T A G Treatment Action Group Inc

TREATMENT ACTION GROUP (TAG) IS AN INDEPENDENT, ACTIVIST, AND COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH AND POLICY THINK TANK COMMITTED TO RACIAL, GENDER, AND LGBTQ+ EQUITY; SOCIAL JUSTICE; AND LIBERATION, FIGHTING TO END HIV, TUBERCULOSIS (TB), AND HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV).TAG CATALYZES OPEN COLLECTIVE ACTION BY AFFECTED COMMUNITIES, SCIENTISTS, AND POLICYMAKERS TO ENSURE THAT ALL PEOPLE LIVING WITH OR IMPACTED BY HIV, TB, OR HCV - ESPECIALLY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND OTHER MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING INEQUITIES - RECEIVE LIFE-SAVING PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, CARE, AND INFORMATION.WE ARE SCIENCE-BASED ACTIVISTS WORKING TO EXPAND AND ACCELERATE VITAL RESEARCH AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH RESEARCH AND POLICY INSTITUTIONS FOR AN END TO THE HIV, TB, AND HCV PANDEMICS.

SEE SCHEDULE OTUBERCULOSIS (TB) PROGRAMACCORDING TO THE LATEST REPORT FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO), "GLOBALLY, THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM TB INCREASED BETWEEN 2019 AND 2021, REVERSING YEARS OF DECLINE BETWEEN 2005 AND 2019. IN 2021, THERE WERE AN ESTIMATED 1.4 MILLION DEATHS AMONG HIV-NEGATIVE PEOPLE (95% UNCERTAINTY INTERVAL [UI ]: 1.3-1.5 MILLION) AND 187 000 DEATHS (95% UI : 158 000-218 000) AMONG HIV-POSITIVE PEOPLE, FOR A COMBINED TOTAL OF 1.6 MILLION.... AN ESTIMATED 10.6 MILLION PEOPLE (95% UI : 9.9-11 MILLION) FELL ILL WITH TB IN 2021, AN INCREASE OF 4.5% FROM 10.1 MILLION (95% UI : 9.5-10.7 MILLION) IN 2020. THE TB INCIDENCE RATE (NEW CASES PER 100 000 POPULATION PER YEAR) ROSE BY 3.6% BETWEEN 2020 AND 2021, REVERSING DECLINES OF ABOUT 2% PER YEAR FOR MOST OF THE PREVIOUS 2 DECADES." THOUGH PREVENTABLE AND CURABLE, TUBERCULOSIS (TB) IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH OF PEOPLE WITH HIV AND ONCE AGAIN THE LEADING INFECTIOUS KILLER GLOBALLY NOW THAT THE ACUTE PHASE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS ABATED. RECOGNIZING THAT MUCH MORE PROGRESS COULD BE MADE IF EXISTING TOOLS WERE FULLY IMPLEMENTED, AND THAT MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO END TB, TAG'S TB PROGRAM STRENGTHENS EVIDENCE-DRIVEN AND HUMAN RIGHTS-BASED ADVOCACY BOTH FOR BETTER TB RESEARCH, AND FOR HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMS AND POLICIES WORLDWIDE, THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF AFFECTED COMMUNITIES.TAG'S TB PROGRAM EDUCATES, MOBILIZES, AND EMPOWERS COMMUNITIES TO INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF TB AND TO CATALYZE ACTION TO REDUCE NEW INFECTIONS, DEATHS, AND SUFFERING FROM TB AND TB/HIV. THE PROGRAM WORKS WITH COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARDS, RESEARCHERS, POLICY MAKERS, DEVELOPERS, AND DONORS TO ENSURE NEEDS-DRIVEN RESEARCH TO IMPROVE OPTIONS FOR TB PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT. THE TB PROGRAM PUBLISHES AN ANNUAL REPORT ON TB RESEARCH FUNDING TRENDS, AND ADVOCATES FOR ALL GOVERNMENTS OF THE WORLD TO STEP UP AND CONTRIBUTE THEIR "FAIR SHARE" INVESTMENTS IN TB R&D.THE TB PROGRAM WORKS AROUND THE WORLD TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND UNIVERSAL, EQUITABLE, AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO PROVEN INTERVENTIONS, FROM EARLY IN THE RESEARCH PROCESS THROUGH REGULATORY APPROVAL TO GLOBAL AND NATIONAL GUIDELINES DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCT PRICING. TAG'S POLICY TEAM SUPPORTS THE TB PROGRAM IN EDUCATING U.S. LEGISLATORS ON TB PRIORITIES, AND LEADS DOMESTIC WORK AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVEL TO SUPPORT AMBITIOUS AND EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMMING TO END.

SEE SCHEDULE OUS & GLOBAL HEALTH POLICY PROGRAMTAG US AND GLOBAL HEALTH POLICY PROGRAM STAFF WORK WITH PROGRAM TEAMS TO DEVELOP SPECIFIC POLICY GOALS AND STRATEGIES TO ADVANCE THE END OF THE HIV, TUBERCULOSIS (TB), AND HEPATITIS C (HCV) EPIDEMICS. THIS INCLUDES SECURING FUNDING FOR, AND SHAPING POLICY RELATED TO, GOVERNMENT AND MULTILATERAL PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES, ISSUE GUIDELINES, COORDINATE ADMINISTRATION, AND CONDUCT RESEARCH ON EACH OF TAG'S PRIORITY HEALTH AREAS. WORKING WITH PARTNERS IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS, THE POLICY PROGRAM ADVANCES A HUMAN-RIGHTS BASED APPROACH TO EVIDENCE-INFORMED POLICY. THIS INVOLVES EDUCATING STAKEHOLDERS AND DECISION MAKERS; AUTHORING POLICY BRIEFS CONTAINING INFORMATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS; CONVENING PARTNERS; LEADING AND CONTRIBUTING TO COALITIONS; SUBMITTING TESTIMONY, PUBLIC COMMENTS, REPORT LANGUAGE, AND POLICY PROPOSALS; PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING; AND FACILITATING ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITIES MOST DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE POLICIES CONCERNED.GIVEN THAT HIV, TB, AND HCV OFTEN IMPACT MANY OF THE SAME COMMUNITIES, THE POLICY PROGRAM ALSO SEEKS OUT POTENTIAL AREAS FOR SHARED WORK AND A POPULATION HEALTH APPROACH. THIS SOMETIMES MEANS ADVOCATING FOR STREAMLINED SERVICES AND RESEARCH, AND EXPANDING TOPIC AREAS COVERED BY INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS. THROUGHOUT THESE EFFORTS, THE POLICY PROGRAM MAINTAINS A COMMITMENT TO OUR CORE PRINCIPLES AND PUSHES POLICYMAKERS TO ADOPT BOLD VISIONS FOR THE END OF THESE INTERSECTING EPIDEMICS."

SEE SCHEDULE OHIV PROGRAMACCORDING TO A JULY 2023 UNAIDS REPORT TITLED "THE PATH THAT ENDS AIDS" IN 2022 THERE WERE: " AN ESTIMATED 39 MILLION PEOPLE GLOBALLY LIVING WITH HIV" 29.8 MILLION PEOPLE ACCESSING ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY" 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE WHO NEWLY ACQUIRED HIV" 630 000 PEOPLE WHO DIED FROM AIDS-RELATED ILLNESSESTAG'S HIV PROGRAM WORKS TO MAXIMIZE EQUITABLE, AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO THE TOOLS, SERVICES, POLICIES, AND APPROACHES TO CARE THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE GOAL OF ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC DOMESTICALLY AND GLOBALLY. ADVOCACY FOCUSED ON ENDING THE EPIDEMIC (ETE) IS AT THE CORE OF THE HIV PROGRAM'S WORK, FROM DRIVING THE NATION'S FIRST ETE INITIATIVE IN NEW YORK TO LEADING THE ACT NOW: END AIDS (ANEA) COALITION'S SUPPORT FOR PARTNERS IN HEAVILY BURDENED JURISDICTIONS IN THE SOUTHERN U.S. TAG'S HIV AND POLICY TEAMS TACKLE ISSUES AROUND DRUG PRICING AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO EMERGING BIOMEDICAL INTERVENTIONS; FUNDING FOR EVIDENCE-BASED HIV PROGRAMMING; ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE; AND POLICIES THAT PROMOTE SAFE, INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE FREE OF STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION FOR PEOPLE TO SEEK PREVENTION AND CARE FOR HIV AND RELATED INFECTIONS, INCLUDING SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS.SINCE 2022, THE ANEA COALITION HAS ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES IN ITS MISSION TO COMBAT HIV/AIDS AND PROMOTE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CARE. ONE NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENT HAS BEEN THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPS) TO STREAMLINE COALITION PROCESSES, INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CLEAR PROTOCOLS FOR DUES COLLECTION, MEMBERSHIP MANAGEMENT, AND INVOICING. ADDITIONALLY, ANEA CONDUCTED A COMPREHENSIVE EHE READINESS ASSESSMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH PARTNER JURISDICTIONS, CONSISTING OF A DETAILED SURVEY AND KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS. THIS ASSESSMENT HAS PROVIDED A CRUCIAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED IN UTILIZING EHE FUNDS TO REACH HIGHLY-IMPACTED COMMUNITIES.TAG'S HIV PROGRAM LEADS RESEARCH ACTIVISM AND PROMOTES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV EVERYWHERE HAVE MORE OPTIONS INCLUDING, ULTIMATELY, A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE HIV VACCINE AND A CURE THAT ARE SCALABLE, AFFORDABLE, AND CAN BE USED WORLDWIDE. TAG'S HIV PROGRAM RECOGNIZES THAT EVEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE EXISTING PREVENTION AND TREATMENT INTERVENTIONS HAVE SHORTCOMINGS. TO THIS END, TAG TRACKS THE ANTIRETROVIRAL, CURE, IMMUNE-BASED THERAPY, AND BIOMEDICAL PREVENTION PIPELINES AND PUBLISHES ANNUAL REPORTS SUMMARIZING THEIR CURRENT STATUS. TAG ALSO PLAYS A VITAL LEADERSHIP ROLE IN BASIC SCIENCE, VACCINES, AND CURE ADVOCACY, PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARDS AND ADMINISTERING AN EMAIL DISCUSSION LISTSERV FOR STAKEHOLDERS IN HIV CURE AND IMMUNE-BASED THERAPY RESEARCH. OUR HIV CURE-RELATED CLINICAL TRIALS WEBSITE LISTING, UPDATED MONTHLY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON STUDIES AND THEIR RESULTS, IS WIDELY CITED IN SCIENTIFIC PAPERS AND IN CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS. THE HIV PROGRAM ALSO ADVOCATES FOR APPROPRIATE INTERVENTIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO, DESPITE HIV TREATMENT, STILL HAVE POOR IMMUNE SYSTEM RECOVERY. CENTRAL TO THIS WORK IS ENSURING LEGISLATORS AND POLICY MAKERS UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR RESEARCH FUNDING, AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE.IN 2022, TAG'S HIV PROGRAM CONDUCTED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ON THE TOPICS OF BIOMEDICAL HIV PREVENTION, COVID-19, AS WELL AS VACCINATION EQUITY AMIDST THE EMERGENT GLOBAL OUTBREAK OF MPOX (FORMERLY 'MONKEYPOX'), IN COLLABORATION WITH THE BLACK AIDS INSTITUTE, SOUTHERN AIDS COALITION, THE HIV VACCINE TRIALS NETWORK, THE COVID-19 PREVENTION NETWORK; AND TAG STAFF PARTICIPATE AS CO-ORGANIZERS OF THE PREP IN BLACK AMERICA COALITION, A NETWORK OF ADVOCATES WORKING TO INCREASE EQUITABLE ACCESS AND UPTAKE OF PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS FOR HIV PREVENTION. TAG ALSO LED AND CO-ORGANIZED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ON HIV CURE RESEARCH, INCLUDING THE ANNUAL PRE-CROI COMMUNITY HIV CURE RESEARCH WORKSHOP AND A WEBINAR SERIES ON THE ROLE OF GENE THERAPY IN EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE AN HIV CURE. THE WEBINARS AND MATERIALS GENERATED ARE AVAILABLE ON TAG'S WEBSITE.

SEE SCHEDULE OHEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) PROGRAMACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, "GLOBALLY, AN ESTIMATED 58 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE CHRONIC HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION, WITH ABOUT 1.5 MILLION NEW INFECTIONS OCCURRING PER YEAR. WHO ESTIMATED THAT IN 2019, APPROXIMATELY 290 000 PEOPLE DIED FROM HEPATITIS C, MOSTLY FROM CIRRHOSIS AND HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA (PRIMARY LIVER CANCER).. ABOUT 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE (6.2%) OF THE ESTIMATED 37.7 MILLION LIVING WITH HIV GLOBALLY HAVE SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF PAST OR PRESENT HCV INFECTION... OF THE 58 MILLION PERSONS LIVING WITH HCV INFECTION GLOBALLY IN 2019, AN ESTIMATED 21% (15.2 MILLION) KNEW THEIR DIAGNOSIS, AND OF THOSE DIAGNOSED WITH CHRONIC HCV INFECTION, AROUND 62% (9.4 MILLION) PERSONS HAD BEEN TREATED WITH DAAS BY THE END OF 2019." TAG'S HCV PROGRAM HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF A GLOBAL HCV EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY MOVEMENT, WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH AFFECTED COMMUNITIES, SCIENTISTS, GOVERNMENT, AND DRUG COMPANIES TO MAKE LIFE-SAVING INFORMATION, HIGH QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE TESTING AND CURES, AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENTS FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS UNIVERSALLY AVAILABLE. THIS INCLUDES TRACKING THE PIPELINE FOR HCV INNOVATIONS, INCLUDING THE LATEST PANGENOTYPIC TREATMENTS, DIAGNOSTICS, AND LONG-ACTING INJECTABLES, AND INCREASING COMMUNITIES' DIAGNOSTICS AND TREATMENT LITERACY. GLOBALLY, TAG PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO BUILD LEADERSHIP CAPACITY FOR ADVANCING NATIONAL ELIMINATION CAMPAIGNS AND AMPLIFYING COMMUNITY VOICES-ESPECIALLY THOSE OF KEY POPULATIONS SUCH AS PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS, SEX WORKERS, PRISONERS, MIGRANTS, AND MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN-IN PLANNING AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT.TAG'S HCV PROGRAM AIMS TO OVERCOME BARRIERS TO HCV CARE, INCLUDING; LIMITED DONOR FUNDING FOR HCV, SOBRIETY AND ADHERENCE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY GOVERNMENTS AND PAYERS, PATENT AND PRICING BARRIERS, LIMITED VOLUNTARY LICENSING AND DELAYS IN DRUG REGISTRATION BY ORIGINATOR COMPANIES. THE HCV PROGRAM ADVOCATES FOR HARM REDUCTION AND DRUG DECRIMINALIZATION EFFORTS, INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR OVERDOSE PREVENTION AND SAFE CONSUMPTION SITES, AS INJECTION DRUG USE WITHOUT ACCESS TO SAFE MATERIALS IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN HCV TRANSMISSION.IN THE U.S., TAG'S POLICY TEAM WORKS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVELS: ADVOCATING FOR VIRAL HEPATITIS FUNDING, CHAMPIONING COVERAGE FOR PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS, INCARCERATED OR OTHERWISE MARGINALIZED PEOPLE, ENCOURAGING VOLUME-BASED PRICING DEALS FOR DAAS, STRENGTHENING NATIONAL SURVEILLANCE AND SUPPORTING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. TAG'S ADVOCACY HELPED ADVANCE COVERAGE FOR UNIVERSAL ADULT HCV SCREENING AND DRIVE NEW YORK STATE'S COMMITMENT TO ELIMINATE HCV-THE FIRST IN THE NATION!-WITH TAG PARTICIPATING IN THE RESULTANT STATEWIDE HCV ELIMINATION TASK FORCE.