Improving the Health of People Who Use Drugs and People in Recovery Is Essential for Ending the HIV Epidemic

HIV and drug use are inextricably intertwined. Today, one in ten new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. are attributed to people who inject drugs, with other forms of drug use contributing to additional transmissions. New HIV cases among people who use drugs increased 9% from 2014 to 2018. Success at achieving the goals of the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Initiative in the United States depends on improving the health of people who use drugs. The following policy actions are recommended: (1) Develop tailored plans with the meaningful participation of people who use drugs to respond to the unique challenges in each jurisdiction; (2) Deploy effective interventions at greater scale; and (3) Decriminalize substance use and re-orient drug use policy to enhance prevention, harm reduction, and treatment of addiction.

Read the Big Ideas here.

Read the Big Ideas in Brief here.