$4.8 Million Minority HIV/AIDS Fund Investment Supports CDC Awards for Doxy PEP Implementation and HIV/Syphilis Point-of-Care Testing

Dear Partners in Prevention,

I am pleased to report that CDC has awarded funding to the University of Alabama Birmingham and the University of Washington to explore innovative sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV prevention strategies: 1) implementation of doxycycline as post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy PEP); and 2) HIV and syphilis point-of-care testing (POCT). This work has been made possible by an investment from the HHS Minority HIV/AIDS Fund (MHAF). Recipients will receive a total of $4.8 million in year one of the projects.

Both recipients will design and test strategies to assure doxy PEP coverage for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men and transgender women. The University of Alabama Birmingham’s POCT study aims to determine the impact and feasibility of syphilis/HIV POCT among cisgender women of reproductive age. The University of Washington’s project will work to implement syphilis/HIV POCT in outreach settings such as emergency departments, correctional settings, and substance use disorder programs.

Project activities will take place in: Alabama, Arizona, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington D.C. These jurisdictions have been prioritized as part of key STI/HIV public health efforts through the National Syphilis and Congenital Syphilis Syndemic (NSCSS) Federal Task Force and the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative. All projects will leverage community engagement to identify needs, build partnerships, and tailor interventions as needed.

This work is happening under the umbrella of CDC’s Sexually Transmitted Infections Impact Research Consortium (STIIRC), which was established last year to conduct studies to reverse continued increases in reported cases of STIs.

We are thrilled to see the vision of STIIRC coming to life, partnering with our colleagues, and advancing our field together. I look forward to the outcomes of these exciting projects.

/Bradley Stoner/
Bradley Stoner, MD, PhD
Director, Division of STD Prevention
National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention