Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. Requires States to Update Outdated HIV Criminalization Laws

From HIV.gov…

“HIV Is Not a Crime Awareness Day” was created in 2022 by The Sero Project in collaboration with The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS FoundationExit Disclaimer and other grassroots organizers, bringing together communities, people with HIV, governments and other partners to stand in unity against the harm caused by laws that use a person’s HIV status in criminal prosecution. Today, February 28, was chosen to bridge Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and several other HIV awareness days.

Modernizing these laws is an essential element in ending the HIV epidemic. The National HIV/AIDS Strategy (2022–2025) recommends policies and priorities that can help end the HIV epidemic in the United States. Achieving the goals of this national strategy requires addressing stigma as well as structural barriers to HIV prevention and care. A key part of this effort is examining how laws and policies can inhibit positive change and exacerbate harm and the national strategy encourages reform of state HIV criminalization laws.

All state laws and practices should be informed by science, and in the case of HIV criminalization laws, most are not. ¹ In addition, the implementation of HIV criminalization laws was not associated with reduced HIV incidence. Modernizing outdated state laws and practices is necessary.

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