We have all the tools we need to make it happen: rapid HIV testing, PrEP – the prevention pill which people who are HIV-negative can take to stay negative – and effective treatment that means people living with HIV can’t pass it on.  

These tools mean we could end new HIV transmissions, all without a vaccine or a cure. But too many people are currently missing out.  

Here’s what it will take to make that a reality.  

We have successfully campaigned for the roll-out of opt-out HIV testing to all 89 A&Es in areas with a high HIV prevalence across England and Scotland. The approach is simple – everyone who has their blood taken is tested, unless they ask not to be. This NHS programme has been highly effective at finding people with undiagnosed HIV – and hepatitis B and C. We’re pushing for it to be expanded to other parts of the health service where it would be effective. 

In Wales and Scotland there are national HIV postal testing services, which are free to anyone. In England, access is patchy – and only during National HIV Testing Week can anyone in England get an HIV self-test. We are campaigning for the UK Government to invest in a year-round, national HIV postal testing service across England.   

PrEP, a drug which people who are HIV-negative can take to stay negative, is currently only accessible through sexual health services, which are under intense strain.   

We are calling for PrEP to be accessible through a digital service, through pharmacies, and in prisons.  

Thousands of people in England know they are living with HIV but are not currently accessing life-saving care. We need urgent action by the Government to fund a national programme to find everyone living with HIV and support them to return to care. 

1 in 7 people living with HIV avoid accessing health care because of stigma. We campaign against HIV stigma and discrimination wherever it occurs. That includes campaigning to lift out-of-date rules on blood donations, people living with HIV serving as commercial pilots, and in the military. We also work to promote the Can’t Pass It On message, to improve public understanding.