22 U.S. Code § 7652 - Policy and requirements

(a) Policy

The United States Government’s response to the global HIV/AIDS pandemic should place high priority on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, the care and treatment of family members and caregivers, and the care of children orphaned by AIDS. To the maximum extent possible, the United States Government should seek to leverage its funds by seeking matching contributions from the private sector, other national governments, and international organizations.

(b) Requirements

The 5-year United States Government strategy required by section 7611 of this title shall—

(1) establish a target for the prevention and treatment of mother-to-child transmission of HIV that, by 2013, will reach at least 80 percent of pregnant women in those countries most affected by HIV/AIDS in which the United States has HIV/AIDS programs;

(2) establish a target that, by 2013, the proportion of children receiving care and treatment under this chapter is proportionate to their numbers within the population of HIV infected individuals in each country;

(3) integrate care and treatment with prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV programs to improve outcomes for HIV-affected women and families as soon as is feasible and support strategies that promote successful follow-up and continuity of care of mother and child;

(4) expand programs designed to care for children orphaned by, affected by, or vulnerable to HIV/AIDS;

(5) ensure that women in prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV programs are provided with, or referred to, appropriate maternal and child services; and

(6) develop a timeline for expanding access to more effective regimes to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, consistent with the national policies of countries in which programs are administered under this chapter and the goal of achieving universal use of such regimes as soon as possible.

(c) Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission Expert Panel

(1) Establishment

The Global AIDS Coordinator shall establish a panel of experts to be known as the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission Panel (referred to in this subsection as the “Panel”) to—

(A) provide an objective review of activities to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV; and

(B) provide recommendations to the Global AIDS Coordinator and to the appropriate congressional committees for scale-up of mother-to-child transmission prevention services under this chapter in order to achieve the target established in subsection (b)(1).

(2) Membership

The Panel shall be convened and chaired by the Global AIDS Coordinator, who shall serve as a nonvoting member. The Panel shall consist of not more than 15 members (excluding the Global AIDS Coordinator), to be appointed by the Global AIDS Coordinator not later than 1 year after July 30, 2008, including—

(A) 2 members from the Department of Health and Human Services with expertise relating to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission activities;

(B) 2 members from the United States Agency for International Development with expertise relating to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission activities;

(C) 2 representatives from among health ministers of national governments of foreign countries in which programs under this chapter are administered;

(D) 3 members representing organizations implementing prevention of mother-to-child transmission activities under this chapter;

(E) 2 health care researchers with expertise relating to global HIV/AIDS activities; and

(F) representatives from among patient advocate groups, health care professionals, persons living with HIV/AIDS, and non-governmental organizations with expertise relating to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission activities, giving priority to individuals in foreign countries in which programs under this chapter are administered.

(3) Duties of Panel

The Panel shall—

(A) assess the effectiveness of current activities in reaching the target described in subsection (b)(1);

(B) review scientific evidence related to the provision of mother-to-child transmission prevention services, including programmatic data and data from clinical trials;

(C) review and assess ways in which the Office of the United States Global AIDS Coordinator collaborates with international and multilateral entities on efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV in affected countries;

(D) identify barriers and challenges to increasing access to mother-to-child transmission prevention services and evaluate potential mechanisms to alleviate those barriers and challenges;

(E) identify the extent to which stigma has hindered pregnant women from obtaining HIV counseling and testing or returning for results, and provide recommendations to address such stigma and its effects;

(F) identify opportunities to improve linkages between mother-to-child transmission prevention services and care and treatment programs; and

(G) recommend specific activities to facilitate reaching the target described in subsection (b)(1).

(4) Report

(A) In general

Not later than 1 year after the date on which the Panel is first convened, the Panel shall submit a report containing a detailed statement of the recommendations, findings, and conclusions of the Panel to the appropriate congressional committees.

(B) Availability

The report submitted under subparagraph (A) shall be made available to the public.

(C) Consideration by Coordinator

The Coordinator shall—

(i) consider any recommendations contained in the report submitted under subparagraph (A); and

(ii) include in the annual report required under section 2151b–2(f) of this title a description of the activities conducted in response to the recommendations made by the Panel and an explanation of any recommendations not implemented at the time of the report.

(5) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Panel such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2011 to carry out this section.

(6) Termination

The Panel shall terminate on the date that is 60 days after the date on which the Panel submits the report to the appropriate congressional committees under paragraph (4).

(Pub. L. 108–25, title III, § 312, May 27, 2003, 117 Stat. 741; Pub. L. 110–293, title III, §§ 307, 309, July 30, 2008, 122 Stat. 2963, 2964.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b)(2), (6) and (c)(1), (2), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 108–25, May 27, 2003, 117 Stat. 711, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 7601 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (b)(1) to (6). Pub. L. 110–293, § 307, added pars. (1) to (6) and struck out former pars. (1) to (3) which read as follows:

“(1) provide for meeting or exceeding the goal to reduce the rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 20 percent by 2005 and by 50 percent by 2010;

“(2) include programs to make available testing and treatment to HIV-positive women and their family members, including drug treatment and therapies to prevent mother-to-child transmission; and

“(3) expand programs designed to care for children orphaned by AIDS.”

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–293, § 309, added subsec. (c).