HIV prevention and treatment has made incredible strides since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. Now, people with HIV have a range of treatment options to use to keep the virus in check. This leads to people with HIV living longer, healthier lives once they achieve sustained viral suppression — health that can be comparable to someone without HIV.
Bruce J. Packett II
Executive Director, American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM)
Bruce J. Packett II has been the Executive Director of the American Academy of HIV Medicine since 2019. He previously served with the Academy in the public policy, medical education and development spaces, dating back to 2005. Bruce has worked in nonprofit health for most of his professional career, including serving on the Board of Directors of the Adira Foundation from 2018-2022, an organization dedicated to supporting patients, caregivers and providers in the neurodegenerative diseases area.
Prevention also has come a long way. While the focus of HIV prevention used to be primarily on condom use and abstinence, now there are newer, more sophisticated weapons in the prevention arsenal. Today, people can take HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication, either as a daily pill or a long-acting injection. When taken as prescribed, PrEP can reduce the risk of HIV from sex by approximately 99%.1
Yet, even with all of these advances, we still have a long way to go in ending the HIV epidemic in the United States. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1.2 million people in the United States have HIV, and there were approximately 32,100 new infections in 2021.2 This means that over a million Americans need knowledgeable, quality HIV care — and all Americans need informed, up-to-date sexual health care to ensure HIV prevention.
How the academy helps
The American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM) is the nation’s leading independent organization of healthcare professionals dedicated to providing excellence in HIV care and prevention. Our membership of practitioners and credentialed clinicians manage the health of the majority of people with and at risk for HIV in the United States. Our mission is to ensure healthcare professionals have the resources needed to provide prevention, treatment, and care for those with or at risk for HIV.
To that end, we provide education offerings for the whole healthcare team to ensure all providers are aware of the latest advances in treatment and prevention. For clinicians who focus on practicing HIV medicine, we offer professional certifications: HIV Specialist™, HIV Pharmacist™, and HIV Expert™. These credentials establish the standard for HIV expertise among physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants/associates, and pharmacists.
Academy resources for patients
To help patients connect with knowledgeable HIV providers, the Academy offers a provider directory where patients can search for practitioners in their area: providers.aahivm.org/referral-link-search.
Patients can also learn more about the latest advances in HIV prevention, care, and treatment by listening to our podcast, the Academy Exchange, at podcast.aahivm.org. Episodes cover topics like PrEP, women and HIV, weight changes and HIV, the HIV care team, and more.
Academy resources for providers
We believe all providers should have free access to quality continuing education. Our education programs, online courses, and in-person workshops feature the latest data, research, and science to equip providers with the current clinical information they will need for their patients. We also accredit our educational offerings for physicians, physician assistants/associates, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and nurses. Visit education.aahivm.org.
Perscribers can visit the Long-Acting Agents Resource Center, a single online source to find answers about long-acting agents, including prescribing, procurement, dispensing, coding, and third-party payer coverage. Learn more at hivlaa.org.
Finally, all providers are encouraged to become Academy members. The Academy is the only HIV trade and nonprofit association that welcomes the entire healthcare team, creating an atmosphere of collaboration and insight.
Join the American Academy of HIV Medicine at aahivm.org/membership
References
1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Updated July 5, 2022. Accessed May 28, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/prep/index.html
2. HIV.gov. U.S. Statistics. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated December 7, 2023. Accessed May 28, 2024. https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics
