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 WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, "THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS REVERSED YEARS OF PROGRESS IN PROVIDING ESSENTIAL TB SERVICES AND REDUCING TB DISEASE BURDEN. GLOBAL TB TARGETS ARE MOSTLY OFF-TRACK, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME COUNTRY AND REGIONAL SUCCESS STORIES. THE MOST OBVIOUS IMPACT IS A LARGE GLOBAL DROP IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE NEWLY DIAGNOSED WITH TB AND REPORTED. THIS FELL FROM 7.1 MILLION IN 2019 TO 5.8 MILLION IN 2020, AN 18% DECLINE BACK TO THE LEVEL OF 2012 AND FAR SHORT OF THE APPROXIMATELY 10 MILLION PEOPLE WHO DEVELOPED TB IN 2020... REDUCED ACCESS TO TB DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT HAS RESULTED IN AN INCREASE IN TB DEATHS. BEST ESTIMATES FOR 2020 ARE 1.3 MILLION TB DEATHS AMONG HIV-NEGATIVE PEOPLE (UP FROM 1.2 MILLION IN 2019) AND AN ADDITIONAL 214,000 AMONG HIV-POSITIVE PEOPLE (UP FROM 209 000 IN 2019), WITH THE COMBINED TOTAL BACK TO THE LEVEL OF 2017." (WHO GLOBAL TUBERCULOSIS REPORT 2021, PAGE 1.)THOUGH PREVENTABLE AND CURABLE, TUBERCULOSIS (TB) IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH OF PEOPLE WITH HIV, AND THE SECOND LEADING INFECTIOUS KILLER GLOBALLY BEHIND COVID-19. 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 BROAD, 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 OHIV PROGRAMACCORDING TO UNAIDS, "IN 2020 THERE WERE 37.7 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV... 28.2 MILLION PEOPLE WERE ACCESSING ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY AS OF 30 JUNE 2021... 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE BECAME NEWLY INFECTED WITH HIV IN 2020... [AND] 680,000 DIED FROM AIDS-RELATED ILLNESSES IN 2020. 79.3 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BECOME INFECTED WITH HIV SINCE THE START OF THE EPIDEMIC. (UNAIDS FACT SHEET -- WORLD AIDS DAY 2021.)TAG'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. IN 2021, ANEA ADVANCED COMMENTS ON THE REVISED NATIONAL HIV/AIDS STRATEGY, ISSUED A COMMUNITY MEMO TO THE BIDEN/HARRIS TRANSITION TEAM, AND HOSTED EVENTS TO DISCUSS COMMUNITY CONCERNS WITH KEY FIGURES AT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC) AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS).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'S 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 PREVENTION PIPELINES, AND PLAYS A VITAL LEADERSHIP ROLE IN BASIC SCIENCE, VACCINES, AND CURE ADVOCACY. OUR HIV CURE-RELATED CLINICAL TRIALS WEBSITE LISTING, UPDATED MONTHLY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON STUDIES AND THEIR RESULTS, IS WIDELY CITED BY RESEARCHERS AND PARTNERS 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.UNDER THE HIV PROGRAM IN 2021, TAG CONDUCTED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ON THE TOPICS OF BOTH BIOMEDICAL HIV PREVENTION AND COVID-19 IN COLLABORATION WITH THE BLACK AIDS INSTITUTE, SOUTHERN AIDS COALITION, THE HIV VACCINE TRIALS NETWORK, AND THE COVID-19 PREVENTION NETWORK. 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." (WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. HEPATITIS C. KEY FACTS -- 2 JUNE 2022.)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 ACCESS-FROM LIMITED DONOR FUNDING FOR HCV, TO SOBRIETY AND ADHERENCE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY GOVERNMENTS AND PAYERS, TO PATENT AND PRICING BARRIERS, TO 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.