SUPREME COURT RULES FOR ACCESS TO HIV PREVENTION, GLAAD RESPONDS

GLAAD President and CEO: “PrEP is a safe and effective way to prevent HIV transmission, that saves lives and brings us closer to ending the HIV epidemic.”

(June 27, 2025 – New York, NY) – GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is responding today to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Kennedy v. Braidwood Management Inc., in which the Court upheld a critical piece of the Affordable Care Act that mandates insurance companies cover preventive healthcare services at no out-of-pocket cost.

Lambda Legal, which led on the amicus brief strategy of the case, led national coalition of HIV, LGBTQ, and health advocates including: PrEP4All, the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation, the Center for HIV Law and Policy, and Equality Federation, and responded to the ruling here.

The victory means that Americans can continue to receive preventive health services without out-of-pocket costs, from pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a lifesaving HIV prevention medication, to routine heart disease medication and cancer screenings, without additional out-of-pocket costs. The case was brought by a group of employers who made several false statements about LGBTQ people in order to refuse offering PrEP, which is 99% effective in preventing HIV. According the the Advocate, the group of Texas employers falsely argued that covering PrEP encourages “homosexual behavior” and allegedly violated their religious freedom.

GLAAD’s President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis issued the following statement:

“Today’s Supreme Court decision should serve as a loud reminder that PrEP is a safe and effective way to prevent HIV transmission, that saves lives and brings us closer to ending the HIV epidemic.

“The Supreme Court reaffirmed what so many Americans know and believe: preventive health care is a cornerstone of our health system and health decisions should be left to doctors and individuals. The fact that the Supreme Court considered derailing everyone’s access to preventive health care because of a small group of anti-LGBTQ voices reinforces how anti-LGBTQ bias is a danger to public health.”

About PrEP and HIV in America today

Pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, is 99% effective in preventing HIV when taken as prescribed for people who do not have HIV. PrEP is a scientific game-changer in combating HIV and moves the world closer to an HIV-free generation.

According to the 2024 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), when taken as prescribed, PrEP reduces the risk of acquiring HIV from sex by about 99%. The CDC estimates that only 36% of people who could benefit from comprehensive HIV prevention strategies, including PrEP, were prescribed PrEP in 2022.

Last week, the FDA approved a new form of PrEP, lenacapavir, a twice-a-year injectable. This new option can make it easier for people to stay on track with their HIV prevention regimen versus daily pills.

According to the most recent CDC data, in 2022, the U.S. averaged more than 100 new HIV diagnoses per day, with a total of 37,981 new HIV diagnoses among people aged 13 and older. Men make up almost 80% of diagnoses, with gay and bisexual men accounting for the majority. Black Americans make up 38% of diagnoses. Young people are also affected, with over half (56%) of diagnoses occurring among those aged 13 to 34. Geographically, the U.S. South continues to account for more than half (52%) of all diagnoses.

GLAAD’s reporter guide and fact sheet with background and relevant resources is available here.