The International AIDS Society (IAS) warned that the reinstatement of the “global gag rule” will have dire consequences for the HIV response, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
The rule, officially called the Mexico City Policy, prohibits foreign organizations that receive US health aid from providing, referring for or advocating for abortion services, regardless of whether non-US funds are used for these services.
Within days of being sworn in as US President, convicted felon and former TV personality Donald Trump signed an executive order that reinstated the policy. His predecessor, Joe Biden, rescinded Trump’s previous imposition of the policy.
“The cost of reimposing this rule will be paid in hardship, human lives and a reversal of some of the most important gains in the HIV response,” IAS president Beatriz Grinsztejn said.
“We know from experience that it will cause severe disruptions to health services, including HIV and reproductive and sexual health, particularly in areas of the world most affected by HIV. We have seen the negative impact of the global gag rule before, as evidenced by restrictions in women’s access to essential healthcare worldwide.”
According to the IAS, the global gag rule fuels the HIV pandemic, with the Mexico City Policy, which already led to an estimated 90,000 new HIV acquisitions and almost 30,000 maternal and child deaths each year it has been in place, due to disruptions in HIV services. Most of these deaths were among children.
The IAS, therefore, “calls for science-based policies. A world in which HIV no longer presents a threat to public health and individual well-being is built on protecting, not restricting, women’s access to healthcare.”
