Overview
- An NIH-funded Johns Hopkins study published February 4 found that stopping CDC-backed HIV testing in 18 states would add 12,751 infections over five years, a rise of about 10%.
- Projected impacts vary widely by state, from a 2.7% increase in Washington to nearly 30% in Louisiana, with larger jumps in states where the epidemic is more rural.
- The researchers say fewer tests mean more people go undiagnosed, which delays treatment and allows ongoing transmission to continue in communities.
- News reports tie the projections to proposed federal cuts to prevention, citing a $1.5 billion reduction and limits near $220 million that advocacy groups warn would weaken the U.S. response.
- The team reports that even partial cuts to CDC testing funds would still drive thousands of additional cases, and they plan to model the effects of reducing other prevention and surveillance programs next.