Gilead Sciences plans to collaborate with two academic institutions to reduce inequities in HIV healthcare for Black Americans. The company is teaming with Atlanta-based Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine and the New Orleans-based Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education at Xavier University of Louisiana.
Gilead will award $4.5 million over three years to support the partnership, which focuses on Black communities in the Southern U.S., according to an Aug. 17 press release from Gilead.
CDC research indicates inequities drive higher rates of HIV infection and worse clinical outcomes among Black Americans.
"This collaboration will focus on the barriers that are most prevalent in Black communities and help increase access to HIV care to produce better outcomes for Black people," Rashad Burgess, Gilead vice president of advancing health and Black equity, said in the release.
According to the release, the partnership is intended to close critical gaps in care by addressing the following issues:
- Expanding understanding of the effect COVID-19 has on the healthcare delivery system in Black communities
- Realigning HIV services to reflect COVID-19's impact.
- Providing focused training for culturally appropriate HIV care with stigma-reducing strategies.
- Increasing access and use of culturally appropriate care for Black people affected by HIV.