The HIV community is losing a respected and vital voice. NAM aidsmap, which has provided HIV journalism and information for 37 years, announced its proposed closure this month.

With heavy hearts, we announce the proposed closure of our beloved charity, NAM aidsmap, this month. After 37 years of...

Posted by Aidsmap - the HIV information charity on Monday, July 1, 2024

Billed as an HIV information charity, aidsmap has provided an array of treatment updates, news headlines, profiles, pamphlets, opinion pieces, booklets, guidelines, videos and more. Its “National AIDS Manual” was first published in 1987.

Although based in the United Kingdom, the charity, officially known as NAM Publication, posted content via its website, aidsmap.com, and reached a global audience. The news was announced on the site in a post titled “Thank You and Farewell” (you can read it below). It was also posted on social media, where fellow journalists, advocates and members of the HIV community expressed their respect and admiration for the organization and its team.

“Heartbroken and saddened by this news,” wrote Positively Aware on X. “We honor the many good people who worked over the years to make @aidsmap an invaluable and trusted resource. Thank you for serving people living with and affected by HIV.”

“This is a huge loss!” added Florence Riako Anam. “Thank you @aidsmap for your incredible impact to our lives, many of us came to you for up to date information on HIV and particularly Treatment.”

IAPAC noted: “We are heartbroken to hear this news about an invaluable asset in the #HIV response. The ROI on @aidsmap’s contributions to increasing literacy is far greater than the resources it requires. Yet they are now a victim of a retrenchment in funding that jeopardizes the HIV response.”

POZ staffers are also saddened by the loss; we have been avid fans of aidsmap over the years.

Several commenters expressed hope that the site’s content could be maintained in some form. As TAGHIVscience asked, “Is there any possibility of the website being preserved as an archive so all the many internet links to the excellent coverage don’t break?” (If this does come to be, POZ will update this article.)

On its About page, aidsmap declares: “aidsmap provides independent, accurate and accessible information about HIV.” The site’s small team, currently only eight core staff members and a handful of freelance consultants, is helmed by interim executive director Helen Moulinos, executive director Matthew Hodson and managing editor Roger Pebody.

Below is the full text from aidsmap’s July 1 “Thank You and Farewell” announcement:

 With heavy hearts, we announce the proposed closure of our beloved charity, NAM aidsmap, this month. After 37 years of pioneering health journalism, community engagement, and empowerment through information, we will cease operations this summer.

We are incredibly proud of the millions we’ve reached worldwide and the grassroots ingenuity and commitment of our team and partners. 

NAM was founded by volunteers at London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard in 1987, at a time when there was no effective treatment for HIV, when AIDS hysteria was widespread and there was very little reliable information. The National AIDS Manual, then a ringbound folder, swiftly became an important, evidence-based, reference point for professionals as well as people diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. aidsmap has remained a source for accurate and reliable HIV information over the years, covering key scientific events and making information about treatment, prevention and support accessible to wider audiences. aidsmap has supported people with HIV to access and engage with healthcare and the lifesaving medication that is now available; we have advocated for PrEP and have been a key player in endorsing and disseminating the knowledge that effective HIV treatment means no risk of sexual transmission (aka UequalsU).

As you may know, the HIV sector faces numerous challenges and uncertainties. With broader access to prevention and treatment, and more widely accessible information, it has become increasingly difficult for us to secure funding amidst rising costs.

Regrettably, the Board of Trustees has made the difficult decision to propose to close aidsmap in July. Despite exploring alternatives, we do not see a sustainable path forward. We must make this decision while still solvent to ensure a respectful and orderly wind-up for our staff, freelancers, partners, funders, beneficiaries, and suppliers.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported our vision for a world where HIV is no longer a threat to health or happiness. Together, we have made a difference.

#NAMaidsmap #ThankYou #HIVAwareness #EndOfAnEra

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