France Faces Setbacks in HIV Prevention Amid Budget Cuts and Rising Infection Rates

On World AIDS Day 2025, major concerns have been raised about the impact of budget cuts on France's HIV prevention and care programs. The Conseil national du sida et des hépatites virales (CNS) warned that reduced public funding threatens to reverse decades of progress made against HIV/AIDS, particularly highlighting the government's declining financial support both domestically and internationally. France, alongside the United States, has cut its contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which could lead to increased infections and preventable deaths, especially in resource-limited countries.

Within France, the CNS observed the closure of local prevention structures due to lower funding for associations working with at-risk populations. These groups, including vulnerable youths aged 15-24, have experienced a rise in newly diagnosed HIV cases. The situation is further aggravated by decreased condom use and inadequate uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Additionally, access to medical care remains problematic for socially vulnerable communities, with fears over potential restriction of medical aid mechanisms.

Meanwhile, community organizations that play a critical role in reaching marginalized populations—such as migrants and precarious youth—have seen severe budget cuts, resulting in a decline in community-based HIV testing services. Although laboratory-based HIV testing increased by 13% between 2023 and 2024, community testing is projected to fall significantly, which experts deem a major setback for social justice and effective prevention.

The advocacy group Act Up-Paris has criticized the government's focus on repression over prevention funding, underscoring that "funding prevention is essential to saving lives," a commitment they say remains unfulfilled by current political decisions.

Overall, the CNS has called for "an urgent remobilization of public authorities" to halt funding declines and reinforce prevention and treatment efforts both in France and globally. The absence of French President Emmanuel Macron at the recent Global Fund summit symbolized the country's diminished engagement, compounding worries about the future of HIV/AIDS programs.