HIV/AIDS Awareness Month reminds us that ending the HIV epidemic is within reach. This future is more plausible than ever before. Today, we have the tools to ensure that no one develops AIDS and that no new HIV transmissions occur—an extraordinary scientific and public health breakthrough.
At Fenway Health, we believe observing HIV/AIDS Awareness Month remains essential. It matters not only for our patients living with HIV, or for the physicians and researchers who have dedicated decades to advancing care and prevention, but for the millions of people around the world who continue to live with HIV/AIDS today. The epidemic isn’t over. Last year alone, 1.3 million people contracted HIV worldwide.
The barriers today aren’t primarily medical—they’re social. As a nurse and someone who lost a family member to poverty and homophobia, I know these realities firsthand. Some people live too far from clinics, others can’t afford regular appointments, many see programs cut out from under them, and racial disparities compound these challenges. Ending this crisis requires care and innovation that center patient needs across different communities.
Fenway Health was founded to do just that. After making New England’s first AIDS diagnosis in 1981, we committed to fighting the epidemic. We recognized early that patients needed not only medical care but protection from rampant discrimination. People were being fired, denied housing, and refused care. So while researching treatments, we also launched programs addressing these realities—like anonymous HIV testing in 1984, which allowed patients to know their status without fear of retaliation.
That model continues today. Recently, a young man who spoke only Spanish came to our clinic for HIV testing. We know that in Massachusetts in recent years, Latinos are diagnosed with HIV at a rate four times higher than white people—so we stand ready to support this community with Spanish-speaking staff. When this young man’s result came back positive, we were able to connect him to treatment immediately. Meeting him where he was helped build trust and ensured continuity of care.
The last decade’s medical advancements mean no one needs to suffer from AIDS anymore. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) allows those living with HIV to reach undetectable viral loads—meaning they can live healthy lives and cannot transmit the virus. ART also powers pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which prevents infection in the first place. After the unimaginable loss of over 40 million lives to AIDS-related illnesses, this is monumental.
Yet people still contract HIV in Massachusetts, in the U.S. and around the world. A recent Lancet series edited by Fenway’s Dr. Ken Mayer highlighted reasons why: Even in developed countries, adherence to daily PrEP pills is difficult, as patients can struggle to remember medication or keep up with appointments and prescriptions. So too does racial inequality play a role. Alongside Latino communities, Black communities in the U.S. are disproportionately affected. Despite comprising just 12% of the U.S. population, Black Americans accounted for 37% of new HIV infections in 2022. In Massachusetts, they are the population most affected, being diagnosed at rates nine times higher than white individuals.
In rural Sub-Saharan Africa, where most new infections occur worldwide, access to treatment is scarce and programs are being cut. In Zambia, in which over 10% of the population lives with HIV, communities face devastation reminiscent of the LGBTQIA+ crisis in the 1990s.
These disparities in America and globally underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions and equitable access to prevention, testing, and treatment—which Fenway is working to address. As a national leader in translating HIV efficacy data into real-world community impact, we focus on prevention tools that fit people’s lived experiences.
Earlier this year, we led a study showing that transgender women—at significant risk for HIV—prefer long lasting injections over daily pills for PrEP. We also participated in trials for the new twice-annual PrEP shot, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June. These innovations don’t just improve adherence here—they offer models for communities worldwide where daily pills or frequent clinic visits aren’t realistic.
HIV prevention and treatment remain at the core of Fenway’s mission. Over our fifty years we’ve learned that scientific innovation delivers the best results when aligned with the communities we serve. This HIV/AIDS Awareness Month, we see hope in patient-centered care—and we will continue fighting to ensure everyone’s needs are met.
Jordina Shanks
Fenway Health CEO