The Lawfare Podcast

Lawfare Archive: The PEPFAR Reauthorization Battle, with Emily Bass

Feb 9, 2025

Emily Bass, a prominent writer and activist with over two decades in HIV/AIDS advocacy, joins the discussion to highlight PEPFAR's incredible impact over the last 20 years, saving millions of lives. She dives into the alarming political climate threatening the program's reauthorization and shares insights from her book "To End a Plague." The conversation underscores the dire implications for global health if the program expires, emphasizing its critical role in addressing not only medical but also social barriers in HIV treatment.

40:32

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Emily Bass

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Quick takeaways

PEPFAR has significantly transformed HIV treatment access globally, saving over 25 million lives since its inception in 2003.

The reauthorization risk of PEPFAR threatens not only HIV treatment stability but also U.S. foreign policy and relationships in affected regions.

Deep dives

Impact of PEPFAR on Global Health

The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has significantly transformed the landscape of HIV treatment globally since its inception in 2003. Launched by President George W. Bush, PEPFAR aimed to ensure that millions of people, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, received access to antiretroviral treatments that had turned HIV from a fatal disease into a manageable condition. By providing comprehensive health services and focusing on community engagement, PEPFAR has been credited with saving over 25 million lives and facilitating the birth of 5.5 million HIV-free infants. The program's success highlights the urgent need for continued investment in healthcare infrastructures in regions heavily impacted by HIV/AIDS.

Intro

2min

Promotional Highlights: Affordable Plans and Sleep Solutions

2min

PEPFAR: A Lifeline for HIV/AIDS Treatment

16min

Navigating the Political Landscape of Health Legislation

2min

Navigating PEPFAR's Future

18min

The Urgency of PEPFAR Reauthorization for Global Health

6min

From August 22, 2023: In 2003, President Bush created the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, and in the twenty years since, the program has been credited with saving over 25 million lives and stabilizing health systems around the world. On Sept. 30, 2023, the program will expire if Congress doesn’t act, putting millions of people at risk of losing access to HIV/AIDS treatment.

Lawfare Associate Editor of Communications Anna Hickey sat down with Emily Bass, a writer and activist who has spent more than twenty years writing about and working on HIV/AIDS. In 2021, she wrote “To End a Plague,” a book on America's war on AIDS in Africa. They discussed how PEPFAR has changed over the past 2 decades, why it is at risk of expiring this fall, and what the expiration would mean for the millions of people who depend on it.

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