According to the CDC, nearly 100% of HIV transmissions are accidental, because it can take ten years to show symptoms of HIV. In fact, people who know they have HIV and take their medication consistently and correctly cannot sexually transmit HIV. Will you support modern medicine by pushing to repeal HIV criminalization and enhanced sentencing laws?

If they ask about people with HIV taking their meds, you can say:

1. “People who have HIV can’t transmit HIV to others if they take their medication consistently because there is not enough virus in their bodies to make anyone sick. Most people with HIV take their medication correctly, because they do not want to get sick themselves.”

2. “If you want more details, go to HIV.gov, which is the CDC’s HIV site.”

Black Americans account for over 40% of people with HIV in the United States, so laws that punish people for getting and transmitting HIV hurt Black communities the most. These laws also scare people away from getting tested or staying in treatment for HIV. Will you help end the HIV epidemic in the Black community by repealing HIV criminalization and enhanced sentencing laws?

According to the CDC, modern medicine makes HIV/AIDS almost 100% preventable and treatable. Will you support legislation that mandates medically-accurate HIV education, in accordance with CDC recommendations?

Currently, some students in our state learn about HIV while others do not. Students who don’t learn about HIV at school are more likely to be exposed to the virus. Will you advocate for compliance measures that ensure HIV education is being taught consistently across all public schools?

“PrEP and U=U are daily medication regimens that are more effective than condoms at preventing HIV transmissions. PrEP is for people who do not have HIV; U=U is for people who do have HIV. Both are backed by the NIH, CDC, and WHO. These medication regimens protect against all methods of HIV transmission. Very few students currently learn this at school.”

The Affordable Care Act enabled thousands of Americans who had been denied affordable healthcare because of a preexisting condition, like HIV, an opportunity to get health insurance. Will you advocate to expand Medicaid to include those with incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level?

If the candidate asks for more information about HIV and the Medicaid expansion, you can say:

1. “Expanding Medicaid helps decrease the number of HIV transmissions. Under the ACA, health insurance must cover preventive care, including HIV testing for everyone ages 15-65. If more people are insured, then more people can afford to get tested and learn their status sooner. People who know they have HIV are much less likely to transmit HIV than people who don’t know they have HIV.”

2. “People living with HIV in states that haven’t expanded Medicaid have to wait for an AIDS diagnosis before they become eligible. When we insure people with HIV sooner, they have access to life-extending care before their immune systems have been seriously damaged, and everyone saves money on medical expenses because the people stay healthy.”

If the candidate expresses concerns about paying for Medicaid, you can say:

1. “It is fully funded by the Federal Government for the first three years.”

If it seems like the candidate would be more persuaded by talking about something other than HIV, you can say:

1. “Treatment for HIV and other chronic illnesses is extremely costly for people without affordable insurance. By expanding Medicaid, more Americans will be able to afford the medications that they need to survive.”