U.S. Quietly Drafts Plan to End Program That Saved Millions From AIDS

The U.S. government has quietly drafted a plan to transform the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a successful program that has saved millions of lives worldwide from AIDS, into a broader initiative focused on disease outbreak detection and American product sales. According to documents obtained by The New York Times, the proposed changes would shift PEPFAR's primary objective from combating HIV/AIDS to identifying and responding to potential disease outbreaks. Additionally, the plan suggests using the program as a platform to promote American-made medical products and technologies in foreign markets. This shift in focus has raised concerns among global health experts, who fear it could undermine the significant progress made in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Critics argue that the proposed changes prioritize commercial interests over public health needs in vulnerable communities. The details of this draft plan have not been officially confirmed by the U.S. government, but the potential transformation of PEPFAR has sparked concerns about the future of one of the most impactful global health initiatives.