Florida’s proposed cuts to AIDS drug program threaten patient care and public health

Scaling back Florida’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program could mean a resurgence of HIV/AIDS and increased health care costs throughout the state.

By: Jonathan Appelbaum, Florida State University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 24, 2026

Words: 798

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 2 days ago

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By Jonathan Appelbaum, Florida State University

More than 128,000 Floridians are living with HIV. The state has the second-highest rate of new HIV diagnoses after Georgia, with approximately 4,500 new diagnoses in 2023, the most recent year for which data is available.

But access to treatment could be in jeopardy if potential budget cuts, announced in January 2026 by the Florida Department of Health, are enacted.

These changes, set to go into effect on …

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