Humanity First at IAS 2026 - the International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro

From AIDS 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, A Shot in the Arm Podcast hosts, Ben and Yvette, discuss why convening the global AIDS community still matters amid major financial challenges and shifts in U.S. aid. They emphasize “humanity first,” the need for African leadership, sovereignty in HIV financing, and learning how programs survived when aid decreased because “the community stayed.” They discuss remembering people lost due to changes in American aid and reject “America First” approaches in favor of multilateral collaboration. They also highlight scientific innovation and access issues, including once-monthly PrEP, once-weekly treatment, new combinations, and the importance of real choice to address treatment fatigue, along with growing interest in African manufacturing and policies like South Africa’s BEE requirements. 00:00 Welcome to Rio 00:53 Why This Conference Matters 01:42 Funding Sovereignty Debate 03:57 Resilience After Aid Cuts 05:43 New HIV Science Pipeline 07:31 Choice and Local Manufacturing 11:24 Rejecting America First 13:29 Community Power and Wrap Up **AIDS 2026, the 26th International AIDS Conference** https://www.iasociety.org/conferences/aids2026 **APHA - Advocates for the Prevention of HIV in Africa** https://www.apha.org.za **Check Out Ben’s Substack:** https://substack.com/@benplumley1 **Join the Conversation!** How do you see the future of global health unfolding? Share your thoughts in the comments! **Subscribe & Stay Updated:** Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform. Watch on YouTube & subscribe for more in-depth global health. #hivaids #HIV #AIDS #globalhealth