Aid cuts have led to shortages of HIV drugs and tests globally, according to a survey conducted across 40 countries. Organisations offering HIV care reported that over half (55%) had experienced stockouts at some point in the past year.
The survey, carried out by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), highlighted a critical scarcity of HIV tests and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medicine used to reduce the risk of HIV. At the time of the survey, 40% of IPPF members had no stock of a product, and 60% had at least one product at low levels.
Mallah Tabot, a senior adviser at IPPF Africa’s regional office, described these shortages as a "warning of what happens when funding becomes uncertain and the supply systems communities depend on grow fragile." Tabot added that HIV infections are increasing in some countries and lives are being lost.
HIV rapid diagnostic tests were the most critically affected product, with more than half of responding member associations unable to offer sustained HIV testing. Oral and injectable PrEP were also scarce, with 12 member associations reporting low or no stock.
In 2025, a 23% fall in aid spending compared to 2024 disrupted global HIV responses, leading the UN to warn in June of a potential resurgence of the HIV epidemic. Last year, an estimated 40.9 million people were living with HIV worldwide, with 1.2 million new infections and 570,000 Aids-related deaths recorded.