Federal agency within HHS responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of drugs, biologics, vaccines and medical devices used (among others) in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of HIV infection, AIDS and AIDS-related opportunistic infections. The FDA also works with the blood banking industry to safeguard the nation's blood supply.

The application used by EMAs and States each year to request an amount of CARE Act funding which is determined by a formula based on the number of reported AIDS cases in their location and other factors. The application responds to guidance from DSS on program requirements and expectations.

A class of antiretroviral agents that binds to the gp41 envelope protein and blocks the structural changes necessary for the virus to fuse with the host CD4 cell. When the virus cannot penetrate the host cell membrane and infect the cell, HIV replication within that host cell is prevented.