Blog examines PEPFAR restrictions regarding family planning

"Though the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has been touted as one of our nation's most successful initiatives in global health (and certainly one of President George W. Bush's most positive legacies) it continues to miss the mark" when it comes to family planning, global gender specialist and freelance writer Jessica Mack writes in KPLU 88.5's "Humanosphere" blog. "The essential role of contraception, especially barrier methods, in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS is intuitive, obvious, and also well documented," she writes. "While earlier PEPFAR rules did not specifically dictate whether or not funding could be used for contraceptive supplies, the language over the last few years has become increasingly restrictive on this point," she continues, noting that PEPFAR's recently released 2013 country operational plan (COP) forbids the use of PEPFAR funds to purchase family planning commodities. Mack concludes, "PEPFAR is simply flying directly in the face of the Global Health Initiative's vision and the stated objectives of the Obama Administration" (10/25).