Sometimes it’s good to be wrong

by Alanna Shaikh · 2009-01-08 21:21:00 UTC
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Astute commenter Evelyn Garland pointed out that I got it wrong about the President's Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). There is no longer a required 7% of funding for abstinence-only education.

The Abstain, Be faithful, use a Condom (ABC) approach remains, but in a less directive way. Instead of a mandatory 7% level of funding, implementers have to write an explanatory report if they spend less than 50% of their prevention budget on abstinence and fidelity. It's still a lame attempt to force a useless activity into places where it won't work, but now it has leeway. That's a huge improvement. (In my own defense, I was keeping track of the PEPFAR reauthorization process, but I somehow missed the shift from a hard budget earmark to this gentler language.)

The change in prevention requirements is not the only interesting thing about the new PEPFAR.It now allows funding for tuberculosis vaccine development, and formally authorizes assistance to develop microbicides against HIV. It also mentions medications for opportunistic infections like thrush and pneumonia. Since opportunistic infections often end up killing people with HIV, being able to use PEPFAR money to fight them is a big deal.

So, in conclusion - I was wrong about the PEPFAR legislation, and I am very glad to know that.

Alanna Shaikh
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