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April was a full month. Coalition members showed up at cultural touchstones, opened new doors in entertainment and media, and kept pushing on workplace HIV action even as funding cuts threatened communities across the country.

Inside this issue:

• The latest actions from our members. 
• The first convening of the Advisory Board for the Coalition’s new Hollywood + HIV Collective.
• Upcoming opportunities to get involved — including our Spring Chapter Connect, D.C. Hill visits, and National HIV Testing Day workshop.
• A conversation with Jesse Milan, Jr., JD, CEO Emeritus at AIDS United, on why business leadership on HIV has never mattered more.

Welcome to the April Action Report!

Our Members in Action

• ‍ViiV Healthcare returned as the presenting sponsor of the 12th Annual Truth Awards, deepening their commitment to raising HIV awareness among the Black LGBTQ+ community and the leaders who shape culture and drive change. This year, ViiV presented the Bayard Rustin Advocacy Award to our long-time collaborator, Dr. Keith Green, in recognition of his unwavering leadership at the intersection of health, justice, and community empowerment.
  
  ViiV also hosted the ReViiVal community brunch in April to create space for authentic dialogue around faith, culture, wellness, and HIV. Together, the Truth Awards and ReViiVal reflect ViiV’s commitment to championing visibility and centering community, culture, and trust.

• CVS Health gathered thousands of customers in San Diego last week for its annual CVS Client Forum, a working summit on the toughest issues and biggest opportunities in healthcare.
  
  During a breakout on specialty pharmacy integration, Stephen Massey, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of U.S. Business Action to End HIV, emphasized that employers are one of the most underused forces in American public health, and HIV is one area where they can prove what's possible. He pointed to CVS Health's long-standing leadership on HIV, like specialized pharmacist training and employee resource group engagement, to benefits redesign and practical playbooks for employer clients.

• MISTR announced that it will offer free long-term HIV care and insurance premium support to every Florida patient affected in response to recent cuts to Florida’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), which have eliminated premium assistance and restricted access to critical medications for thousands of people.
• Gilead Sciences raised visibility for the HIV care and treatment of aging populations. Live from the On Aging Conference in Atlanta, Gilead highlighted the importance of continuing to meet people’s needs and preferences as they age, especially through ongoing attention, education, and access to treatment.
• Curant Health honored National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on LinkedIn and encouraged their audience to start conversations early to help raise awareness and destigmatize HIV.

• Grindr hosted its first White House correspondents’ dinner party on April 25. When asked about what inspired the company to join the lineup of events tied to the correspondents’ dinner, the company shared that, “Grindr represents a global community with real stakes in Washington. The issues being debated here — HIV funding, privacy and online safety, LGBTQ+ family rights — are daily life for our community.”

Our Coalition in Action

Launching the New Hollywood + HIV Collective

On April 15, the Coalition hosted our inaugural Hollywood + HIV Collective Advisory Board meeting, convening a small group of leaders across media, entertainment, and business who will guide this new initiative.

The group, chaired by Jennifer Lynch, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Corporate Social Responsibility at Paramount, includes leaders from SHOWTIME / MTV Entertainment Studios, CAA, Purveyors of Pop, in-Hale Productions, Social Currant, One Story Media Group, GLAAD, Hollywood Health & Society at USC’s Annenberg Norman Lear Center, presenting sponsor ViiV Healthcare, and Collective sponsor Gilead Sciences.

The Collective will operate as a connector and catalyst, identifying opportunities to influence storytelling and supporting creators and companies in getting HIV stories told, getting them right, and supporting the workforce behind the scenes. 

Stay tuned for more from the Hollywood + HIV Collective!

Opportunities for Action

Spring Local Chapter Connect

Join us this Tues., May 5, 1-2 pm ET for our 2026 Spring Chapter Connect, a special virtual event bringing together members of our Atlanta, Houston, and Los Angeles Chapters to continue the momentum and impact in your local communities.

This meeting is designed to support business and community leaders in cultivating strong and impactful partnerships to deepen our collective impact in the fight to end the HIV epidemic.

Join the Coalition on Capitol Hill

The Coalition is heading back to the Hill on May 12 to meet with lawmakers to discuss the importance of federal funding for HIV programs, elevate concerns about ADAP, and highlight risks to patient access and continuity of care.

If you’re a Coalition Leader and interested in joining those meetings, please let us know, and we can keep you in the loop as those meetings are scheduled.

National HIV Testing Day Employer Workshop

National HIV Testing Day, June 27, is a powerful, low-lift opportunity to act. Now in its fourth year, this workshop is built for action, not just information. You'll hear real-world case studies, connect with peers, and spend dedicated time mapping out what action on HIV could look like for your organization, aligned with your priorities, capacity, and people.

You'll leave with not just inspiration, but a draft plan and concrete next steps. This session is for you if you're:

• An ERG leader looking for meaningful programming that resonates with your community
• An HR or benefits professional wanting a practical, low-barrier way to support employee health
• A community relations or CSR leader exploring partnership opportunities tied to a national moment
• New to HIV as a workplace issue or looking to go deeper

Perspectives

“Perspectives” is a series that highlights our advisors who are leaders in the HIV field and provide guidance to the Coalition, ensuring that our priorities are informed by the latest scientific research and best practices.

‍Why have you personally dedicated yourself to working on HIV?

This work has been my life’s calling. I want no one to ever experience as my late partner did the devastating sickness, death, stigma or discrimination that HIV/AIDS can wrought.  I’ve been living with HIV myself for over 40 years. I know the wonder of U=U, the miracle of HIV treatments and prevention, and the joy of living healthy with HIV.  And I met my husband of 37 years working together in the HIV field!  So, this work is deeply personal and professional for me, and I feel called to do it and support it until my life or the HIV epidemic ends. 

You've been a long-time leader in the HIV field. What is unique about this moment, and what does it mean for the role of business?

This is a frightening and ugly moment. We’re facing a federal government and many state governments that are destroying America’s public health infrastructure, eroding civil rights and advances in diversity, and undermining and destabilizing our efforts against HIV.
The business community is needed to stand up and fight against policies and appropriation levels that make ending the HIV epidemic harder, and against laws that denigrate LGBTQ people and people of color. In short, the business community is needed now as much as ever to publicly support people living with and vulnerable to HIV and help strengthen and sustain HIV programs and advocacy at local, state and federal levels. 

What's one simple action a company could take this year to support the local HIV response in their community?

Give an unrestricted gift to an HIV organization! Unrestricted dollars are a lifeline for non-profits and allow them to use the funds for immediate and long-term needs without the onus of fitting the funds into a donor’s prescribed approach. Our HIV organizations need resources to help them be flexible, resilient and strategic to sustain their work and meet the rising needs of their communities.

HIV in the News

United States-Led Partnership To Provide an Additional One Million People With Landmark American HIV Drug Lenacapavir To Help End Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission

‍The U.S. State Department expanded its partnership with Gilead Sciences and The Global Fund to bring lenacapavir — a twice-yearly injectable showing 99.9% effectiveness at preventing HIV — to an additional one million people, bringing the total commitment to three million people in high-burden countries by 2028. (U.S. Department of State)

US FDA Approves Merck's Pill Combo To Treat HIV Infection

‍The FDA approved Merck's once-daily, two-drug oral HIV regimen Idvynso (doravirine + islatravir) as a treatment option for adults already on antiretroviral therapy, following late-stage trials showing it performed on par with Gilead's Biktarvy. Analysts expect limited near-term commercial impact, viewing Merck's HIV portfolio as a longer-term growth story. (Reuters)

As Floridians With HIV Face a Drug Coverage Cliff, Groups Scramble to Offer a Lifeline‍

Florida's state health department slashed ADAP eligibility and drug coverage due to a $120 million budget shortfall, threatening to knock up to 16,000 Floridians with HIV off the program. A $31 million legislative stopgap temporarily restored income thresholds through June, but key gaps remain unresolved and long-term funding is still uncertain. (The Body)

Why America’s HIV Epidemic Hasn’t Ended

PrEP remains out of reach for hundreds of thousands of Americans — particularly Black and Latino communities, women, and Southerners — due to barriers like provider knowledge gaps, insurance issues, and stigma. Federal funding cuts under the Trump administration now threaten to widen these gaps further, even as new tools like telehealth platforms and injectable PrEP offer real promise for expanding access. (Vox)

Coming Up

• May 5, 1-2 p.m. ET: Spring Chapter Connect (Virtual)
• May 12: D.C. Capitol Hill Visits
• May 13, 2-3 p.m. ET: National HIV Testing Day Employer Workshop (Virtual)

Thank you for your commitment and leadership. Let's keep up the momentum!

The Health Action Alliance is solely responsible for the content of this page and maintains full editorial control of its resources.

U.S. Business Action to End HIV was founded in 2022 by the Health Action Alliance, with support from ViiV Healthcare, to mobilize a growing coalition of private sector partners committed to filling gaps and accelerating progress to help end HIV in the U.S. by 2030.

The Health Action Alliance is a unique collaboration between leading business, communications, and public health organizations to help employers navigate evolving health challenges, improve the health of workers, and engage with public health partners to build stronger, healthier communities. Founded in 2021 by the Ad Council, Business Roundtable, CDC Foundation, the de Beaumont Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, HAA's network now includes more than 11,000 employers nationwide, reaching a quarter of U.S. workers.