To end HIV in the U.S., coordinated collaboration across healthcare, government, and business sectors will be necessary. In a new op-ed published in Medical Economics, Taimur Khan, MD, MPH, an infectious disease specialist at Fenway Health and Advisor to the U.S. Business Action to End HIV, highlights primary care providers' role in the fight against HIV.

Dr. Khan underscores that while groundbreaking medical advancements have provided the tools to end HIV, gaps in implementation remain a major hurdle. Many primary care physicians hesitate to discuss HIV prevention with their patients, missing critical opportunities to promote awareness and expand access to life-saving interventions such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

In his article, Dr. Khan calls for a shift in how primary care approaches HIV prevention, emphasizing the need for routine sexual health conversations, increased PrEP accessibility for all populations at risk, and the normalization of HIV screenings in primary care settings. By integrating these practices into everyday healthcare, we can dismantle stigma, reduce new HIV transmissions, and ensure equitable access to prevention and treatment.

Additionally, Dr. Khan draws attention to how advancements in HIV research have influenced broader medical breakthroughs, including the rapid development of COVID-19 diagnostics and vaccines. His insights reinforce the importance of continued investment in HIV prevention and the role of primary care providers in bringing scientific progress into practical application.

Dr. Khan states, “The scientific progress in HIV medicine has been nothing short of revolutionary. Just decades ago, an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence. Today, we have the tools to prevent nearly all new infections and help those with HIV live long, healthy lives. It starts with us — one patient, one conversation, one prescription at a time.”

Read Dr. Khan’s full article to learn more about how primary care can lead the charge in ending HIV.