September 25, 2024

Diversity & Equity Goals in Clinical Trials

The Academy was invited by the National Medical Association (NMA) to engage our members as subject matter experts to present on September 11 on diversity in clinical trials as a part of NMA’s professional development series. Dr. Leonard Sowah participated and, in his talk, he indicated that less than one in two U.S. clinical trials from 2000-2020 reported data on all five key U.S. race and ethnic categories.

In his presentation, Dr. Sowah shared one of the relevant assets to address these issues within the Academy: the Academy Council of Racial Equity (ACRE). Formed in 2021, ACRE works to diversify the Academy workforce by bringing in more minorities. As one example of their work, ACRE developed a student engagement event targeting underrepresented racial ethnic and gender minority students in 2022.

Dr. Sowah’s recommended actionable steps for researchers include the following:

• Prioritize diversity in the clinical research workforce and leadership.
• Advertise and offer participation to diverse populations.
• Consider decentralized methods to minimize geographic barriers.
• Work with community members and understand how the community views your organization
• Engage communities from research conception through dissemination of results.
• Align protocols to community realities and ensure that research participation is not disruptive to community members.
• Continue this engagement beyond the trial in providing access to any medications being developed.

EVENTS

Academy at USCHA

On Friday, September 11, the Public Policy Department hosted its institute on The Impact of Court Decisions on Sexual Health Access at USCHA. The conversation was framed by the recent Braidwood decision and the opportunity it provides for advocates and policymakers to bring sexual health into the primary health discussion, thereby considering HIV prevention as a necessary aspect of public health. Panelist Leslie McGorman, director of policy and advocacy at AIDS United, opened the session with a highlight of Dobbs and Braidwood and their significance on the future of sexual health. Panelist and Academy members Dr. George Nawas (Xavier University) and Dr. Glenn Green (Priority Health Care) shared their successes in teaching and leading advocacy efforts in addressing HIV decriminalization and pharmacy-prescribed PrEP and PEP.

Advocates and providers from all over the country shared strategies to engage health care providers in advocacy, given the current political landscape. Scott Brawley, development director, policy and programs, shared how the Academy’s Sexual Health Curriculum is equipping providers to navigate this cultural moment. To stay in the conversation for future strategy spotlights on sexual health access, please email chauncey@aahivm.org.

Webinar on Public Health Law

On Thursday, August 29, the Academy joined Temple University’s Center for Public Health Law Research for a sponsored webinar, Teaching Public Health Law in a time of Judicial Activism. The webinar provided an overview of U.S. Supreme Court decisions since 2021 that have upended public health law. The presenters offered insight for those who need to find ways to help students see what is going on in public health law and discuss what those decisions mean for practice. The slides and recording can be found here. Please submit any questions or comments to tue58129@temple.edu.

POLICY IN CLINICAL PRACTICE

Florida’s Gender-Affirming Care Ban

The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has decided to allow Florida’s gender-affirming care ban to go into effect after it had been blocked by a district court judge in June. This ban includes provisions that impact care access for trans adults, including banning NPs from providing care.

Alabama’s Gender-Affirming Care Ban

A majority of judges on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals denied a request from families of trans youth in Alabama to hold a full court hearing to reconsider a three-judge panel decision allowing the state’s care ban to go into effect.

Clinicians Affected by Gender-Affirming Care Bans

Clinicians in dozens of states where gender-affirming care remains legal share stories on the impact on providers in this current political climate. Three-quarters of providers had waitlists of at least three months. Clinicians also report on additional security measures they have taken for their own safety.

POLICY HAPPENINGS

Congress’s FY2025 Appropriations Package

Congress returned from August recess on September 6 with the goal of adopting its FY2025 appropriations package by the September 30 deadline. There now exists the threat of another government shutdown on October 1. With the November presidential election on the horizon, Congress may once again opt to pass a continuing resolution to extend FY2024 funding levels to buy more time.

While both chambers advanced their Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Subcommittee bills out of committee in July, only the Senate passed its bill on August 1. Although the Senate’s LHHS bill avoided the deep cuts proposed by the House and maintained its investments in core health programs, most infectious disease programs were flat-funded.

Ryan White Funding

On August 20, the Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced that it awarded more than $1.4 billion in Ryan White funding for the HRSA AIDS Drug Assistance Program and related awards.

Court Strikes Down Military Disqualification for PWH

On August 20, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia found that the Department of Defense’s policies of prohibiting asymptomatic people with HIV (PWH) with undetectable viral loads from enlisting in military service were irrational, arbitrary and capricious. This ruling in Wilkins v. Austin struck down the last categorical disqualification preventing people living with HIV from joining the U.S. Armed Services.

COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS AND SIGN-ONS

Letter Supporting Workforce Funding

The Academy joined the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the National Association of County and City Health Officials and the HIV Medicine Association in supporting funding for the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment and the Bio-Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program in the FY2026 President’s Budget.