Improving entry into, and retention in, care and antiretroviral adherence for persons with HIV

(a) Sense of congress It is the sense of Congress that AIDS research has led to scientific advancements that have— (1) saved the lives of millions of people living with HIV; (2) prevented millions of individuals from receiving new diagnoses of HIV; and (3) had broad benefits that extend far beyond helping people at risk for, or living with, HIV. (b) In general The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health, shall expand, intensify, and coordinate operational and translational research and other activities of the National Institutes of Health regarding methods— (1) to increase adoption of evidence-based adherence strategies within HIV care and treatment programs; (2) to increase HIV testing and case detection rates; (3) to reduce HIV-related health disparities; (4) to ensure that research to improve adherence to HIV care and treatment programs address the unique concerns of women; (5) to integrate HIV prevention and care services with mental health and substance use prevention and treatment delivery systems; (6) to increase knowledge on the implementation of preexposure prophylaxis (referred to in this section as PrEP), including with respect to— (A) who can benefit most from PrEP; (B) how to provide PrEP safely and efficiently; (C) how to integrate PrEP with other essential prevention methods such as condoms; and (D) how to ensure high levels of adherence; and (7) to increase knowledge of undetectable and untransmittable, when a person living with HIV who is on antiretroviral therapy and is durably virally suppressed (defined as having a consistent viral load of less than 200 copies/ml) cannot sexually transmit HIV. (c) Authorization of appropriations To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2027 through 2030.