Trump’s Budget Slash Halts Groundbreaking HIV Research in Africa

South Africa’s BRILLIANT project — led by local scientists — was set to begin HIV vaccine trials using innovative mRNA technology, funded entirely by USAID

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A week before trials were to begin, researchers received an email: “Stop all work.” US funding was immediately withdrawn

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South African institutions are projected to lose ~$107 million in US research funding over the next five years, affecting HIV, TB, and other health studies

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Following the aid cuts, viral load testing fell by up to 21% among pregnant women and infants. Clinics closed, and NGO‑run facilities were shuttered

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UNAIDS warns that, unless funding is restored, millions more could die from AIDS by 2029. There are fears decades of progress could be reversed

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South African trials were built around local genetic diversity and deep regional expertise. Now, this scientific momentum has been lost

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