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U.S. Business Action to End HIV: November 2023 Action Report
Details about our upcoming coalition meeting in Washington, D.C., plus stories of impact from the month
As we head into the final stretch of 2023, we are thrilled to come together as a coalition on November 30 in Washington, DC to celebrate the first year of our collective work. That evening we will gather for a reception to honor World AIDS Day with special guests Dr. Anthony Fauci and White House Director of National AIDS Policy Harold Phillips. If you have not done so already, please RSVP by Wednesday, November 22, and reach out if you have any questions. We’ve had a busy month of action across our membership and program. Find details and great stories of impact below!
Action from Members
Welcome New Members - EMD Serono, KEEP Health, and One Medical!
Coalition Takes the Stage - On November 11, coalition Director Mario Harper moderated a panel with Match Group’s Will Cunningham and and HIV + Hepatitis Institute Executive Director Carl Schmid at ViiV Healthcare's 25th AnnualCommunity Summit in Atlanta, Ga. The panel was an opportunity to showcase the work of the coalition and highlight the need for more innovation in addressing HIV in our communities.
In Pursuit of a Cure - New member Excision BioTherapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, is developing CRISPR-based gene therapy that is being tested as a potential functional cure for HIV. Excision recently announced positive interim safety data from its first human trial to assess safety of the CRISPR therapy EBT-101. While there is still a long way to go with this research, the gene-editing therapy is rekindling hopes among scientists that it may be possible to eradicate the virus and cure the infection.
Can Generative AI Help End HIV? This is the question Healthvana is looking to answer with their new HIPAA-compliant generative AI chatbot. The new technology is being trialed with AHF patients at clinics across the country. The user-friendly bot can answer basic questions about STI/HIV/PrEP, facilitate appointment scheduling, and reference a patient's medical and appointment records. For added engagement, patients can select a fun persona for their chatbot, like a drag queen, or a standard care navigator. The goal of the new technology is to build a stronger connection with patients, provide information in an engaging, non-stigmatizing way, and support patients in their PrEP regimen, while decreasing staff time addressing routine patient questions. Check out a live demo Healthvana CEO Ramin Bastani recently provided at USC Business School.
HIV Empowerment in the Workplace - Mario had the privilege of moderating a second panel this month featuring coalition members Brad McElya of Walgreens, James York of Molecular Testing Labs, and Will Cunningham of Match Group at the 2023 National Alliance for Healthcare Purchasers Coalition Annual Forum on November 14in Arlington, Va. Special thanks to ViiV Healthcare for providing an opportunity to spotlight the work of coalition members with influential leaders in the employer space. The session was well attended and sparked considerable interest in the coalition’s work, resources, and recruitment opportunities.
Shining A Light on HIV Stigma - ViiV Healthcare is taking on the stigma of HIV with the immersive theatrical production, As Much as I Can. Set in a multi-sensory world of color and light, As Much As I Can explores the lives of four men as they fall in love, learn hidden secrets, fight for family, and ultimately discover truths about themselves. Winner of a Cannes Lion and D&AD Award and recognized by Fast Company as a World Changing Idea, As Much As I Can is on tour in the U.S. and is currently playing in Atlanta through November 18.
Action from the Coalition
Two New HIV Resources for Employers - This month the coalition released two new resources to support HIV engagement in the workplace. We encourage you to download, review, and share these with your colleagues!
First Local Coalition Chapter Launches in Atlanta - On October 26 the coalition and Mercer hosted the Atlanta Business Action to End HIV Inaugural Summit, bringing together 50+ business and public health leaders from across Atlanta to examine the local HIV epidemic and discuss opportunities for businesses to bring new expertise and momentum to this fight. It was great to see so many local leaders in the room from member companies including Avita Pharmacy, CVS Health, BLK, Gilead, Mercer, MISTR, Molecular Testing Labs, One Medical,Uber Health, ViiV Healthcare, Walgreens and Walmart, together with other local advocates, businesses, and organizations interested in getting involved.
During the event we announced our partnership with Chris Lugo and OUT Georgia Business Alliance, a local affiliate of NGLCC, who will be the local managing partner of the chapter. We are excited to work with businesses in Atlanta to make a difference in the lives of their employees and the local community they serve.
Uniting ERGs to End HIV ahead of World AIDS Day - On November 2 we hosted our first engagement with employee resource groups (ERGs), to share resources for how they can help end HIV stigma and discrimination in the workplace, create brave spaces where people can talk openly, and advance HIV education and engagement within their workplace. We had wonderful speakers from Out & Equal, Allstate, and CVS Health who discussed the unique role ERGs can play as leaders on HIV within organizations. The World AIDS Day Toolkit for Employers and webinar recording are being packaged and shared with the Out & Equal network this month, and we are planning more ERG events and resources for 2024.
Expanding Engagement in HIV Community Pharmacy Initiative: On November 6 we co-convened a second meeting with leaders from 45+ companies and partner organizations to deepen the engagement among allied organizations to explore expanding HIV prevention services in community pharmacies. Walmart, CVS Health, Walgreens, Avita Pharmacy continue to stay closely engaged in the effort, and were joined by fellow coalition members OraSure Technologies and Molecular Testing Labs. The event was organized with our partners Elton John AIDS Foundation, American Pharmacists Association, AIDS United, NASTAD, Frannie Peabody Center, and Courage Forward Strategies. Stay tuned for more industry engagements and updates as this group continues its work to expand access to HIV services nationwide.
The Role of HR Leaders In Ending HIV: On November 8 we invited HR and benefit leaders to a National Employer Briefing to learn how they can play an essential role by reducing barriers to HIV testing, prevention, treatment and care. Experts talked about how to prioritize HIV in your benefits design to align with your corporate values, current policies that employers should be aware of as it relates to employee-based insurance coverage and HIV, and the importance of educating your employees about HIV and the coverage and benefits you provide so they can take advantage of them. We also released Empowering HR Leaders: A Checklist for HIV in the Workplace, a companion guide employers can use when implementing this work.
Opportunities for Action
Honoring World AIDS Day on December 1 - World AIDS Day is an opportunity for people across the world to unite, share experiences, remember those lost, and commit to meaningful actions that accelerate progress toward an end of HIV.
This month we are thrilled to release our World AIDS Day Toolkit explicitly designed for employers where you can discover six impactful actions your workplace can take to raise awareness, combat stigma, and create a supportive environment. We encourage every company to honor World AIDS Day this year. If you have plans, please share them! We want to highlight your great work.
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