Dr. Jeffrey L. Sturchio: The EHE initiative is worth investing in because “the money is getting results”

Pandemic Planet

Katherine is joined by Jeffrey L. Sturchio, Senior Associate (Non-Resident) with the CSIS Global Health Policy Center and co-author of the new report, The Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. Initiative: An Interim Assessment and Policy Recommendations. The EHE initiative began in 2019 with a goal of reducing new HIV infections by 75% by 2025 and 90% by 2030. However, thanks to limited funding and the diversion of resources during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is not currently on track to meet those ambitious targets. Jeff explains the various factors that could prevent EHE from achieving the 2025 and 2030 goals and shares examples of innovative, person-centered programs in San Francisco, CA and East Baton Rouge, LA that “meet people where they are” and create incentives for people to seek testing and stay on treatment. Jeff and Katherine discuss the importance of adapting lessons from global HIV programs, including PEPFAR, to the domestic epidemic and the opportunity to educate a new cohort of elected officials about EHE as the new Congress takes office in 2023.

Jeffrey L. Sturchio a Senior Associate (Non-Resident) with the CSIS Global Health Policy Center, leading the work on the HIV portfolio. He is chairman and former CEO at Rabin Martin, a global health strategy consulting firm, and former president and CEO of the Global Health Council. Before joining the council in 2009, Dr. Sturchio was vice president of corporate responsibility at Merck & Co. Inc. and president of the Merck Company Foundation. He received a BA in history from Princeton University and a PhD in the history and sociology of science from the University of Pennsylvania.