“Religion has no place in healthcare access”

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) strongly condemns the decision of U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor in the Northern District of Texas that would allow private employers to deny access to HIV prevention medication based on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The judge ruled on September 7^th that a provision of the Affordable Care Act that mandates free coverage of certain drugs violates the religious beliefs of a Christian-owned company. The judge’s ruling gives private employers the ability to opt out of providing access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication that prevents the transmission of HIV.

“This ruling is very dangerous. What’s next? Treatment for HIV and other sexual transmitted infections, contraception, vaccines for HPV?” said Michael Weinstein, President of AHF. “Medical decisions should be made by doctors and patients without interference. Religion has no place in healthcare access.”

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 1.6 million people in 45 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare or subscribe to our podcast “AHFter Hours.”

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Regarding pre-exposure prophylaxis: Medical decisions should be made by doctors and patients without interference. Religion has NO place in healthcare access.