once you're undetectable, you can stop taking your meds."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
You can't. Undetectable status depends on daily ART. Stopping treatment lets the virus rebound within weeks and can create drug resistance that limits future options. U=U requires ongoing treatment. Stay on it — every day.2
Read: How U=U actually works →
👆 Tap to flip back
"You can tell if someone has HIV by looking at them."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
You can't. Modern ART means most people living with HIV look and feel exactly like everyone else. Skin conditions, weight loss, and other visible signs from the pre-treatment era are not how HIV shows up today. The only way to know is a test.11
Read: HIV testing — 3 types, when to test →
👆 Tap to flip back
"HIV is basically solved — we don't need to fund it anymore."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
The epidemic is not over. In 2024, the U.S. had 38,793 new HIV diagnoses. Only 69% of people with diagnosed HIV were virally suppressed. The South accounted for the highest regional rate. PEPFAR's 2025 funding lapse, ADAP disruptions, and the End the HIV Epidemic initiative all still need public support.12
👆 Tap to flip back
"You'd know if you had HIV — you'd feel sick."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
You wouldn't, and that's the point. You can live with HIV for 10, 15, even 20+ years with no symptoms. That's a reason to test, not to wait. Testing is fast, private, often free, and available at home. Knowing gets you to treatment early — when treatment works best.11
👆 Tap to flip back
"An HIV diagnosis is a death sentence."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
It isn't. Today, HIV treatment means near-normal life expectancy for people who start early and stay on treatment. One pill, once a day — or a shot every two months. Someone diagnosed in 2026 can expect to live a full life.13
Read: Newly diagnosed — the first 30 days →
👆 Tap to flip back
"HIV meds will wreck your body with side effects."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
The old regimens are largely history. Modern HIV treatment is typically one pill, once a day, well-tolerated by most people. Some mild first-week effects (headaches, nausea) usually resolve. If a regimen doesn't work for you, there are many options — talk to your provider.14
👆 Tap to flip back
"You should wait until you feel sick to start HIV treatment."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
The opposite. Guidelines recommend starting immediately after diagnosis, regardless of CD4 count. Early treatment preserves immune function, prevents long-term damage, and gets you to undetectable faster. Rapid ART start is now standard of care.13
Read: Rapid ART and the first 30 days →
👆 Tap to flip back
"If you have HIV, you can't have children."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
You can. With modern care, the risk of passing HIV to a baby during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding can be reduced to less than 1%. Mixed-status couples conceive safely all the time. Talk to an HIV OB/GYN or reproductive specialist.9
Read: HIV, pregnancy, and reproductive health →
👆 Tap to flip back
"HIV is a young person's disease — you're too old for this to matter."
👆 Tap to reveal the fact
More than half of people living with HIV in the U.S. are now over 50. New diagnoses happen at every age, and aging with HIV brings comorbidities (heart, kidney, bone, cognitive) that deserve real long-term care. Age doesn't make anyone safer from HIV.15
👆 Tap to flip back
Have a myth we should add?
Somebody in your life is asking about it right now. Send it to us — real people, real answers — and we'll consider it for the next update.
Submit a myth →Learning Hub
Long-form resources that cover individual topics in full — the science, the stories, the practical guidance, and what it all means for people living with HIV in Florida. Read: Florida criminalization laws → Read: Disclosure and your rights →
References & Sources
Every statistic on this page is sourced from federal surveillance data, peer-reviewed research, or the CDC, UNAIDS, and HIV.gov. Click any number in the text to jump here; click the ↩ to jump back.
- CDC. "HIV Diagnoses, Deaths, and Prevalence 2024 Update" — 1,158,701 people were living with diagnosed HIV in the U.S. and territories at year-end 2024. Link ↩
- CDC. "HIV Diagnoses, Deaths, and Prevalence — United States and 7 territories, 2024" (published May 18, 2026) — 38,793 HIV diagnoses reported in the U.S. and territories in 2024. Link ↩
- CDC. "National HIV Prevention and Care Objectives: 2026 Update" (published May 2026) — 69% of people with diagnosed HIV achieved viral suppression in 2024, up from 67% in 2023. Link ↩
- CDC. "HIV Diagnoses, Deaths, and Prevalence 2024 Update" — HIV diagnosis rate in the South was 17.7 per 100,000 in 2024, above the national rate of 13.3. Link ↩
- CDC. "HIV Surveillance Report, 2023," state-level diagnosis rates — Florida's rate of 22.7 per 100,000 was third-highest nationally, behind Washington, D.C. and Georgia. Link ↩
- Florida Department of Health. "State of the HIV Epidemic in Florida, 2023." Link ↩
- Florida Department of Health, county-level 2023 data — Miami-Dade led the state in new diagnoses; Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, Orange, Palm Beach, and Pinellas are Florida's other Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) priority counties. Link ↩
- CDC. "HIV and Youth" — people aged 13–24 account for roughly 1 in 5 new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. Link ↩
- UNAIDS. "Terminology Guidelines," 2015 (updated). Link ↩
- CDC. "Health Equity Guiding Principles for Inclusive Communication." Link ↩
- CDC / NIH. U=U evidence base — HPTN 052, PARTNER, and PARTNER2 studies found zero linked HIV transmissions from a virally suppressed partner. Link ↩
- CDC. "National HIV Prevention and Care Objectives: 2026 Update" — among 1.1 million people living with diagnosed HIV at year-end 2024, 77% received some care, 56% were retained in care, and 69% had achieved viral suppression. Link ↩
- HIV.gov. "Women and HIV" — women accounted for about 18–19% of new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. in 2023. Link ↩
- CDC / AIDSVu. 2023 surveillance data — Black Americans accounted for about 38% of new HIV diagnoses while representing about 12% of the U.S. population. Link ↩
- CDC 2023 HIV surveillance data — Latino/Hispanic people accounted for about 34% of new HIV diagnoses while representing about 18% of the U.S. population. Link ↩
- CDC MMWR. "Clinical Recommendation for the Use of Injectable Lenacapavir as HIV PrEP." Sept 18, 2025 — FDA approved lenacapavir June 18, 2025; trials showed 100% efficacy in cisgender women and 96% in a primarily male population. Link ↩
- Gilead Sciences. "U.S. FDA Accepts Gilead's Application for Investigational Once-Weekly Oral Yeztugo" (June 15, 2026) — PDUFA action date February 2, 2027. Link ↩
- Treatment Action Group. "Pipeline Report 2026 — Antiretroviral Therapy" — IDVYNSO (doravirine + islatravir) FDA approved April 21, 2026 as a switch regimen for virally suppressed adults. Link ↩
- HRSA / HIV.gov. "New Data Show Over 91% Viral Suppression Rate Among Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Patients" (Dec 18, 2025) — Ryan White clients achieved 91.4% viral suppression in 2024, well above the 69% national rate. Link ↩
- KFF. "The Trump Administration's Foreign Aid Review: Status of PEPFAR" (updated Aug 6, 2026) — PEPFAR's short-term reauthorization expired March 25, 2025; program continues under permanent authority as Congress appropriates funding, though eight time-bound provisions lapsed. Link ↩
- KFF. "An Update on PEPFAR Reauthorization" and KFF appropriations tracker — FY 2025 continuing resolution maintained level PEPFAR funding at $7.1 billion; FY 2027 appropriations begin October 1, 2026. Link ↩
- Merck. "New Data on Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Options Across HIV Treatment and Prevention Pipeline at AIDS 2026" (Aug 20, 2026) — Phase 3 ISL/LEN once-weekly oral combination readouts and Phase 2b ISL+ULO data presented. Link ↩