What We’re Reading: AIDS Relief Negotiations; Menthol Cigarette Ban Delayed; At-Home Flu, COVID-19 Testing

AIDS Relief Negotiations Continue Into 2024

Rep Michael McCaul (R, Texas), the top Republican working to extend US global HIV/AIDS relief work, explained that negotiations are deadlocked, according to Politico. McCaul, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee that oversees the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), hoped to broker a compromise deal that would extend the program for more than 1 year but less than 5, but he has been unable to bridge the divide between House Republicans and Democrats; the Republicans accuse the Biden administration of using PEPFAR to fund abortion providers overseas, and the Democrats refuse to reinstate Trump administration rules that prohibited foreign aid from going to groups that provide or counsel on abortions. Talks are also being dragged out in the Senate as Sen Ben Cardin (D, Maryland), its top negotiator, said he does not plan to introduce a reauthorization bill this year.

Biden Administration Delays Menthol Cigarette Ban

The Biden administration posted online Wednesday that it has delayed its rule on the proposed menthol cigarette ban until March 2024 after lobbying by civil rights groups, including some sponsored by the tobacco industry, argued a ban would unfairly target Black smokers, according to ABC News. This delay represents a defeat for health advocates who have pushed for years to curtail access to menthol cigarettes, which are heavily marketed in Black communities. The Biden administration initially seemed in favor of the restriction when the FDA proposed the ban in April 2022, but when a final rule was sent to the White House budget office this fall, the administration changed course after engaging in private phone calls with civil rights groups, including the ACLU.

Federal Program Offers Free At-Home Testing, Treatments for COVID-19, Flu

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the CDC, and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response have partnered with digital health company eMed to create an at-home test-to-treat program, offering free flu and COVID-19 tests, according to Time. Due to an overwhelming number of test requests after the program launched last month, NIH and eMed are currently prioritizing tests for those who could not otherwise afford them, including those without health insurance or on government plans. Conversely, the program’s treatment offerings are open to anyone 18 years or older who tests positive for flu or COVID-19, regardless of whether they used one of the free tests from the program; those who enroll will be connected to a telemedicine provider via eMed to discuss whether they would benefit from an antiviral treatment, which would then be sent to their home for free. Experts are using this program to analyze whether moving testing and treatment into patients’ hands will reduce the spread of flu and COVID-19.