Elton John was honored at a reception hosted by the All Occasion Parliamentary Group on HIV/AIDS on the Speaker’s Home right this moment in recognition of his enduring dedication to ending the AIDS epidemic, each personally and thru the work of the Elton John AIDS Basis.

Earlier right this moment, Victoria Atkins, Secretary of State for Well being and Social Care outlined how the UK Authorities will probably be increasing the massively profitable NHS opt-out blood-borne virus testing programme for HIV and Hepatitis to 46 new emergency departments throughout England. Growth of this system, from the present 33 websites to each excessive prevalence space, may establish a major proportion of the estimated 4,500 individuals dwelling with undiagnosed HIV, forestall new transmissions and save extra lives.

Addressing a packed Speaker’s Home, Elton John welcomed the UK Authorities’s additional roll-out of opt-out testing: “My Basis and companions did a three-year pilot (2018-2021) within the South London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham. This pioneering method confirmed past a doubt that opt-out testing works in A&E. Automated testing will get to individuals earlier, which implies much less HIV transmission, much less sickness, much less dying and by the estimate of well being economists, £50 million saved for the NHS. So, to listen to right this moment from the Secretary of State that this work will probably be expanded to each excessive HIV prevalence space…46 new Accident & Emergency departments in native hospitals throughout England…greater than doubling the variety of HIV assessments, is really fantastic information.” 

He additionally shared his private reflections on the lengthy combat to finish the AIDS epidemic and referred to as on all political leaders to do extra: “Whoever wins the subsequent normal election might help to finish AIDS worldwide by 2030. Beginning proper right here at house. Within the UK, new HIV diagnoses are down 46% since their peak in 2015.[1] We may be the primary nation on the planet to defeat this terrible virus. Taking part in our half, fulfilling the United Nations aim and displaying different nations the way it’s executed.” 

“Within the 1990’s, I visited far too many houses the place individuals had been dying of AIDS. I bear in mind the helpless, suffocating feeling as one after one other they succumbed, not realizing if it will ever finish. These recollections are etched on my soul, they usually taught me so much. I noticed, as tens of millions did, photographs of my good friend Princess Diana publicly shake the hand of a person dying of AIDS and realized a easy act of compassion is a power to be reckoned with.”

“My Basis was born the yr after Freddie died. Spreading love and compassion was our compass. Leaving nobody behind was our apply. 31 years later, now we have achieved a lot. We have raised near half a billion kilos, funding hundreds of applications across the globe. We have funded nearly each HIV charity within the UK and each main place within the NHS the place you will get therapy for HIV. We have reached 100 million individuals globally and we have saved 5 million lives. By no means did I believe my Basis’s work would flip right into a lifelong dedication or that so many individuals would wish our assist.”

“I implore you to not waste your allotted time as political leaders. Take motion and push issues slightly additional than may really feel comfy. And as you do, I can promise you this: I will probably be there with you. Combating for equal entry and honest therapy. Giving every little thing I can for the remainder of my life to ending HIV/AIDS. As a result of we should keep the course. I lengthy to applaud a room like this, after this epidemic has gone.”

With 39 million individuals around the globe dwelling with HIV and 1.3 million individuals newly contaminated final yr, Elton John additionally spoke in regards to the want for the UK to do extra internationally: restoring the UK’s full dedication to The International Fund to combat AIDS, TB and Malaria, establishing new fashions of partnership and engagement, and defending civil liberties.

“Abandoning ending AIDS would not simply be a failure for the 39 million individuals dwelling with the illness. We would be failing to organize for no matter international virus comes subsequent, as a result of we all know that preventing AIDS is pandemic preparedness in motion. So, we must be growing our dedication to the International Fund, not chopping it. And if the Authorities is severe about ending AIDS, I name on it to fully restore the UK’s dedication, to pledge £1.46 billion kilos this present three-year cycle and make sure the International Fund is totally financed.”

World AIDS Day will probably be commemorated on 1^st December and regardless of advances in therapy, 630,000 individuals died of AIDS associated illnesses in 2022. Worldwide, HIV charges are rising quicker amongst younger individuals than in another group and greater than half of individuals dwelling with HIV are girls and women. Over 9 million persons are not at the moment accessing therapy that would save their lives, all too actually because disgrace and stigma is holding them again.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the Home of Commons, welcomed company from all the key political events and main HIV/AIDS organisations to the occasion, and said: “It’s an honour to host this reception for Elton John in recognition of his work to finish HIV and AIDS. Sir Elton has been an unwavering advocate within the combat towards HIV and AIDS for 4 a long time. His efforts have helped destigmatize the illness, promote training, and supply essential help to these affected, making him a real champion within the aim to finish AIDS.”

Florence Eshalomi MP, Co-Chair of the APPG HIV/AIDS, additionally welcomed the Authorities’s announcement and praised Elton John for his ongoing work: “We’re delighted that the Authorities right this moment has taken concrete steps to extend and normalise HIV testing within the UK. The APPG believes that as Parliamentarians, we should always play our half in addressing this epidemic and that is one thing now we have been calling for following the profitable roll-out of opt-out to extraordinarily excessive prevalence areas. We additionally echo Elton John’s feedback that while this may have a really actual and important affect, there may be nonetheless an enormous quantity that must be executed to finish the AIDS epidemic each right here within the UK and overseas.”

Anne Aslett, CEO of the Elton John AIDS Basis, stated: “The Elton John AIDS Basis was arrange by Elton at his kitchen desk in Atlanta, Georgia within the 90’s when all we may do for individuals dwelling with AIDS was to offer meals and luxury and in the end finish of life care. Thirty years on and the Basis has raised greater than $565 million for HIV/AIDS grants globally and funded greater than 3,000 tasks in over 90 international locations. Spreading love and compassion has all the time been our compass; leaving nobody behind our apply. We’re delighted by the UK Authorities’s announcement right this moment to additional increase opt-out testing – an method we first piloted with our companions in London boroughs in 2018. This coverage will maintain individuals in care, save lives and is an important step in the direction of assembly the aim of ending new HIV instances within the UK by 2030.”

David Furnish, Chairman of the Elton John AIDS Basis, stated: “Now we have come up to now in the direction of an AIDS free future and the UK Authorities’s determination to increase opt-out testing will guarantee extra individuals get the correct care and therapy they should reside full and wholesome lives. If politicians on all sides decide to the actions outlined by Elton John right this moment, now we have an actual likelihood of attaining one thing unimaginable by changing into the primary nation to cease new HIV transmissions.”

Victoria Atkins, Well being and Social Care Secretary, stated: “Lower than three a long time in the past, HIV might be a dying sentence. It was typically – and wrongly – thought of a supply of disgrace, and diagnoses had been hidden from associates, household and society. However right this moment, because of efficient remedies, it’s doable to reside an extended and wholesome life with HIV.  

“The work of the good campaigners and charities, together with the Elton John AIDS Basis, whose efforts have helped us get the place we’re right this moment rightly need to be celebrated. In addition to selling prevention for all, the extra individuals we are able to diagnose, the extra likelihood now we have of ending new transmissions of the virus and the stigma wrongly connected to it. This program, which improves individuals’s well being and wellbeing, saves lives and cash.”

Keir Starmer, chief of the Labour Occasion, stated: “The tireless work of campaigners, survivors, scientists, medical employees and others has meant that, for the primary time, we are able to say that the tip of the HIV/AIDS epidemic is on the horizon. We now have a world the place HIV constructive individuals can reside freely and love freely, one thing so many individuals had been as soon as too scared even to dream. The unimaginable progress made up to now, ensuing within the growth of the NHS opt-out blood-borne virus testing programme, must be extensively celebrated.”

“Sir Elton John has been a relentless voice championing this trigger all through his life. He has raised tens of millions of kilos for frontline providers and saved lives by breaking down the stigma that sees lives misplaced at the hours of darkness. We’re eternally grateful for his dedication to public service, and his life-saving work. But when we’re to depart nobody behind, there may be a lot nonetheless to do. An incoming Labour authorities will hit the bottom working, as a result of we should meet our goal of ending new HIV instances within the UK by 2030. That is why the Labour Occasion will fee an replace to the HIV Motion Plan as quickly as we come to authorities.”

Winnie Byanyima, Government Director of UNAIDS and United Nations Underneath-Secretary-Normal, stated: “Over 40 million lives have been misplaced to AIDS. Even now, AIDS claims one other valuable life each single minute. The AIDS pandemic just isn’t over, however it may be. Elton John has fought tirelessly for 4 a long time to deliver an finish to this horrible illness and to the injustices which drive it; now it’s politicians who should act and put in place the applications and insurance policies wanted to help communities each domestically and internationally to finish AIDS for all.”