Black-led coalition marks National PrEP Day with HIV prevention push

The PDiBA National Coalition issued a National PrEP Day statement after October 10, calling for broader awareness, access and acceptance of PrEP in Black communities. The coalition says closing HIV prevention gaps requires stronger education, less stigma and more equitable care for Black people nationwide.

Why it matters: - Black communities continue to carry a disproportionate burden of HIV in the United States. - PDiBA says improving PrEP awareness and access could help close a persistent prevention gap. - The coalition is pushing for HIV prevention that is accessible, affirming and equitable for Black people nationwide.

What happened: - Following National PrEP Day on October 10, the PrEP Desirability in Black America National Coalition released a statement on HIV prevention in Black communities. - The statement reaffirmed PDiBA’s focus on increasing awareness, access and acceptance of PrEP as a prevention tool. - National PrEP Day was used as a call to educate communities, challenge stigma and expand understanding of HIV prevention options.

The details: - PDiBA said its main goal is to get PrEP to more Black people vulnerable to HIV transmission. - The coalition also said people living with HIV should be physically and mentally well, on treatment that suppresses viral levels below detectable levels, and supported in staying on medication until there is a cure. - PrEP is a medication for people without HIV, and when taken as prescribed it can reduce the risk of sexual HIV transmission by about 99%. - Black communities still face barriers to PrEP access, including limited awareness, stigma, misinformation and inequities in healthcare. - Ernest Hopkins, chair of the National Black Gay Men’s Advocacy Coalition, said every Black gay man should know about PrEP, every person living with HIV should be healthy and virally suppressed, and every person at risk should know how to get PrEP. - Hopkins said PrEP options include a daily pill or injectable options given yearly or twice a year. - Grazell Howard, board chair and managing director of the Black AIDS Institute, said Black women must be centered in HIV prevention conversations. - Howard pointed to the campaign, “If You’re Not Talking to Black Women, You’re Not Talking to the Black Community,” as a way to emphasize culturally relevant information and access to resources. - Dr. Ivy Turnball, chair of the National Black Women’s HIV/AIDS Network Inc., called on partners nationwide to stand with Black women and girls and support an HIV prevention system rooted in dignity, equity and protection. - Christopher Chauncey Watson, principal investigator for PDiBA at Morgan State University, said Black America has been left behind in the PrEP era because prevention systems did not center Black communities. - Watson said awareness alone is not enough and that navigation barriers remain, especially for young people and Black transgender and gender-diverse communities. - PDiBA called on community leaders, healthcare professionals, public health organizations, policymakers and advocates to help advance HIV prevention that is accessible, affirming and equitable.

Between the lines: - The statement frames PrEP access as both a medical issue and a fairness issue. - By centering Black gay men, Black women and Black transgender and gender-diverse people, PDiBA is arguing that prevention efforts must be tailored to the communities most affected. - The coalition is also signaling that stigma and system design remain major obstacles, not just individual awareness.

What's next: - PDiBA wants more partners to join its effort to expand HIV prevention in Black communities. - The coalition says better understanding, broader access and stronger acceptance of PrEP can move communities closer to an HIV-free future. - More information is available on NBGMAC’s website.